African Philanthropy Forum

What African Philanthropy Forum does

African Philanthropy Forum (APF) is a Lagos-headquartered nonprofit organization founded in 2014 that operates as a community-led platform for African philanthropy, engaging approximately 2,500 philanthropists across 12 countries through three program pillars: Promoting Philanthropy, Building Knowledge, and Creating Connections. Its core products include the flagship annual APF Conference (rotating across African cities — Johannesburg in 2018, Kigali in 2022, Marrakech in 2024, with 2026 upcoming), the African Philanthropists' Toolkit, an APF podcast series, and StartPoint Africa, a separate platform that matches donors with African-led organizations. APF also produces proprietary research, including reports on disparities in funding for African NGOs, the Nigerian philanthropy ecosystem, COVID-19 response, and a 2025 White Paper on Gender Justice and Digital Rights.

APF's business model is membership- and convening-based. Revenue derives from one-time conference registrations (virtual plenary access priced at USD $150) and recurring membership dues from philanthropists and foundations; the membership price is not publicly disclosed but the model is structured as a self-serve enrollment via the website. Distribution is multi-channel: an in-person annual conference with virtual access, self-serve membership enrollment, organic social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook), newsletters, and a podcast. The firmographic profile lists 11–50 employees and a small team, consistent with a lean convening organization.

The organization is strategically anchored by flagship alliances with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the 7 Generations Institute, and the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), with additional partnerships with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the Africa Prosperity Summit. In late 2025, APF co-organized a 15-country Pan-Africa Family Office Awareness and Engagement Tour with UNDP and 7 Generations Institute, expanding beyond traditional philanthropy into the family-office and wealth-governance segment, and launched the Nigeria chapter of the World Giving Report 2025 with CAF — context in which Nigeria ranked first globally on charitable giving (89% participation, 2.83% of income donated).

Name

African Philanthropy Forum

Legal name

African Philanthropy Forum

Website

https://africanpf.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

African Philanthropy Forum through their strategic giving, investments, and influence, foster shared prosperity on the African continent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy & Nonprofit Network Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Philanthropy network platform
• Nonprofit membership organization
• Donor matching services
• Annual philanthropy conference
• Philanthropy knowledge resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration: Revenue from annual APF Conference attendance fees, including virtual access options
2. Membership Dues: Revenue from members joining the African Philanthropy Forum network

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

African Philanthropy Forum (APF) is a nonprofit membership-based community that advances homegrown philanthropy and inclusive development across Africa. It runs three programmatic pillars (Promoting Philanthropy, Building Knowledge, Creating Connections), hosts an annual conference series, and operates StartPoint Africa, a platform that connects donors with credible African-led organizations. Members gain access to networking events, capacity-building toolkits, research reports, and a curated community of 2,500+ philanthropists across 12 countries.

Product overview

African Philanthropy Forum (APF) is a platform and community network rather than a traditional software product. It consists of a core organizational platform focused on fostering philanthropy across Africa, complemented by specialized programs (Promoting Philanthropy, Building Knowledge, Creating Connections), resource products (the African Philanthropists' Toolkit, APF Podcast Series), the StartPoint Africa donor-organizational matching platform, and an annual conference program. The organization engages approximately 2,500 philanthropists across 12 African countries, serving as a convening and knowledge-sharing body rather than a technology product with integrations, APIs, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StartPoint Africa: APF initiative bridging the gap between donors seeking to fund credible African-led organizations and local organizations doing good.

Products and services

• APF Conference Annual flagship conference bringing together philanthropists, thought leaders, and changemakers to explore their role as catalysts in shaping Africa's future. Features 50+ speakers, panel sessions, speed networking, and curated funder sessions.
• StartPoint Africa Online platform connecting donors seeking to fund credible African-led organizations with local organizations doing impactful work on the continent.
• African Philanthropists' Toolkit Capacity-building toolkit designed to strengthen the capabilities of African philanthropists and support informed strategic giving.
• APF Podcast Series Audio podcast series featuring APF community members with track records of success across the continent, sharing knowledge and experiences to inspire others to action.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2500+ philanthropists engaged across 12 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025APF collaborates with UNDP through the UNDP Innovation Centre and UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa on the Pan-Africa Family Office Awareness and Engagement Tour, advancing Africa's first coordinated movement to mobilize private wealth for development.
• 7 Generations InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025Co-organized the 15-country Pan-Africa Family Office Awareness and Engagement Tour with APF, focused on True Family Offices and family governance for continental prosperity.
• Africa Prosperity SummitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025Collaborated with Africa Prosperity Summit on the Lagos convening of the Pan-Africa Family Office Tour.
• Rockefeller Philanthropy AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025Partnered on the 7 Generations Institute convening to explore family governance and capital deployment on the continent.
• Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2025APF partnered with CAF to launch the Nigeria Chapter of the World Giving Report 2025, highlighting Nigeria's global leadership in charitable giving metrics.
• StartPoint AfricacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAPF has launched StartPoint Africa platform bridging the gap between donors seeking to fund credible African-led organizations and local organizations doing good work.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA): Pan-African network mobilizing venture philanthropy and social investment across the continent; directly comparable to APF in mission (mobilizing private capital for African development) and audience (African philanthropists and foundations).

Regional players

• East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN): Regional philanthropy network promoting cross-border giving and capacity building in East Africa; comparable to APF as a regional convener with similar membership, knowledge, and advocacy functions but narrower geographic scope.
• Arab Foundations Forum: Regional network of foundations and philanthropic organizations across the Arab world; structurally and functionally similar to APF as a regional philanthropy membership body, though focused on MENA rather than Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF): Kenya-based community foundation supporting local philanthropy and CSO capacity; comparable to APF as a country-level philanthropy intermediary that mobilizes and channels domestic giving for development.

Broad incumbents

• TrustAfrica: Pan-African foundation that mobilizes resources and advocates for African-led development; comparable to APF in continental footprint and focus on homegrown philanthropy, but operates grantmaking programs of its own rather than pure convening.
• Charities Aid Foundation (CAF): Global philanthropy infrastructure organization and APF partner on the World Giving Report; directly comparable in delivering research, knowledge products, and giving-platform services for philanthropists.
• The Tony Elumelu Foundation: One of the largest African philanthropic programs (founder-led family foundation), focused on entrepreneurship and development; comparable as a high-profile African foundation engaged in capacity building and continental convening.

Emerging players

• Acumen (Africa): Global impact-investment nonprofit with a strong African portfolio, focusing on patient capital for entrepreneurs; comparable as a non-African-rooted philanthropy actor applying tools to African development with community/knowledge-building elements.
• New Philanthropy Capital (NPC): UK-based think tank and advisory body for philanthropists, producing research and advice on giving strategy; comparable to APF in its knowledge-building, research, and capacity-building programs for philanthropists, though focused on UK/Europe audiences.

Others

• Global Fund for Community Foundations (GFCF): Global backer of community foundations, including in Africa; comparable as a philanthropy-infrastructure funder supporting locally-rooted grantmaking — a complementary, adjacent actor to APF's network model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/apforg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8CNIGN88ICoDQbDn7O5Pcw/videos?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/africanpf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/african-philanthropy-forum
• Instagraminstagram.com/apforg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about African Philanthropy Forum