New Adventures

Am super excited to share that a while ago, a couple of friends and myself came together and started the dream that we call MoFund Africa. Simply meaning more direct funding to African led organizations .

"I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody" Lily Tomlin

What inspired this? After a decade plus? in development, managing funding, and transferring funds to local African organizations, I met so many stories of despair and hopelessness of founders with amazing impact stories, vision for their community but unable to sustain traction and raise funds.

I summarize 10 key questions that we have kept me awake in the process of starting up MoFund, I invite you to think alongside us and share your insights, ideas as well direct us to other like minded organizations or individuals that struggle with the same questions, or have managed to solve, or document some of them.?

1. 97% of African non profits and social enterprises dont grow: Many grant makers have no intention or strategy to fund directly African non profits, as a result they fail to invest in those that seek organizational growth yet this is where funding is needed if they are to become stronger and really lead development from the ground up. Many funders and INGOs are have publicized just how much they want to localize development but a lot is said and ends up being swallowed by bureaucracies and perceived risk arguments which we will never hear the end of.
2. Program outcomes Vs delivery costs vs institutional strengthening budgets: This is all confusing for African visionaries and many investors, grant makers are unclear on what they stand for. This post by Kevin L. Brown on why funders wont cover delivery costs and the arguments made that dont make sense summarizes it all. African non profits feel the power imbalance, and are unable to voice out why the delivery costs are needed, afraid of losing that rare opportunity to access funding. Very few funders try to make this an easy, collaborative, and equitable process and am happy to give a shout out to funders that are walking the talk. Feel free to tag those you know are worthy of this shout out.
3. Risk: Is risk the primary lens of driving impact? Or risk aversion? The bigger the organization, the lower its risk appetite so as to defend its structure/systems/survival. Most INGOs will not adopt/change their practices despite all the talk and panel presentations on localization.?In the words of Frank Aswani , in his article on Philanthropy, we must embrace risk, and embrace technology if we are to make a difference.
4. Perception: here is a perception by grant makers that African Nonprofits and social enterprises require more oversight and support than the donor provides hence needing a fund manager or intermediary. This in my experience is everything unspoken behind the taunting that grant makers have in the process for African led organizations, in the VC space many African start up founders end up onboarding a white co-founder just to 'show' they can be trusted. How do we get over this? Its worse that African investors and fund managers also trust start ups with white co-founders more than those founded by Africans, so who do we blame here? Having a white co founder increases your funding chance by over 50,000%! Read this article here that talks about this in detail.
5. Aid Commercialization: The development space has become very corporatized. More competition and less collaboration, internal metrics of success & growth are different from the impact? claimed on the socials and the websites.?
6. Incubators that never hatch: African founders are fatigued of this new programming norm that is favored especially by private foundations where founders pitch for a living, are in multiple incubators/accelerators and conferences talking about their innovative solution. No one puts in money, time and the mentorship needed to help the start up whether for profit or non profit to really grow roots. We pursue photo moments and big numbers of African start ups reached and the multiplier number of 'jobs' created after a 3 month incubation/acceleration marathon. 70% of the total grant funding going to expatriate consultancies and paltry amounts going to support the few start ups that win the award.
7. Absorption capacity: Ever heard of this term? My experience fundraising often funders will ask how much your current annual budget is, how much can you spend in duration of time. Must funders will rely on history of grants size handled by the to determine future grant size which restricts growth to the next levels of funding. This explains why INGOs have perpetual 'African grass-root' partners who do all the leg work, virtually run an entire program on a fraction of the budget because the INGO brings strong trusted brand that provides ovrsight, is based in the global north, and has the requisite absorption capacity. Am super eager to hear from you which funders are taking the longer route and creating hybrid work arounds in their granting for smaller organizations.
8. Follow the money? We don’t exist to make profits, but paradoxically we must run financially sustainable organizations and build relationships that build trust. African founders of non profits are usually in a very difficult position, they cant be seen to make money. Its different when its a for profit enterprise. But where did this notion come from? That if you found a social enterprise or a non profit, you cant earn a decent salary from it even if you are working full time? Why does earning a decent market competitive income get perceived immoral?
9. Taking risks: To win without risk is to triumph without glory, and Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. We are being encouraged to take career destructive moves that might possibly lead to cross generational impact. Challenge the system even when it destroys the career. But one might argue that you need to come from a point of privilege for you to take this kind of risk because of potential dire consequences on a personal level.? Have you seen visionaries who have taken this route before? What stories came from these bold, audacious, hairy career moves??
10. Courage and Consequences: Are we prepared to be wounded in the process? Hurt our brands and get an unpopular label? The development sector encourages boldness but often silences dissenting voices. What repercussions have you seen for organizations that dared to speak out? How about individuals in organizations that chose to speak out because they don't agree with contradictory internal policies. Many times I hear this statement 'you know I agree with you and that we need to do it differently, but our policies dictate otherwise'. How many have the courage to challenge those?

So, what will we do at MoFund??

1. We will help African non profits in Health, Agrifood, Education and Energy to strengthen their internal capacities, brand, structure, business model and fundraising strategies so they can amplify what they already do so well.?
2. We will support African philanthropists, grant makers to channel their support to local solutions they are familiar with or want to handle this is because we believe philanthropy is service and not just the money?
3. We creatively support the African nonprofits and social enterprises to measure and document their impact using innovative AI technology, which helps them tell their stories better supporting their business case and building trust by showing traction at beneficiary level and systems change level

How can you be part of this?

1. Send us reports, insights, blogs that you think will help us learn more, faster and be more responsive to our constituents of focus
2. Invite us to celebrate your wins, share your lessons, let us help you amplify your voice
3. Invite us to explore building a funding pipeline for your initiatives, Let us help you map out worthy courses from African led organizations that dont have the right donor speak but are doing amazing work in their communities.