From Fragility to Fortitude: Building Resilient African CSOs in the Wake of the US Government Funding Collapse Report launch webinar
African civil society organisations (CSOs) are facing a crisis of survival following a major shift in international development funding.
In early 2025, the United States Government froze and subsequently cut a large portion of its overseas assistance.
The decision sent shockwaves across Africa, halting essential programmes and putting community-led initiatives under serious strain.
In response, @AfricanNGOs and EPIC-Africa have released a new report, From Fragility to Fortitude: Building Resilient African CSOs in the Wake of the US Government Funding Collapse.
The report will be officially launched on Thursday, July 31, 2025, during a live webinar that will bring together CSO leaders, funders, and policy actors from across the continent.
The launch comes at a time when many African organisations are still trying to absorb the implications of the funding cuts.
According to the report, 64 percent of African CSOs previously funded by the US Government now face existential threats.
These include immediate programme disruptions, resource gaps, loss of staff, and in some cases, complete shutdowns.
The report is based on a survey of more than 500 CSOs conducted across Africa in March and April 2025.
It provides rare insight into how the sector is coping with this unprecedented funding shock and what is needed to rebuild trust, capacity, and sustainability going forward.
A Sector Under Pressure
The report reveals the widespread impacts of the funding freeze: cancelled projects, abandoned communities, halted service delivery, and weakened organisations.
These developments not only compromise the efforts of CSOs but also put at risk millions of people who depend on their services, particularly in health, education, governance, and humanitarian relief.
Through the webinar, participants will hear directly from affected CSOs about the challenges they’ve faced and how they have adapted.
The event will also unveil a proposed “Blueprint” for building a more resilient African civil society, one that is less dependent on volatile international funding streams and better equipped to respond to future disruptions.
Key Topics to Be Explored
- The extent and consequences of the US funding cuts across the continent
- How African CSOs have responded to operational, strategic, and reputational challenges
- Long-term solutions and strategies for financial resilience and institutional strengthening
- The role of local philanthropy, diversified funding, and ecosystem collaboration
The discussion will move beyond crisis response to focus on how the sector can evolve.
Why Attend
Unpack the data:
Gain first-hand insight into the wide-ranging impact of the US Government’s funding cuts on African civil society from discontinued programmes to abandoned communities and overstretched organisations.
Hear the real stories:
Engage with leaders of affected CSOs as they share the operational, strategic, and trust-related challenges they have had to navigate in the wake of abrupt financial disruptions.
Shape what comes next:
Explore a forward-looking “Blueprint” for building resilient African CSOs, one that focuses not on restoring the status quo, but on reimagining a stronger, more self-reliant future for civil society on the continent.
Speakers and Panellists
The webinar will feature a mix of researchers, practitioners, and civil society leaders, including:
- David Barnard, Convenor, @AfricanNGOs
- Rose Maruru, Co-Founder and CEO, EPIC-Africa
- Nyasha Njela, Director, Revolutionise International
- Grace Maingi, Executive Director, Kenya Community Development Foundation
- Pape Gaye, Founder and President, Baobab Institute
- Dr Taurayi Tafuma, Executive Director, Zimbabwe Health Interventions
These speakers bring both policy expertise and lived experience, making the discussion a space for truth-telling and practical solutions.
Why This Matters
Civil society remains one of the most important vehicles for community development, democratic accountability, and crisis response across Africa.
Yet the sector’s structural fragilities have often been overlooked.
The funding collapse has made these vulnerabilities impossible to ignore.
The organisers hope the report will serve as both a wake-up call and a roadmap.
It challenges funders, governments, and African institutions to rethink their roles in supporting civil society and to collaborate on building durable, Africa-led funding and operational models.
Participation is free and open to all stakeholders invested in the future of civil society on the continent.
Whether you are part of a funding agency, a CSO, a research body, or a policymaking institution, this is a critical moment to engage.
Register now to be part of the conversation: http://tinyurl.com/FromFragilityToFortitude
Event date: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Time: 17:00–18:30 (CAT)
Venue: Online via Zoom
For more information, contact: David Barnard – barnard.davidb@gmail.com
