Nine masterclasses to guide sector at 10th East Africa Philanthropy Conference

Nine masterclasses are set to be at the centre of this year’s East Africa Philanthropy Conference (EAPC), guiding sector practitioners on how to manoeuvre shrinking donor funding and respond to growing calls for locally driven solutions.

The 10th edition of the conference, convened by the East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN), “Anchoring Systems in an Era of Transition,” will take place from 16–20 June 2026 in Addis Ababa, bringing together nonprofit leaders, funders, and development practitioners from across the region.

Rather than focusing mainly on dialogue, EAPN has set up this year’s conference around masterclasses that offer practical guidance participants can apply within their own institutions.

As the network notes in its pre-conference brief on LinkedIn post, “the structural dependency that decades of external funding had concealed was exposed in months,” pointing to the urgency behind the design of this year’s sessions.

The masterclasses are organised in three parts, starting with a focus on funding, an area that has become a growing concern for many organizations.

The opening session of the masterclass will be led by The Resource Alliance, who will focus on diversifying revenue.

The discussion will centre on how organizations can reduce reliance on a small group of donors by building broader support through individuals, companies, diaspora networks, and digital platforms.

EAPN said the aim is to help participants develop simple, workable fundraising plans they can refine after the conference.

Building on this, Revolutionise International Ltd will take the conversation inside the organization, looking at how internal culture affects fundraising outcomes.

The session will show how leadership, communication, and staff engagement all play a role in attracting and retaining donors, moving fundraising beyond a single department.

The funding discussions will then widen to long-term planning, with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, alongside LongView Consult and EAPN, leading a session on strategic foresight.

Participants will be introduced to practical ways of planning for uncertainty and testing decisions against different future scenarios.

From funding, the programme shifts to how organizations are structured and managed, reflecting the growing need for stronger systems as the sector evolves.

The Bridgespan Group will lead a session on pooled funds, a model where multiple donors contribute to a shared funding mechanism.

As this approach gains traction across Africa, the session will focus on how to design and run such funds effectively while maintaining accountability.

Closely linked to this is the issue of how funders relate to the organizations they support.

The Segal Family Foundation, together with the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, will host a session on trust-based philanthropy.

The discussion will explore how flexible funding and simpler reporting can work in practice, and what changes institutions need to make to support this approach.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors will also return with a session focused on operating models, helping organizations think through whether their current structure matches their goals, and how they can better align their resources and roles.

The final set of masterclasses turns to questions of power, technology, and local giving areas that are increasingly shaping conversations across the sector.

The NEAR Network for Empowered Aid Response will lead a session on localization, focusing on how funding and decision-making can shift more directly to local organizations.

The session is expected to move beyond policy discussions and look at practical steps that can make this shift a reality.

As organizations look to modern tools, TechSoup will host a session on the use of artificial intelligence in nonprofit work.

With many institutions already experimenting with AI, the focus will be on simple, responsible ways to use these tools effectively without requiring advanced technical expertise.

Rounding off the series, Philanthropy Together will lead a masterclass on collective giving.

The session will explore how communities can pool resources through models such as giving circles, building on existing practices to strengthen domestic funding.

All nine masterclasses will be open to conference participants, who will be able to select sessions most relevant to their work ahead of the event.

The conference will be held at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, with organizers expecting participation from across East Africa and beyond.

As EAPN puts it, the moment calls for action. “The window to build a diversified revenue architecture is open now,” the network notes, underscoring the need for organizations to adapt quickly.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit EAPN