Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment - CAPSI

What Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment - CAPSI does

The Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) is an academic research and education centre housed within Wits Business School at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Founded in 2018 with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation as its founding funder, CAPSI exists to build a new generation of African experts, researchers, and academics in the field of philanthropy and social investment through formal degree programmes (PDM in Philanthropy & Resource Mobilisation, MM in African Philanthropy, MM by Research, and PhD in African Philanthropy), a three-tiered certificate ladder (Fedha, Dhahabu, Almasi), and seven masterclass modules spanning fundraising, CSR, community foundations, social-enterprise finance, and venture philanthropy.

The centre monetises primarily through academic programme fees and grant funding, with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation identified as the core financial partner supporting both establishment of the Chair and ongoing programmes. Distribution combines formal academic delivery through Wits Business School's infrastructure with direct-to-practitioner short courses and self-serve publication downloads, supported by a multi-channel marketing mix of website, newsletter, events, and the Conversations on African Philanthropy podcast. The customer base is segmented into African scholars and researchers pursuing accredited qualifications and working professionals (NGO leaders, CSR officers, fundraising managers, social-enterprise operators) seeking continuous professional development, with reach spanning the African continent via virtual, in-person, and hybrid formats.

Beyond formal education, CAPSI operates a knowledge-dissemination platform anchored by the International Review of Philanthropy & Social Investment (IRPSI) peer-reviewed journal (three volumes published), research articles, research reports, conference reports, and case studies, and runs special initiatives including the Aspire Higher project and the Adɔyɛ Women in Africa Philanthropy Programme, the latter offering $5,000 research-associate grants. The organisation employs approximately 17 staff and is not a commercial entity, operating instead as an academic unit within Wits University with no disclosed revenue or equity structure.

Name

Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment - CAPSI

Legal name

Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment

Website

https://capsi.co.za

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAPSI is an academic centre within Wits Business School in Johannesburg that offers accredited degrees, certificates, and masterclasses in African philanthropy and social investment, serving African scholars and practitioner professionals across the continent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic and Professional Education in Philanthropy

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAIAI

Short-Term Certificate & Micro-Credential Programs (International)

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Summer/Winter Schools & Short-Term Academic Programs

SECONDARYEDANAKAH

Research, Capstone & Extended Essay Mentoring (IB EE, independent research)

Education/Tutoring & Test Preparation/Enrichment & Advanced/Accelerated Tutoring (Gifted/AP/IB)

Keywords

• Philanthropy education
• Social investment research
• Academic degree programmes
• Executive philanthropy certificates
• Fundraising masterclasses

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Academic Programme Fees: Revenue generated from academic programmes including PDM, MM, and PhD programmes in African Philanthropy, as well as certificate courses and masterclasses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CAPSI is an academic centre within Wits Business School that delivers postgraduate degree programmes (PDM, Master's, PhD), certificate courses, and masterclasses in African Philanthropy and Social Investment, alongside peer-reviewed research publications and convenings. Its core offerings are formal academic education and applied research products targeted at African scholars, philanthropy practitioners, and corporate social responsibility professionals.

Product overview

CAPSI operates as a unified academic centre offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes and knowledge products. The core offerings consist of formal degree programmes (PDM, Master's, and PhD) in African philanthropy and resource mobilisation, supplemented by three-tiered certificate courses (Fedha, Dhahabu, Almasi) and seven masterclass modules covering topics from fundraising principles to venture philanthropy. Knowledge dissemination is handled through the International Review of Philanthropy & Social Investment journal and collections of research articles, reports, and case studies. Special initiatives include the Aspire Higher Project, the Conversations on African Philanthropy podcast, and the Adɔyɛ women empowerment programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PDM in Philanthropy & Resource Mobilisation Professional Development Master's programme for African practitioners and professionals focused on building expertise in philanthropy and resource mobilisation strategies across African contexts.
• MM in African Philanthropy Master's degree programme specialising in African philanthropy, examining giving patterns, social investment, and charitable traditions across the continent.
• MM By Research Research-focused Master's degree allowing students to conduct independent research on philanthropy and social investment topics.
• PhD in African Philanthropy Doctoral programme for advanced research into African philanthropy, social investment, and related fields.
• Fedha Introduction to Philanthropy Certificate Entry-level certificate course introducing fundamental concepts of philanthropy, charitable giving, and social responsibility.
• Dhahabu Advanced Philanthropy Certificate Advanced certificate programme covering sophisticated philanthropy strategies, impact measurement, and stakeholder engagement.
• Almasi Executive Philanthropy Certificate Executive-level certificate designed for senior professionals and leaders in philanthropy and corporate social responsibility.
• Masterclasses Series of short courses including Introduction to African Philanthropy, Community Foundations Model, Fundraising Principles, CSR & Business In Society, Finance for Social Enterprises, Liquid Leadership, and Venture Philanthropy.
• International Review of Philanthropy & Social Investment (IRPSI) Peer-reviewed academic journal publishing research on philanthropy and social investment, available in three volumes.
• Adɔyɛ Women in Africa Philanthropy Programme Programme dedicated to supporting and empowering women involved in African philanthropy, including research associate opportunities with $5,000 grants.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Center for Effective Philanthropy: US-based research and advisory centre producing data-driven tools and research for philanthropy funders. Similar in providing research, assessment tools, and sector intelligence, though primarily serving a US funder base.
• African Philanthropy Forum: A pan-African platform that convenes and champions African philanthropy through research, convenings, and capacity building. Highly comparable to CAPSI in mission and African-philanthropy focus, though it operates more as a network/convener than a degree-granting academic centre.
• Global Centre for Philanthropy (formerly EFC): European philanthropy research, training, and convening centre that also serves as a knowledge hub for the foundation sector. Comparable to CAPSI in offering research, training, and convenings for philanthropy professionals, though regionally focused on Europe.

Peers

• University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB):

Broad incumbents

• Wits Business School: The host business school of CAPSI, offering broad MBA and executive education. Comparable because it is the parent institution through which CAPSI's degrees are delivered and shares the same faculty and student pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capsiafrica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment - CAPSI