Dear Family,
I acknowledge and sincerely appreciate your continued readership of our monthly newsletter over the past months. The resilience and collective effort demonstrated by our community have been instrumental in our progress.
Our members, the core of this network, exemplify our shared values through consistent and impactful actions. To our valued partners, your collaborative efforts demonstrate a genuine commitment to driving meaningful change. Furthermore, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the EAPN secretariat for their diligent and unwavering dedication, which sustains and advances our mission.
As a trusted thought leader in the sector, we remain steadfast in our role as a catalyst for strategic dialogue, innovation, and collective impact. This month, we held two pivotal virtual engagements, each addressing critical dimensions of our work, including the evolving landscape of funding sustainability and the dynamic interplay between policy and practice.
Our recent webinar, “Funding Disruptions: Impacts and Leverage Points for the Development Ecosystem, ” brought together leaders, practitioners, and philanthropic institutions to reimagine the future of financing. The robust exchange of ideas underscored three critical imperatives: the necessity of diversified revenue streams, the untapped potential of domestic resource mobilization, and the imperative for organizations to cultivate agility in an ever-shifting landscape.
Equally vital was our Virtual Issue Lab on the Public Benefit Organizations Act, 2013: Implementation, Implications, and Transition. Experts and stakeholders undertook a rigorous examination of compliance requirements, operational implications, and the broader policy environment that influences the nonprofit sector. While acknowledging the progress achieved, the dialogue identified persistent implementation gaps that warrant sustained policy advocacy and institutional capacity-building efforts.
Looking ahead, we are excited to announce a landmark collaboration with Development Dynamics and National Philanthropy Forums across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. In April and early May, we will host National Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Dialogues, introducing discussions on the People-Powered Public-Private Philanthropy (5P) Framework. This framework will serve as a guiding tool for fostering collaboration, mobilizing local resources, and strengthening accountability within the region’s development ecosystem.
In celebration of International Women’s Day in March, we have highlighted the extraordinary stories and contributions of women-led initiatives driving transformative change worldwide. EAPN remains deeply committed to elevating women philanthropists, ensuring their leadership and impact are recognized and amplified.
Our monthly newsletter continues to be a vibrant platform for sharing insights, fostering connections, and co-creating solutions. We invite you to join us at April’s National Philanthropy Convenings, where your voice will help shape the future of our collective work.
Your ongoing commitment to our shared vision remains the cornerstone of our collective impact. Let us move forward, united in our mission to redefine philanthropy and create lasting change across the region.
Sincerely,
Evans Okinyi
CEO – East Africa Philanthropy Network.
