CivSource Africa

CivSource-Africa is an independent advisory organization that seeks to refine the practice and footprint of philanthropy in Africa, for authentic civic engagement. We are pioneers in the space where philanthropy and civil society meet and seek to foster an environment that nurtures mutually beneficial relationships and stewardship of entrusted resources. We provide thought leadership on strategic financing models for effective philanthropy and civic engagement. We also facilitate open and informed conversationspertaining to philanthropic giving and civil society organizations.

Civ
Is short for civl society. Funding civil society strengthens their human rights work as critical partners in advancing good governance and development. Civ also ensures that our focus and that of our funders remains the people and not the money.

Source
We are a source of information and advice to funders on spectrum of issues such as human rights, social-political context, and other areas. To civil society we are a source of support to advance their potential.

Africa
Is the way we define the geographical, cultural and idealogical space within which we operate, and it also speaks to our roots and grounding in our continent.

Our Vision
Philanthropy that works and Civil Society that thrives.

Our Mission
To refine the practice of philanthropy and the footprint of civil society in Africa.

Our Values
DIGNITY
We value our common humanity and treat others with respect, guided by the Ubuntu philosophy: I am because we are.

AUDACITY
We are bold, original, challenge dominant narratives and are willing to chart new paths.

RELIABILITY
We are dependable, accountable and committed to excellence.

EQUITY
We believe in just and equal access to opportunities, resources, and space for civil society in its diversity.
What we do.

Influence Practice: We identify and support the work of funding agencies and philanthropists in Africa. We particularly seek to connect with and support local/Africa led philanthropy. We provide grant management and advisory services on context and strategy, that includes but is not limited to:

Provide periodic updates on the socio-economic and political issues and trends in a given country, including specific information on the situation of civil society/social organizing
Keep abreast with the local funding scene and network with donors on areas of mutual interest
Regarding grant management, undertake the administrative tasks required to ensure effective financial management, reporting and program implementation in adherence to generally accepted standards, as well as specific requirements of individual funders, where required.
Conduct site visits to grantees and the communities in which they work, and ensure that grantees report in a timely manner. We also provide independent assessments of activity and financial reports.
Where necessary, we mediate and/or facilitate conversations between funders and organizations in order to promote more equal and mutually beneficial relationships
Strengthen effectiveness of CSOs: We support local organizations and organizers to capitalize on their strengths to reach their full potential. This includes but is not limited to the following specific activities:

Connect those we work with to organizational development experts and/or coaches who support and/or strengthen effectiveness.
Conduct organizational capacity assessments to understand organizational health and support the process of identifying capacity areas and required interventions.
Identify and nurture upcoming organizations and organizers
Provide opportunities for organizations to learn from each other through processes that facilitate peer learning and mutual support.
Shape narrative: We are ambassadors of stories of change, told in ways that empower and sustain flourishing communities. This includes but is not limited to the following specific activities:

Equip story tellers with skills and tools to capture and tell stories in creative ways that capture people’s attention and stimulate discussion.
Provide platforms to share stories of change through our various networks, active and robust forms of media.
Working with young people and social justice artists to tell stories of change in their communities using various forms and channels for creative communication and expression.