Funding types and criteria for selecting partners
Introduction
This guide explains the types of funding available to Kwanda’s impact partners and our
criteria for selecting partners or recipients.
Types of funding
Funding types are the different contexts in which Kwanda deploys funding to impact
partners or recipients. There are currently three active funding types:
General criteria
Although there is criteria specific to each funding type, the criteria listed below are
maintained across all.
Locally-led
Solution is led by those local to the problem being solved.
Culturally relevant
Solution respects and reflects the values of the affected community.
Within funding regions
Solution is delivered within Africa or the Caribbean.
Kwanda does not fund:
Political campaigns or partisan activities
Religious activities or proselytizing
Individual scholarships or tuition assistance
Fundraising campaigns or GoFundMe's
... Now, onto the types of funding and their relevant criteria.
Project
Projects are long-term, multi-year initiatives that are led by local impact partners. They evolve over time with more capital, improvements and collaboration between multiple partners.
Funding available to:
🌱 Grassroot organisations
Objectives of funding
Address root causes of community challenges through sustained, evolving interventions
Build lasting institutional capacity within communities
Foster collaboration by bringing together partners to share expertise, resources, and ideas
Create self-reinforcing positive change cycles
Criteria for solution and partner selection
Is innovative
Solution offers a new or improved approach to an existing problem, demonstrating creativity and fresh thinking.
Is sustainable
Solution is designed to create long-term, lasting change rather than short-term fixes
Is empowering
Solution aims to build capacity within the affected community, enabling people to take charge of their own development.
Is scaleable
Solution has the potential to grow or be adapted to benefit other communities facing similar challenges.
Is fiancially viable
Solution has a clear, realistic plan for using capital effectively and potentially attracting additional resources for sustainability.
Has track record
Partner has a track record and expertise around the problem they are addressing.
Has reporting capacity
Partner has the capacity to report on their progress and impact.
Has traction
Solution can evidence traction or has a strong early indication of traction/success.
Grants
Grants are typically deployed to support the work of trailblazing individuals or small teams. Grants may be used as stipend, allowing recipients to focus fully on their work, or as capital to achieve specific goals like research or prototyping.
Funding available to:
🧑🏿🔬 Social innovators
🔬 Researchers
Objectives of funding
Support trailblazers addressing systemic challenges
Enable full-time dedication to high-impact initiatives
Catalyse innovative solutions
Criteria for solution and recipient selection
Is innovative
Solution offers a new or improved approach to an existing problem, demonstrating creativity and fresh thinking.
Is sustainable
Solution is designed to create long-term, lasting change rather than short-term fixes
Is scaleable
Solution has the potential to grow or be adapted to benefit other communities facing similar challenges.
Is fiancially viable
Solution has a clear, realistic plan for using capital effectively and potentially attracting additional resources for sustainability.
Has reporting capacity
Recipient has the capacity to report on their progress and impact.
Donations
Important community work often takes place outside traditional standards of innovation and sustainability. Donations aim to provide accessible funding to these essential initiatives.
Funding available to:
🌱 Grassroot organisations
Objectives of funding
Support immediate community needs through grassroots organisations.
Provide accessible funding to smaller, local initiatives.
Enable quick response to community challenges.
Criteria for solution and recipient selection
Is empowering
Solution aims to build capacity within the affected community, enabling people to take charge of their own development.
Has track record
Recipient has a track record and expertise around the problem they are addressing.
Has reporting capacity
Recipient has the capacity to report on their progress and impact.
Outro
Thank you for reading this guide. If you have any questions, please refer to our FAQ page.
