16+
Years of Impact
580+
Partners Collaborated With
10
Provinces Covered
50k+
Lives Touched
100%
Local Solutions
About Us
The Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF) for Civil Society was established as a not-for-profit private company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act Chapter 388 of the Laws of Zambia in July 2009. ZGF was formed to strengthen the institutional capacity and autonomy of civil society organisations (CSO) to engage actively in policy processes and undertake advocacy on behalf of the poor and socially excluded people in Zambia. In 2017, community philanthropy emerged as a new pillar of work following exposure to the concept of community philanthropy promoted by the Global Fund for Community Foundations. The organisation has started engaging in community-led development initiatives using community philanthropy as one of the key strategies. In this new direction, ZGF still remains committed to civil society organisations (CSO) support through various mechanisms including sub-granting and capacity building.
Vision
A Zambian society where local communities realise their rights and shape their own development.
Mission
Local communities and civil society with strengthened capacities to unlock and utilise available resources.
Our Programmatic Pillars
The core strategies driving community-led development across Zambia.
CSO Support
Building the capacity of local organisations to practice active citizenship.
Explore Strategy āStrengthening Communities
Empowering communities to lead their own development and hold the state accountable.
Explore Strategy āCommunity Philanthropy
Advocating for the growth of formal and informal philanthropic giving in Zambia.
Explore Strategy āSocial Media Highlights
All Highlights
What does it take for a community to drive its own development? From mobilising local resources and supporting vulnerable households to building community-led solutions that respond to local challenges, the journeys of Nyankanga Community Foundation and Kaluluzi Community Foundation demonstrate the power of collective action and local philanthropy. Our latest documentary takes you into the heart of these communities, where ordinary people are coming together to create extraordinary change. š„ Watch the documentary below and be inspired by the power of community. #CommunityPhilanthropy #LocallyLedDevelopment #CommunityFoundations #ShiftThePower #ZGF #CommunityDrivenChange #Zambia @followers Mott Foundation GIZ Zambia United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection Plan International
We are proud to share that our CEO Engwase Mwale has been invited to serve as a Jury Member for the African CSO Awards 2026, an initiative led by EPIC-Africa that celebrates excellence, innovation and impact within Africa's civil society sector. As a jury member, she will join a distinguished panel of leaders and experts responsible for evaluating nominations and selecting winners across various award categories. We congratulate our CEO on this well-deserved appointment and look forward to celebrating the work of outstanding civil society organisations driving positive change across Africa. #AfricanCSOAwards2026 #EPICAfrica #CivilSociety #CommunityPhilanthropy #LocallyLedDevelopment #ShiftThePower #ZGF #Leadership @followers Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Comic Relief Tilitonse Foundation Voices for Just Climate Action - VCA Zambia Africa Philanthropy Network
Today, Zambian Governance Foundation is holding its Quarter 2 Review Meeting. The meeting provides an opportunity for staff to reflect on progress made during the second quarter, assess key achievements and challenges, share lessons learned and align priorities for the months ahead. Our regular review meetings are essential for strengthening accountability, fostering collaboration and ensuring that our work continues to respond effectively to the needs of the communities and civil society organizations we serve. Together, we are learning, adapting and strengthening our collective impact. #ZGF #QuarterlyReview #LearningAndReflection #Accountability #Teamwork #CommunityLedDevelopment
Featured Initiatives
Explore some of the local solutions we are supporting across Zambia.
The Reverse Call for Proposals
Reverse Call for Proposals (RCfP) The Reverse Call for Proposals (RCfP) is an innovative participatory grantmaking approach that shifts the traditional power dynamics of funding by placing communities at the centre of decision-making. Unlike conventional grant processes where funders define priorities and organizations submit applications, the RCfP enables communities to identify their own needs, propose solutions, and determine which initiatives should receive support. Through the RCfP, ZGF works with community foundations and local actors to mobilize local knowledge, strengthen community ownership, and support locally driven solutions. The approach recognizes that communities are best placed to understand their challenges and opportunities, and therefore should have a meaningful role in directing resources towards initiatives that matter most to them. The RCfP promotes transparency, inclusion, and trust by involving community members in identifying priorities, reviewing proposals, and making funding decisions. It supports grassroots organizations and community groups to implement initiatives that respond to local realities while strengthening the culture of local giving and community philanthropy in Zambia. As the first Reverse Call for Proposals implemented in Zambia, the initiative represents a significant step towards shifting power within the development sector and demonstrating that communities can lead decisions about resources intended for their own development.
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The Shifting the Power Programme
So far, ZGF has worked with 50 CSOs in Zambia under the STP programme
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Youth-led Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development
ZGF has been working with youth groups in Chawama, George and Mandevu peri-urban neighbourhoods of Lusaka.
Learn MoreReady to Make a Difference?
Join us in our mission to strengthen civil society and promote good governance across Zambia. Contact us at info@zgf.org.zm for partnership inquiries.