The outpouring of generosity on the African continent in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been tremendous. Not only have private donors increased their giving; African countries have also witnessed the rapid advancement of new tools and vehicles for giving, including impact investments, collective giving, and pooled funds.

Despite this progress, addressing the urgent humanitarian issues in the region requires an acceleration of efforts to harness private sector resources from individual donors, foundations, and corporations.

Still, as the most recent Global Philanthropy Environment Index (GPEI) reveals, significant challenges to expanding philanthropic flows in sub-Saharan Africa persist (Figure 1.6). The index, which measures the global philanthropic environment by using a standard instrument completed by country-based experts, examines the incentives and barriers that could impact individuals’ and organizations’ philanthropic efforts.

In the most recent index, the country-level experts based in sub-Saharan Africa submitted scores below the global average on all five components, including ease of operating a philanthropic organization (3.47), tax incentives (3.33), cross-border flows (3.00), and socio-cultural environment (3.50). The political environment for philanthropy (2.75) also imposes constraints. While the experience of these six countries should not be generalized to the entire continent, it is worth noting some broad themes experts reported, including: increasing barriers to cross-border flows; lack of government support for civil society organizations; increasing scrutiny of philanthropic organizations focusing on advocacy, democratization, and human rights; and political instability, among others. Additionally, in some countries, cross-border giving faces significant challenges due to changes in policies or regulations, often to meet international requirements on anti-money laundering and combating financing of terrorism.

While the index primarily measures the environment for institutionalized philanthropy, it is important to highlight that, despite the low scores, generosity and informal philanthropy are significant on the African continent. The various religious roots, as well as traditional and cultural heritages contribute to a culture of generosity across societies.

Another positive trend in philanthropy is the emergence of tools to encourage and facilitate such giving. Indeed, technology has led to new ways of giving through social media, crowdfunding platforms, and mobile giving. Such tools could facilitate fundraising activities and serve as a catalyst for domestic giving.

Read the full article about philanthropy and crisis mitigation by Una Osili at Brookings.