Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev)

What Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev) does

Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev) is a non-profit organization founded in 2022 that operates as an advocacy, research, and educational platform focused on transforming how global development is understood, communicated, and practiced. The organization challenges dominant narratives that reinforce colonial power dynamics and strip communities of agency, promoting ethical engagement practices grounded in equity, anti-racism, and decolonial principles. Its work is organized around three thematic verticals: Beyond Aid Narratives (narrative shift in development communication), Ethical Engagement in Development (collaborative versus extractive engagement models), and Ethical AI in Development (examining AI design and deployment through an equity lens), with an additional Climate Justice tracker.

LPFDev's product surface consists of free educational content and community resources rather than commercial software. Offerings include themed newsletters (Issues No. 1-3 published April 2025), a curated Resource Database aggregating toolkits, academic research, videos, and podcasts, an interactive Beyond Aid Narratives Virtual Experience, free Ethical Volunteering Workshops delivered online and in-person in Nairobi, Kenya, community-contributed articles, research reports (e.g., Anti Racism Map, The Power Behind Good Intentions), practical toolkits (e.g., '50 Actions Your Org Can Take After Posting About BLM'), curated anti-racism webinars, and a podcast series. There is no commercial product, API, or SaaS platform.

The business model is non-commercial and freemium. All workshops, virtual experiences, and resource database access are free, with the organization presumably funded through grants and partnerships rather than product revenue. No funding rounds, ownership structure, or leadership team are publicly disclosed. The organization employs 13 people, operates globally online with a physical workshop presence in Nairobi, and serves international development practitioners, students and volunteers, and academics and researchers. Distribution channels include LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, newsletter, website, and webinars.

Name

Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev)

Legal name

Level the Playing Field in Development

Website

https://lpfdevelopment.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev) is a 2022-founded non-profit advocacy and education platform that challenges colonial narratives and promotes ethical, decolonial practices in international development through free newsletters, resource databases, workshops, and reports for practitioners, students, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Development Advocacy and Education

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH)

Keywords

• Decolonization advocacy
• Anti-racism education
• Ethical volunteering training
• International development resources
• Decolonial publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Workshops and Educational Programs: LPFDev offers free ethical volunteering workshops on topics including the White Savior Complex and volunteering abroad, conducted both online and in-person in Nairobi, Kenya. They also provide a virtual experience on Beyond Aid Narratives designed to challenge outdated models of engagement.
2. Resource Database and Publications: LPFDev maintains a resource database featuring toolkits, videos, podcasts, academic research, and practical frameworks for dismantling the white savior complex and promoting decolonial approaches in global development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LPFDev is a non-profit knowledge and advocacy organization that publishes educational content and runs free workshops, resource databases, and interactive virtual experiences focused on decolonization, anti-racism, and ethical practices in international development. Its offerings include themed newsletters, practical toolkits, research reports, community-contributed articles, podcasts, and free Ethical Volunteering Workshops delivered online and in-person in Nairobi, Kenya.

