There are many competing causes and organizations that will require your support and choosing one to focus on can be an overwhelming task. Setting clear goals from the onset can make this process easier and help you determine what combination of your resources you are able to give and to whom. In Africa where much of philanthropic giving is still informal or charitable, making this shift to more strategic of long-term giving is a challenge. Due to weak and, in some cases, non-existing regulation and limited expertise, the sector is not yet well defined and practices are still evolving. Embarking on this journey will require you to reflect on your motivations, research and understand the development problem you are hoping to solve, ascertain the kind of resources you are willing to commit, and finally, decide who to support. Following the lessons mentioned to build structure around your philanthropy can help you avoid common pitfalls. What is my motivation for giving? Asking yourself why you are getting involved in philanthropy is a necessary first step in understanding your motivations. For some, philanthropy is largely inspired by a sense of being able to right a wrong that was experienced or witnessed. Or, it might be driven by a particular conviction behind solving a specific social problem. For others, it may be a combination of factors including family legacy, religion, and impact. Whatever your motivations are, it is important that you understand and acknowledge what drives you. The reason for this is simple.
Embracing your motivations will keep you focused on specific issues and goals. In the long term, it will help you make better decisions about how and where your resources will be applied. It will also help those advising you to have a clearer understanding of the ethos behind your philanthropic giving. What resources will I give? The majority of African giving today is characterized as charity and not philanthropy. Charity is a term that captures informal and one-off donations and support for social needs, whereas philanthropy is a long-term commitment, mostly financial, to tackling root causes of social problems. According to the Acton Institute, “philanthropy is the more institutional, big-picture cousin of charity, which is the personal and direct connection to those in need.” For philanthropy to sustain change and impact it has to be backed by substantial financial investments, and in some cases, the philanthropist’s time. Although financial support isn’t the only resource a philanthropist can offer, it has a greater capacity to influence scale and delivery of long-term impact.
Concluding thoughts Ultimately, philanthropy is a personal journey and there is really no ‘right’ path to follow. Thinking strategically about philanthropy will require practice, and you may not get it all figured out all at once. Learning from others and your own experiences can help put a lot of the ideas and reflections, discussed in this chapter, into perspective. Eventually, you will be poised to make more effective decisions about your philanthropic giving especially if you take the time to examine your motivations, understand the problem you are trying to solve, commit the appropriate combination of resources, and identify credible grantees or partners to work with. About the Author: African Philanthropy Forum The African Philanthropy Forum (APF) is a strong and vibrant community of givers who through their strategic investments, partnerships, and influence, foster inclusive and sustainable development on the African Continent. APF envision a strong and dynamic home grown philanthropic community on the African Continent, playing a catalytic role in Africa’s achievement of inclusive and sustainable development. For more information about philanthropic activities in Africa visit www.africanpf.org .
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