Community Foundations Across Africa Convene Towards Building Lasting Local Impact

From 5 to 8 October 2026, the inaugural Africa Community Foundations Convening brought together more than 80 leaders and practitioners from community foundations, support organisations and funding partners across seven African countries in Mombasa, Kenya. The gathering was hosted by the East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN) in partnership with KCDF and the Aga Khan Foundation under the theme “Rooted in Community, Built to Last: Africa’s Community Foundations Come of Age.”

The convening provided a unique platform for participants from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to reflect on the growth of the community foundations movement across the continent and to explore practical ways to strengthen locally rooted institutions. Discussions focused on how community foundations can become more sustainable, responsive and resilient while helping communities take greater ownership of their development.

The event also sought to strengthen collaboration among African community foundations, encourage peer learning, and identify shared priorities for advancing the community foundation movement beyond the convening.

Key Outcomes and Insights

A central message throughout the four-day event was that lasting development is built on strong local institutions, community ownership, and trust.

Opening the discussions, Grace Maingi, Executive Director of KCDF, used the image of the baobab tree to illustrate the qualities of a strong community foundation. She described roots as representing a foundation’s connection to place and community, the trunk as governance, the branches as permanence, and the fruits as grant-making and capacity-building support. Her presentation emphasised that organisations can only thrive when they are firmly rooted in the communities they serve.

Grace Maingi further challenged participants to work towards a stronger shared identity for African community foundations, deepen peer learning, strengthen solidarity across borders and agree on priorities that will guide the movement into the future. Participants actively contributed ideas, experiences and areas of expertise, creating opportunities for continued collaboration beyond the convening.

A keynote address by Monica Mutuku, KCDF’s founding Executive Director, offered important reflections on the role of communities in driving their own development. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, she reminded participants that communities are not passive recipients of aid but possess valuable knowledge, skills, relationships and resources that can be mobilised to improve their lives.

Monica Mutuku emphasised that sustainable development is not only about delivering projects but also about building community capacity, strengthening local institutions, and fostering ownership. She encouraged organisations to move away from approaches that sideline communities and instead create opportunities for people to participate in decision-making and invest in their own future. She also highlighted the importance of recognising and strengthening Africa’s long-standing traditions of giving, mutual support and collective action.

Participants also shared insights on governance, with participants exploring how trust, accountability and transparency contribute to strong institutions. The conversations emphasised that effective governance goes beyond policies and structures; it requires consistent actions that build confidence among community members and encourage meaningful participation.

Speaking during the convening, Evans Okinyi, Executive Director of EAPN, noted that while communities across Africa are already mobilising resources and setting their own priorities, many organisations lack the systems and support needed to sustain these efforts over the long term. He highlighted the need for stronger governance, access to capital, supportive policies, evidence generation and long-term institutional support to help community foundations thrive.

The convening also showcased practical examples of how communities can build lasting assets and reduce dependence on external funding. During the convening, KCDF implementing partners, under the community foundations programme, shared their experiences demonstrating the power of local resource mobilisation and community asset building:

• Nkoilale Community Development Foundation shared how community members contributed livestock, cash, labour and skills before seeking external support, reinforcing local ownership from the beginning.
• Ndithini Community Development Association explored how a community savings initiative that started with 447 members has grown into a thriving enterprise with thousands of active savers and additional income-generating activities such as beekeeping.
• Kitui Development Centre shared how community members mobilised resources through handicraft sales to acquire land, build office space and generate rental income that supports their work independently of donor funding.
• Dhamira Moja Community Based Organisation shared their experience of being a community-rooted organisation that has found collaborative approaches of working with their county government for the advancement of development in their community.

These examples demonstrated that strong community foundations are built gradually through local contributions, shared commitment and long-term investment in community assets.

A major milestone of the convening was the launch of the Africa Community Foundations Alliance (ACFA), a continental platform that will support the growth and capacity development of community foundations across Africa. The alliance aims to strengthen collaboration and provide support to both emerging and established community foundations.

Conclusion

The inaugural Africa Community Foundations Convening highlighted the growing importance of community foundations as vehicles for locally led and sustainable development across Africa. Participants reaffirmed the need for organisations that are community-owned, community-centred and capable of mobilising and managing resources in ways that create lasting impact and resilience.

For KCDF, being part of this landmark event reinforced its long-standing commitment to strengthening communities and promoting local philanthropy. As Kenya’s first community foundation, KCDF has played a pioneering role in advancing the community foundations movement and demonstrating the value of community-led development. The conversations, lessons and partnerships emerging from the convening closely align with KCDF’s strategic focus on building community assets, strengthening local institutions, promoting sustainable resource mobilisation and empowering communities to shape their own future.