From funding to futures (part 2): from programmes to partnerships

From funding to futures (part 2): From programmes to partnerships

No single actor can solve inequality, unemployment, or climate risk. In this article, we continue our deep dive into the shifts in social investment that are necessary to unlock its power to build a future that works: moving from charity to systemic change, from programmes to partnerships, and from accounting to accountability. Last week, we examined the shift from thinking of social investment as charity to understanding it as a tool for systemic change. Here, we discuss the importance of partnerships in social investment to enable impact at scale.

The Case for Collaboration

Collaboration is not optional – it is essential. Social investors exist as part of a broader ecosystem that includes government, business, civil society, and the general public. An approach to social investment that prioritises systemic change is one that necessarily leverages the ecosystem and seeks to move away from isolated, programmatic investments. Collaborative efforts enable scale, which is not just beneficial, but necessary for change on the scale this country needs. Susan Wolf Ditkoff and Abe Grindle, writing in the Harvard Business Review, argue that “a solution that doesn’t work at the scale of the problem isn’t a real solution”, while noting that “collaboration of any type can be difficult and costly, so few philanthropists meaningfully support or engage in it, even though most are frustrated with the inefficient proliferation of siloed change efforts.”[1]

[1] Harvard Business Review, 2017. ‘Audacious Philanthropy’. https://hbr.org/2017/09/audacious-philanthropy

Tshikululu as a Convenor

As Tshikululu, we are leveraging our depth of experience to play a convening role in the sector. We are hosting ongoing dialogues in partnership with the Minerals Council South Africa to bring industry stakeholders together with the intention of working together to enhance social impact. The move towards greater collaboration in social investment in South Africa is further evidenced by three strategic partnership initiatives in which Tshikululu is participating:

Jozi My Jozi is an ambitious urban regeneration initiative at addressing housing, economic empowerment, and community upliftment in the Johannesburg inner city. Supported by Tshikululu and private-sector funders, the project convenes communities, creatives, local businesses, and city officials to reimagine public spaces and drive inclusive economic activity. The initiative tests new models of community-led development, grounded in adaptive learning and inclusion, positioning funders as enablers of place-based innovation, not just programme sponsors.

Another large-scale effort that Tshikululu participated in was South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), a strategic initiative by the Presidency aimed at shifting the country’s energy system from being heavily reliant on coal to cleaner, renewable energy sources, while ensuring that the process is inclusive and equitable, and minimises negative social and economic impacts. Tshikululu provided technical support services to the JET Funding Platform, which was launched in 2024, to enable projects and donors around the country to be registered and matched to create funding partnerships. Two rounds of matching have already been completed as part of this collaborative initiative to bridge the gap between funders and JET-aligned projects.

Tshikululu is the administrator of the groundbreaking Digital News Transformation (DNT) Fund. This R114-million initiative, funded by Google and launched in partnership with the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), is set to empower South Africa’s small, local, and independent news publishers with digital transformation and sustainability. This is an example of mobilising a sector to create systemic change – investing in journalism is a means of investing in democratic participation to decrease inequality and enhance inclusion.

Looking Ahead

While all these initiatives are in a relatively early stage, they are already showing how collaboration can unlock bold, systems-level change. The future of social investment isn’t about writing cheques, but rather rewriting the systems that shape our society. This demands courage: to take risks, to collaborate deeply, and to measure what truly matters. In the final part of this series, we will explore the shift from accounting to accountability that is necessary for social investors looking to create – and measure – impact that matters.