By Sameera Mehra, Collective Intelligence and Advocacy Director and Casey Kelso, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, Worldwide Initiative for Grantmaker Support (WINGS)
Why should philanthropy participate in the G20
Imagine a system that is working collaboratively – civil society, governments, business and philanthropy – to improve humanity’s future, which centres the voice of people and communities in decision making, setting everyone up for a future that is sustainable, inclusive and resilient.
We find ourselves in a time where global solidarity is pulling back, with recent events such as the closure of USAID, the growing number of aid cuts across European governments as well as a reorientation of the international agenda towards trade and defence. At a time when the world is continuing to grapple with various serious issues – rising political polarisation, shrinking civic space, growing fragmentation – multilateral platforms like the G20 continue to be a key arena where policies that influence international agendas and transcend borders are being set. Philanthropy should not remain on the sidelines.
An opportunity to centre Global Majority priorities
The G20 represents a powerful force in global governance, shaping economic and political decisions that impact 85% of global GDP, 75% of global trade and two-thirds of the world’s population. With three countries in the Global Majority – India, Brazil and now South Africa – holding the G20 Presidency since 2023 consecutively, and the Africa Union joining the G20, there is a wider shift in the geopolitical landscape signalling a redistribution of decision-making power. This presents a unique opportunity to centre Global Majority priorities, ensuring that international policies reflect the realities of those most affected by global challenges.
President Ramaphosa emphasised in the 2024 SONA that “we will place Africa’s development at the top of the agenda when we host the G20 in 2025”, affirming that the development priorities of the entire continent will be prioritised, with Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability as the priorities set by the South African G20 Presidency. This can be an inflection point for the African continent. It needs continued engagement and actionable progress. Add to that the next handover of the G20 Presidency to the United States in 2026 from South Africa—the last Global Majority country in the current G20 cycle— further highlights the opportunity for legacy-driven initiatives.
Opening the door for philanthropy amidst the aid crisis
Philanthropy is increasingly being called to step in as aid declines and governments look to cross-sector partnerships for solutions, especially unlocking financing for development through blended finance mechanisms and concessional capital. The current context presents an existential moment for philanthropy to reflect on its role. It also opens a door for philanthropy to step in. We need to ensure that our sector brings with us the diversity of philanthropy, our unique strengths, which go beyond financial resources because philanthropy cannot fill the funding gaps or replace government responsibilities.
Philanthropy can offer catalytic capital and has lots to offer through non-financial contributions in local technical design expertise, convening and coordinating networks and cross-sector stakeholders, supporting and strengthening local civil society, as well as learning and testing solutions to be scaled. There is an opportunity to change the narrative of philanthropy: Philanthropy is not foreign. It is not only given by wealthy individuals and big foundations, but generosity entrenched in deep traditions of giving. This is a pivotal moment to shift narratives and approaches – particularly around African philanthropy and generosity – to strengthen local civil society.
The role of organised philanthropy in the G20
In 2024, the first-ever official C20 (Civil Society 20) Working Group on Philanthropy was established under the Brazil G20 presidency, and which was a milestone[1] resulted in relationships between philanthropy and government being activated and improved in some cases as the engagement in the G20 processes/ C20 opened doors for local organisations – the collective voice of the sector became more solidified, and the need for change and strengthening the voice of philanthropy was recognised.
Moving forward, continuity is key to building momentum and strengthening philanthropy’s engagement and cooperation with the G20. Continuity will ensure that we are not operating in silos as individual action is not enough. We need a sector-wide response. We need to create space for constructive collective engagement, ensuring a global united voice of the philanthropic sector. And we recognise that philanthropy needs the G20 as an accountability mechanism for previous pledges of action. Engaging there means bringing evidence and high-impact actionable proposals to implement, accelerating our joint action, whilst navigating the current geopolitical situation.
Shaping recommendations through C20 and B20 participation
Engaging at the G20, and specifically in a Working Group or a task force at the South Africa C20 and B20 (Business 20), will bring participating foundations and philanthropic actors’ different perspectives in the design and thinking of recommendations. It will give one exposure to best practice examples of partnership with the philanthropic sector that can accelerate collaboration. The consultative discussions can explore resourcing mechanisms and pathways for sustainable development, ensuring innovative financing mechanisms and blended finance centre people and communities.
