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Investing in Locally Led Development

A conversation with Andy Bryant, Executive Director, Segal Family Foundation

March 20th 2024

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Agenda

  • Introductions
  • Investing in Locally Led Development
    • What it is and why it matters
    • Navigating a shifting landscape
  • Open Discussion with Andy Bryant
  • Q+A
  • Appendix

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Panelists

  • Andy Bryant, Executive Director, Segal Family Foundation
    • Andy leads the Segal Family Foundation, the second largest grantmaker in Africa and winner of the 2023 Catalyst 2030 Best Overall Donor Award.

  • Solomon Makuza, co-founder, Daraja Partners
    • Solomon is an experienced nonprofit leader. He served as the Executive Director of Gardens for Health International from 2018 – 2023, and is an East African Acumen Fellow and an African Visionary Fellow.

  • Jessie Cronan, co-founder, Daraja Partners
    • Jessie has experience as both a funder and a nonprofit leader, and has perviously served as the Executive Director of Gardens for Health International, Child Relief International and Social Venture Partners Boston.

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Investing in Locally Led Development

Locally led development is the process in which local actors – encompassing individuals, communities, networks, organizations, private entities, and governments – set their own agendas, develop solutions, and bring the capacity, leadership, and resources to make those solutions a reality.

-- USAID Fact Sheet

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  • Over the past decade the percentage of US donor dollars going to locally led organizations has steadily increased
    • Between 2011 – 2015 only 10% of funding went to locally led organizations
    • Between 2016 – 2019 that rose to 13%
  • Despite widespread consensus around the importance of localization, funding still lags
    • 85% of donor dollars continue to support internationally led organizations

-- Council on Foundations

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What it is and why it matters

“Proximity matters in improving lives. African visionaries are best positioned to deliver impact because they live, go to school, access healthcare, and are deeply rooted in the communities they serve—they understand them, know what works and what doesn’t, and can collaborate with them to design creative and cost-effective interventions. By trusting these visionaries with catalytic, unrestricted funding, we are propelling their impactful solutions even further as they drive systems change and transform development across the continent.”

 – African Visionary Fund

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Navigating a shifting landscape

“This shift will require a longer-term development perspective, more flexible mechanisms, and support for organizational development and capacity strengthening. Implementing this approach will require creativity and innovation to address structural barriers to local actors’ access to funding and alignment with local partners’ goals and capacities. It will also require building trust, simplifying reporting requirements, and reexamining the role of intermediary organizations.”

-- UN Donor Statement on Supporting Locally Led Development

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Open Discussion �and �Q + A

We invite participants to submit questions and comments via the chat

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Appendix

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About Daraja Partners

Daraja Partners is led by Solomon Makuza and Jessie Cronan. As accomplished and award-winning professionals with more than 20 years of combined experience in nonprofit leadership, we work with nonprofits, charitable foundations, and corporations, who are looking to amplify their positive impact in the world.

As leaders, we have sat on both sides of the table – leading and growing nonprofit organizations and serving as funders with a focus on impact, innovation, and equity. We have worked domestically and internationally, with deep knowledge and networks in Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States. 

What makes our partnership truly unique is our ability to offer concrete insights, tools and resources that are designed to meet each client where they are.  We are excited to partner with clients who share our passion for social impact, both locally and globally.

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Relevant Articles

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Upcoming Webinars

Join us on the third Wednesday of each month for a series of candid conversations with leading experts in the field

The (honest) Donor Perspective

  • Wednesday April 17th at12 pm EST / 5 pm CAT

Join us for a candid conversation with a panel of donors who have committed to funding locally led organizations. We will dive deep into the nuances of who, how, and why they choose to fund and the lessons they have learned along the way.

  • Panelists TBD

Navigating Leadership Transitions

  • Wednesday May 15th at 12 pm EST / 5 pm CAT

Join us as we talk all things leadership transitions. Featuring a panel of leaders (in-coming and out-going) who have lived through the ups and downs that come with navigating major organizational shifts, this is an opportunity to talk honestly about the opportunities and pitfalls organizations face when leadership changes.

  • Panelists TBD

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Stay in touch!

  • Reach out to us directly at darajapartners@gmail.com to learn more about the services we we provide and to explore opportunities to work together
  • We look forward to building a community of donors and do-ers who are committed to challenging the status quo, and creating real and lasting positive change in the world
    • We are counting on all of YOU to create this space together
    • Please reach out with ideas for future webinars, resources you’d like to see, and services you would be interested in accessing

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