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Demystifying Funding: Insights from the Other Side

Demystifying Funding: Insights from the Other Side

A Knowledge Exchange Highlight from YD Co-Lab

On 25 June 2025, YD Co-Lab hosted over 100 youth development leaders, practitioners, and ecosystem builders for a powerful virtual Knowledge Exchange session: Demystifying Funding: Insights from the Other Side.

This session pulled back the curtain on the funding process, creating space for honest, practical dialogue between youth-serving organisations and some of South Africa’s most influential funders and resource enablers.

🎙️ A Powerhouse Panel

The session opened with a dynamic panel discussion featuring:

  • Najwah Allie-Edries – Head: The Jobs Fund, National Treasury
  • Smangaliso Mbili – Innovation Manager: DG Murray Trust
  • Bhavanesh Parbhoo – Programme Manager: IDC
  • Octavius Phukubye – Executive Director: Mr Price Foundation

Moderated by YD Co-Lab’s Rufaro Mudimu, the panel tackled questions around what funders are really looking for in proposals, how they define “readiness,” and what common mistakes keep strong organisations from securing funding.

One of the standout messages came from Najwah Allie-Edries, who reminded attendees:

“Don’t just show up—be prepared to shovel.”

This was a powerful metaphor for the depth of preparation, alignment, and accountability funders are looking for. It echoed a broader call for organisations to move beyond surface-level applications and demonstrate their ability to deliver with integrity and evidence.

🔎 Key Themes That Emerged

Throughout the discussion, a few strong themes emerged:

  • Alignment over ambition: Avoid shaping your proposal to fit the funder. Instead, lead with clarity about your own mission and seek values-aligned partners.
  • Collaboration is non-negotiable: Each panellist echoed the need for ecosystem-wide approaches. Funders are increasingly looking for collective efforts rather than isolated impact.
  • Core capacity matters: More and more, funders like DGMT and The Jobs Fund are supporting the infrastructure of organisations, not just programmes.
  • Evidence wins: Funders want to see that you can do what you say you can do, with data, outcomes, and learning to back it up.

💡 Practical Tools from the Mini-Masterclass

The second half of the session featured a high-impact Fundraising Mini-Masterclass with Melanie Jackson, founder of Words That Count.

Melanie shared tools and mindset shifts to help organisations:

  • Strengthen the way they articulate impact
  • Position themselves with confidence
  • Avoid jargon and tell stories that funders connect with

She emphasised the importance of narrative clarity and the ability to “show the change, not just describe the work.”

🤝 A Space for Honest Learning

What made this session special was the honesty in the room — funders being transparent about the constraints they face, and organisations asking bold, necessary questions. Whether attendees were experienced fundraisers or new to the space, the session left many feeling seen, equipped, and ready to refine their approach.

As one participant shared during the event:

“The most important take for me was not trying to fit a round peg in a square hole. That, and the fact that everyone agreed collaboration is key.”

What’s Next

This Knowledge Exchange forms part of YD Co-Lab’s broader commitment to building capacity across the youth development ecosystem.

If you missed the session, the recording will be shared exclusively with YD Co-Lab members. To access the session and benefit from upcoming events, tools, and peer learning spaces, we invite your organisation to join the network or reach out to info@ydcolab.org.za for assistance.

Let’s keep funding honest, impact-driven, and rooted in collaboration.