At the recent B20 launch in South Africa, Sim Tshabalala, the Group CEO of Standard Bank and co-chair of the Finance and Infrastructure Task Force, highlighted the importance of engaging philanthropy. There are ripe opportunities to develop unusual allyship in creating and advocating for an enabling environment that is conducive to such partnerships and for philanthropy and civil society to grow and thrive.
All global problems require global and local coordination and collaboration, and a coordinated sector where philanthropy in South Africa, the African continent, and internationally can help bridge global divides, connecting and translating these international processes to the local and ensuring that the local agenda speaks to the international.
What South African philanthropy can achieve at the 2025 G20
The South African G20 Presidency is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Over the past 6 months, WINGS’ South African members – IPASA, SGS Consulting, Southern Africa Philanthropy Foundation, Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment, Social Change Assistance Trust, Southern Africa Trust, African Youth Philanthropy Network, CivSource South Africa and others have worked together, as part of a Transition Taskforce, to ensure that philanthropy is not just present but influential in the G20 processes. This has included learning from Brazil’s experience, engaging at the Brazil Social G20, advocating for structured spaces for philanthropy to show up together in the G20 processes, pushing for continuity of the C20 Philanthropy for Sustainable Development Working group and exploring alternative pathways for C20 engagement; and building bridges with the B20 to internationalise participation and bring in philanthropy at the national, regional, and international levels.
Three shifts that South African philanthropy can aim for are:
- Strengthening the collective voice and diversity of philanthropy in the G20 process: Historically, G20 philanthropy engagement has been siloed, fragmented and limited to big international foundations. South African philanthropy can advocate for the diversity of philanthropy, including local philanthropy. A more inclusive and representative philanthropic sector reinforces legitimacy and ensures that these global processes speak to local needs and priorities.
- Influencing the global agenda to reflect local priorities: Philanthropic actors can actively engage and participate in the G20 processes by joining working groups and task forces that will feed into recommendations to the G20; advocating for philanthropy’s role in contributing to the South African G20 priorities; providing data and evidence and funding G20 activities and efforts to ensure continuity and implementation beyond the G20 South Africa presidency.
- Building a legacy partnership for the USA handover: There is a unique and strategic opportunity to create lasting partnerships for the handover to the USA G20 Presidency in 2026. Such legacy partnerships are important to address the landscape of uncertainty. The strong connection between business and philanthropy in South Africa and the African continent can be leveraged to collaborate on critical cross-cutting themes such as blended finance, impact investing and the enabling partnership and regulatory environment.
Funder support for civil society participation in the G20 and related fora
Philanthropy can be defined as private resources for public good. As such, it is inextricably linked to civil society, with the ability to connect broader civil society, governments and the private sector. Funders play an important role in ensuring that civil society can meaningfully engage in the G20. Civil society plays an essential role in reflecting the priorities of people and communities in the development agendas, advocating for inclusive policies and holding governments to account.
At the same time, civil society faces significant barriers to participation such as financial constraints, limited access to decision makers and stretched capacity to deliver on an intensive programme of activities. Funders can support civil society participation by:
- Funding the C20 more broadly, and its Working Groups to cover organisational and coordination capacity costs.
- Providing travel grants for civil society to participate and attend the G20 Summits, working groups and side events.
- Supporting research and data collection efforts that can strengthen advocacy efforts.
- Investing in training programmes that build and strengthen capacity for civil society to step into these spaces confidently.
- Facilitating connections and opening doors to key decision makers, such as policy makers, and decision-making spaces.
A long-term view
For lasting impact, funders in general – could enhance their impact if they are willing to take a longer-term perspective and engage in resourcing advocacy efforts that create and secure structured space/s for philanthropy’s sustained and continuous role in G20 processes.
[1] See the article by Pedro Bocca and Cassio França from GIFE, Philanthropy Has a Role to Play in International Forums, for more information on the Working Group on Philanthropy.