Family Trusts and Foundations in South Africa

About this grant

Through this project, the Southern African Grantmakers Association (SAGA) will examine the impact of family trusts and foundations on South Africa during the past 10 years and how they can contribute to sustaining the country’s relatively young democracy. Funding will enable SAGA to analyze the factors that have influenced the creation of family trusts and foundations; examine the legal framework within which they operate; and track how their roles have changed during the first 10 years of South Africa’s democracy. This research will provide information on family trusts and foundations, such as their size and scope, the kinds of projects and organizations they fund, the criteria that determines the allocation of their funding, who the main beneficiaries are, and the impact they are having. In addition, it will allow SAGA to fulfill its broader objectives, including advocating for an enabling environment for family foundations; promoting more innovative forms of development funding; and encouraging networking and discussion among different funding groups in the country.SAGA is a membership association dedicated to promoting increased and new forms of giving and grantmaking in South Africa.