16+
Years of Impact
580+
Partners Collaborated With
10
Provinces Covered
50k+
Lives Touched
100%
Local Solutions
About Us
The Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF) for Civil Society was established as a not-for-profit private company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act Chapter 388 of the Laws of Zambia in July 2009. ZGF was formed to strengthen the institutional capacity and autonomy of civil society organisations (CSO) to engage actively in policy processes and undertake advocacy on behalf of the poor and socially excluded people in Zambia. In 2017, community philanthropy emerged as a new pillar of work following exposure to the concept of community philanthropy promoted by the Global Fund for Community Foundations. The organisation has started engaging in community-led development initiatives using community philanthropy as one of the key strategies. In this new direction, ZGF still remains committed to civil society organisations (CSO) support through various mechanisms including sub-granting and capacity building.
Vision
A Zambian society where local communities realise their rights and shape their own development.
Mission
Local communities and civil society with strengthened capacities to unlock and utilise available resources.
Our Programmatic Pillars
The core strategies driving community-led development across Zambia.
CSO Support
Building the capacity of local organisations to practice active citizenship.
Explore Strategy →Strengthening Communities
Empowering communities to lead their own development and hold the state accountable.
Explore Strategy →Community Philanthropy
Advocating for the growth of formal and informal philanthropic giving in Zambia.
Explore Strategy →Social Media Highlights
All Highlights
Thank you The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award-Zambia for joining us on the digital marketing training with our youth groups. Our youth groups are sharpening their digital marketing skills, learning how to promote their products and services online, reach wider audiences, and grow their businesses. It’s all about turning digital opportunities into economic empowerment! 🚀 #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalMarketing #ZGF
Today, the ZGF team and Board members had the opportunity to meet with one of the founders of the Zambian Governance Foundation, Professor Sekelani Banda, during the ongoing familiarisation visit to our Partners in Eastern Province. The engagement provided an opportunity to connect with one of the individuals who contributed to the establishment of ZGF and reflect on the journey, vision and commitment that continue to shape the organisation’s work. As ZGF continues to strengthen communities and civil society to unlock and utilise available and untapped resources for sustainable development, engaging with those who helped lay its foundations offers a valuable reminder of the vision that started it all and the work that lies ahead. #ZGF #CommunityLedDevelopment #LocalPhilanthropy #EasternProvince #ZGFJourney
This week, ZGF Board members have embarked on a familiarisation visit to our partners in Eastern Province, providing an opportunity to engage with the Community Foundations and CSOs , understand their work and exchange experiences. Yesterday, the team visited Kaluluzi Community Foundation, where the engagement created an opportunity for foundation members to learn from the Board members’ knowledge and experience. Discussions also touched on the foundation’s income generating activities, including its grocery shop, with Board members sharing practical advice on business management and sustainability. Such engagements create valuable opportunities for knowledge sharing, mentorship and reflection, helping community foundations strengthen their operations and explore ways to sustain their work using locally available resources. #ZGF #CommunityFoundations #LocalPhilanthropy #CommunityLedDevelopment #EasternProvince #Sustainability
Featured Initiatives
Explore some of the local solutions we are supporting across Zambia.
The Reverse Call for Proposals
Reverse Call for Proposals (RCfP) The Reverse Call for Proposals (RCfP) is an innovative participatory grantmaking approach that shifts the traditional power dynamics of funding by placing communities at the centre of decision-making. Unlike conventional grant processes where funders define priorities and organizations submit applications, the RCfP enables communities to identify their own needs, propose solutions, and determine which initiatives should receive support. Through the RCfP, ZGF works with community foundations and local actors to mobilize local knowledge, strengthen community ownership, and support locally driven solutions. The approach recognizes that communities are best placed to understand their challenges and opportunities, and therefore should have a meaningful role in directing resources towards initiatives that matter most to them. The RCfP promotes transparency, inclusion, and trust by involving community members in identifying priorities, reviewing proposals, and making funding decisions. It supports grassroots organizations and community groups to implement initiatives that respond to local realities while strengthening the culture of local giving and community philanthropy in Zambia. As the first Reverse Call for Proposals implemented in Zambia, the initiative represents a significant step towards shifting power within the development sector and demonstrating that communities can lead decisions about resources intended for their own development.
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The Shifting the Power Programme
So far, ZGF has worked with 50 CSOs in Zambia under the STP programme
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Youth-led Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development
ZGF has been working with youth groups in Chawama, George and Mandevu peri-urban neighbourhoods of Lusaka.
Learn MoreReady to Make a Difference?
Join us in our mission to strengthen civil society and promote good governance across Zambia. Contact us at info@zgf.org.zm for partnership inquiries.