Product overview

Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev) is a non-profit organization that operates as a content and advocacy platform rather than a traditional software product. The organization publishes educational content and resources organized around three main thematic areas: Beyond Aid Narratives (examining and transforming how global development is communicated), Ethical Engagement in Development (promoting collaborative approaches with communities), and Ethical AI in Development (questioning AI design and deployment in the sector). Its product portfolio consists primarily of publications including themed newsletters (anti-racism, toolkits, webinars, art & culture), research reports, community-contributed articles, and practical toolkits. LPFDev also offers interactive learning experiences including the Beyond Aid Narratives Virtual Experience and Ethical Volunteering Workshops. The Resource Database serves as a curated hub aggregating external resources across decolonial development, ethical volunteering, and anti-racism topics. There is no commercial software product, API, or SaaS platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beyond Aid Narratives An initiative that challenges dominant narratives in global development, centering authentic community voices and questioning who creates, controls, and benefits from narratives. It focuses on shifting from extractive to collaborative communication for development practitioners and organizations.
• Ethical Engagement in Development An initiative that centers authentic ethical practices and questions who benefits from global development efforts, focusing on shifting from extractive to collaborative models where communities are partners rather than recipients. Targeted at development professionals and NGOs.
• Ethical AI in Development (EAID) An initiative that examines AI in development through an equity and accountability lens, questioning who designs, controls, and profits from AI tools. Focuses on shifting from extractive to ethical and collaborative technologies for the development sector.
• Newsletter Regular newsletter publications featuring articles, resources, events, and initiatives driving change in the development sector. Includes thematic editions on anti-racism, toolkits, webinars, art & culture, and podcasts.
• Resource Database A curated monthly database featuring toolkits on decolonial development and ethical volunteering, videos and podcasts amplifying Global South voices, academic research, and practical frameworks for dismantling the white savior complex. Publicly accessible on demand.
• Toolkits Practical guides for change including anti-racism toolkits such as '50 Actions Your Org Can Take After Posting About BLM', 'Becoming Locally Led as an Anti-Racist Practice', and 'Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture'. For development organizations and practitioners.
• Community Contributions A collection of articles and opinion pieces written by the LPFDev community and members covering topics such as African narratives, philanthropy, voluntourism, climate justice, and decolonization.
• Beyond Aid Narratives Virtual Experience An interactive virtual experience designed to challenge outdated models of engagement and promote ethical, community-centered approaches to international volunteering, exploring power dynamics and the White Savior Complex. Accessible online for self-paced learning.
• Ethical Volunteering Workshops Free workshops on the White Savior Complex and Volunteering Abroad, offered online and in-person in Nairobi, Kenya. Designed to challenge traditional aid narratives and promote ethical volunteering practices for students, volunteers, and practitioners.
• Reports Research reports on anti-racism including the Anti Racism Map, The Power Behind Good Intentions, Surfacing Systemic (In)justices, The Digital Misogynoir Report, and Being Black in the EU. For researchers, practitioners, and policy audiences.
• Anti-Racism Webinars Curated webinars on topics including white supremacy culture, white fragility, intersectionality, capitalism and racism, and celebrating Black leaders in international development. For development practitioners and advocates.
• Podcasts: Art & Culture Podcast series from Decolonising the Archive including 'Reflections', 'Don't Forget Your Culture', 'Duppy Conquerors', and 'Tell It Right', amplifying decolonial voices and reclaiming cultural narratives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free ethical volunteering workshops reaching participants globally through online and in-person delivery in Nairobi, Kenya

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Africa No FiltercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrica No Filter partnered with Speak Up Africa to launch the 'Correct the Map' campaign, calling on international organizations including the UN, World Bank, and BBC to switch to the Equal Earth map projection. LPFDev highlighted this initiative in their newsletter as part of their focus on decolonizing narratives and challenging geographical misrepresentations.
• Speak Up AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpeak Up Africa partnered with Africa No Filter on the 'Correct the Map' campaign and also runs the African Voices of Science (AVoS) initiative. LPFDev features their campaigns in newsletters and resource sharing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Decoloniality Foundation: Foundation advancing decolonial thought and praxis in academia, policy, and civil society. Closely comparable to LPFDev in producing research and frameworks that translate decolonization concepts into applied practice for development actors.
• Africa No Filter: Africa-focused narrative-change organization that reshapes African stories told by media and aid institutions. Directly comparable to LPFDev's Beyond Aid Narratives work, and an existing LPFDev partner, both operating at the intersection of African storytelling and decolonization.
• Restless Development: International development nonprofit focused on youth-led development and shifting power to local actors. Comparable as an international development organization that has embedded anti-racism, decolonization, and locally led principles into its operating model.
• Speak Up Africa: African advocacy organization running the African Voices of Science initiative and the 'Correct the Map' campaign. Comparable as an African-led advocacy nonprofit that uses campaigns and partnerships to shift dominant narratives on development issues.
• Adeso: African development organization (formerly Horn Relief) that promotes locally led development and challenges aid dependency. Directly comparable in combining direct development practice with advocacy for systemic change and ethical engagement models.
• Africans Rising: Pan-African movement working to amplify African voices and challenge extractive development paradigms. Shares LPFDev's decolonization framing and community-centered narrative approach, serving as a grassroots counterpart in the same thematic space.

Broad incumbents

• Race Forward: US-based racial justice organization operating a 'Race Reporting' media initiative and policy advocacy at national scale. A broader incumbent with overlapping anti-racism content, training, and research outputs, but with a domestic US orientation rather than LPFDev's international development lens.

Others

• Global Fund for Women: International grantmaker supporting feminist and human rights movements globally. Comparable in mission alignment with LPFDev's rights- and equity-based framing, but operates primarily as a funder rather than a content/training platform.

Emerging players

• Black Development Forum: Forum convening Black diaspora development practitioners around equitable, community-led practice. Comparable as an emerging niche player advancing similar locally led and anti-racist principles in the international development sector.
• The Anti-Racism Fund: Fund that channels resources into anti-racism work within the aid and development sector. Comparable to LPFDev as an emerging player focused specifically on anti-racism in development, though oriented toward grantmaking rather than content and training.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lpfdev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lpfdev
• Instagraminstagram.com/lpfdev

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 Level the Playing Field in Development (LPFDev)