Influencing funders to shift power: Lessons from the Giving for Change initiative

Efforts to “shift power” in philanthropy and development have gained momentum in recent years, but real change in donor practice has been slow and inconsistent. It is thus critical for the sector to understand how donors are influenced to shift their mind-sets, systems, and practices.

This report contributes to that discussion by examining the recent work of the Giving for Change initiative, particularly under Domain 3, which aimed to influence international donors (private foundations, bilaterals and INGOs) to support community philanthropy and move power closer to the ground. The key research questions explored in this study are:

• What strategies did Giving for Change partners use to influence donors?
• What achievements, challenges and impacts have resulted?

The analysis draws on Giving for Change  partners’ perspectives, as well as reflections from donors and others in the sector.

Author: Sadaf Shallwani, with research support from Ronald Kimambo

Published by: Giving for Change alliance

Published: November 2025

Download: Influencing funders to shift power: Lessons from the Giving for Change initiative or the two-pager summary version. Prepared by the Wilde Ganzen Foundation, there are also three accompanying case studies on: Comic Relief UK, Friendship Foundation PDI and Mama Cash.