A person holding a jar full of coins. Photo from FreePhotos
On 10th July 2025, the NGO Power Talk webinar series will host a 90-minute virtual session titled “Crowdfunding and African NGOs: Challenges and Opportunities”, bringing together experts from across the continent and beyond to share insights on how African NGOs can better harness the power of crowdfunding.
The session is organised by @AfricanNGOs and Hexa Media Africa as part of their ongoing initiative to equip African NGO leaders with practical strategies and resources to enhance their impact.
The webinar is timely as currently, African NGOs are navigating an increasingly uncertain funding environment, and the need to explore innovative and sustainable fundraising approaches is more urgent than ever.
Traditional donor support is becoming less predictable, and the competition for available resources continues to intensify.
In this context, crowdfunding is emerging as a critical mechanism for resource mobilisation.
Responding to a Shifting Landscape
The webinar comes at a time when African NGOs are under increasing pressure to diversify their income sources and build financial resilience.
Crowdfunding offers the potential to raise funds directly from individuals and communities—locally and internationally—while also increasing visibility and engagement.
However, many organisations still face challenges in effectively leveraging crowdfunding tools.
Common issues include low campaign success rates, lack of visibility, and confusion around selecting appropriate platforms.
The upcoming session will explore these concerns while offering actionable guidance on how to overcome them.
What the Webinar Will Cover
Participants can expect to gain knowledge and skills on several key aspects of crowdfunding, including:
- The potential of crowdfunding as a viable fundraising mechanism for African NGOs
- How to design, launch, and manage effective crowdfunding campaigns
- The different types of crowdfunding platforms serving African NGOs
- Common challenges associated with crowdfunding and strategies to mitigate them
Whether participants are new to crowdfunding or seeking to improve their existing efforts, the session aims to provide practical support for improving fundraising outcomes through digital tools.
Featured Panellists
The webinar will feature insights from four panellists with experience across different crowdfunding platforms:
- Rachel Smith, Vice-President: Programmes, GlobalGiving (UK)
- Catherine du Plooy, Director & Chief Growth Officer, BackaBuddy (South Africa)
- Michael Okinyi, Head of Sales and Partnerships, M-Changa (Kenya)
- Jerry Sam, Executive Director, Penplusbytes / Yen Somu Bi (Ghana)
Together, they will share their perspectives on what works, what doesn’t, and how African NGOs can better position themselves to succeed in crowdfunding efforts.
Why It Matters
Crowdfunding is more than a short-term fundraising tactic—it can be a powerful way for African NGOs to build public awareness, strengthen community engagement, and achieve greater independence in resource mobilisation.
However, its potential remains underutilised due to knowledge gaps, platform selection challenges, and campaign design issues.
This webinar offers a timely opportunity for organisations to learn directly from experienced platform leaders and gain tools they can apply immediately to their work.
How to Participate
The session is free to attend and open to NGOs across the continent. It will be held online and will run for 90 minutes.
For Registration: https://lu.ma/unnz8syx , Inquiries: David Barnard – barnard.davidb@gmail.com
About the Hosts
@AfricanNGOs is an online platform led by David Barnard. It engages African nonprofit professionals by sharing opportunities, sector updates, and thought leadership on civil society issues.
Through initiatives like the NGO Power Talk webinar series, @AfricanNGOs supports knowledge sharing and sector growth.
Hexa Media Africa, led by Emmanuella Imo, is a partner in the NGO Power Talk series.
The organisation collaborates on initiatives aimed at equipping African NGOs with digital tools, communication strategies, and media resources to strengthen their visibility and fundraising capacity.
