Background

KCDF’s rationale in safeguarding the civic space emanates from the challenges that many Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) experience in the area of civil society sustainability which ultimately impacts on the sector’s relevance and credibility overall. KCDF has been at the forefront of spurring action on the civil society sector’s sustainability as well as the legal framework that govern their work and operations.

We are currently enjoined in a CSO certification initiative aimed at increasing CSO accountability especially as perceived by the communities they serve, as well as by Government (both local and at county levels). Improving these perceptions provides opportunities for effective collaborations and partnerships. Similarly, with the diminishing quality and quantity of traditional funding sources, philanthropy and opening up local resourcing of development work by a mix of actors (corporates included) is key.

The increased interaction among groups interested in philanthropy has led to heightened dialogue and the need to consolidate efforts that focus on promoting philanthropy, strategic collaborations and accountability. In designing its work, KCDF will bring together its ability to advocate, advise and promote dialogue through its active participation in carefully selected networks at national, continentally and even at the global level in an effort to push issues that speak especially to the way aid is delivered.

Under this thematic area, KCDF will focus in enhancing the growth of philanthropic work and its impact on communities, as well as working to influence policies that help expand the civic space which has been restrictive in recent years. We will also, in this area, pay attention to the strong connections that exist between democratic governance especially at the National and County Government level and progress towards sustainable development pathways in community development.

Under this thematic area, the key interventions will include;

• Strengthening community voice and agency in the use of public funds, county development planning prioritization, allocation, utilization and monitoring. This entails supporting an enabling policy and legal environment to secure more equitable access to services for the poor and other excluded groups.
• Support advocacy that promotes adequate resource allocation at the county level to sectors that are of interest to KCDF e.g. budget allocations to water, education, health etc.
• Advocating for an enabling environment for a vibrant, responsible and capable civil society.
• Leveraging on different regional and global networks to learn, share and push collective agenda in philanthropy while strengthening National and Regional Philanthropy Infrastructure e.g. Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance’s (AVPA) which focuses on social investment & impact investment, Africa Philanthropy Network (APN), East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN), Global Fund for Community Foundation (GFCF), European Foundation Center (EFC), Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS), Africa Grantmakers’ Affinity Group among others.

Our Involvement and Commitment to Change

KCDF is seeking to deepen ways in which it can collaborate with like-minded Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Researchers, Advocacy and Media groups in linking the voices of the poor and marginalized in the community and articulating such voices in policy relevant advocacy platforms.

KCDF also believes that there is a shared motive force between researchers, policy makers, PBOs and the media in ensuring that the policies developed seek to address the inherent rights of the poor and marginalized in the community as envisaged in the Constitution of Kenya.

KCDF in collaboration with Strathmore Tax Research Centre has published a Philanthropy Report that looked into deepening the understanding of creating an enabling environment for philanthropy through tax incentives. Click here to read on the outcomes and download the report.