The 8th East Africa Philanthropy Conference is the annual signature philanthropy event in the region hosted by the East Africa Philanthropy Network, a voluntary membership organization that draws its membership from local charitable trusts, foundations, grantmaking and non-grant making organizations in East Africa with the primary aim of promoting philanthropy.
The Conference is a gathering of over 300 practitioners and philanthropic organizations in the region. It provides a platform for sharing experiences, collective reflection, as well as the curation and development of philanthropic and social tools and investment practices for the continent’s people and partners. It is intentionally planned as a creative, facilitative, and action oriented space for actors in African philanthropy to strategize, network, reflect, and curate impactful action based on the
achievements and challenges within the sector. This conference is organized by a committee made up of EAPN members, partners and stakeholders to conceptualize, vision and plan, including determining the conference theme, agenda and selecting abstracts that inform the program.
This is an in-person conference aimed at spurring philanthropy actors towards engaging actionable tools to build a resilient sector by aligning to the changes inherent and unanticipated in the ecosystem, ensuring relevance through establishing collaborations that embrace the new demands of philanthropy while creating an environment for philanthropy to thrive.
The three-day conference will provide industry players and practitioners an opportunity to unpack the broader theme dedicating each day to two sub-themes. On the first day, attendants will focus on Amplifying impact through a vibrant Philanthropy; Strengthening the enabling environment: An evidence approach towards a sturdier ecosystem; and, embracing technology and data to drive the sector.
The second day will also see participants navigate the disruptive terrain to establish
meaning for philanthropy within the emerging demands as a strategy to build a more resilient and robust ecosystem. The second day of the conference will provoke practitioners to reflect on how to reposition philanthropy to leverage existing opportunities, share and inspire while exemplifying impact so that it remains relevant. We will delve into aspects of Feminist Philanthropy: Actualizing inclusivity & gender equity; and, Untiring generosity through challenging times. The second day will also escalate calls for reforms in the sector.
The third day will be a half day packed with practitioner and actor- led engagements on Revitalizing & re-imagining the future: Building on people power. We will deliberate on actionable engagements around building and re-invigorating philanthropy, collaborations in growing the sector, evidence based data for community interventions, and emerging investment models, which are key for a conducive environment and for the growth of philanthropy in Africa.