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
Today, WE IDEATE #ZGF is bringing together civil society organizations, private sector representatives and other stakeholders for the Resource Mobilisation Initiative (RMI) Ideation Workshop: Over the past few months, we have been listening and learning about how communities and civil society organizations mobilize the resources they need to drive change. We have come to realise that communities are not without resources. But how can we better unlock these resources, connect them to opportunities and build stronger partnerships? That is the conversation we are taking forward today - Friday. The ideas here will help shape the next phase of the RI under the Shifting the Power programme. #RMI #Localization BongoHive Comic Relief Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Africa Philanthropy Network Tilitonse Foundation Zango Foundation Prisoners Future Foundation Gwembe Women's Lobby Enlight Abilities
Watch our Environmental Specialist Sarah Haloba Discussing Community Foundations and Community-led Development in Zambia on HOT FM Zambia 87.7 @topfans
Yesterday, the second and third cohorts of youth groups signed their project financing agreements, marking another important step in supporting young people to turn their ideas into sustainable enterprises and community solutions. The signing represents more than access to funding. It is an investment in the creativity, potential and leadership of young people, while strengthening their ability to build livelihoods and contribute to the development of their communities. Through this approach, ZGF continues to support locally led development by putting resources and decision making closer to the people who are best placed to identify and respond to local needs. When young people have the opportunity, resources, and confidence to lead, they become powerful drivers of change. #ZGF #YouthEmpowerment #YouthEntrepreneurship #CommunityLedDevelopment #LocalPhilanthropy #Localization
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.