Darren Walker, the outgoing president of the Ford Foundation, has spent over a decade reshaping global philanthropy. A key hallmark of his leadership has been the BUILD programme—an initiative that represents a bold shift in how funders support civil society organisations. As South Africa reflects on its first 30 years of democracy and looks toward the next chapter, Walker’s philosophy offers urgent and timely lessons for how corporate social investment (CSI) should evolve if we are to truly address the structural and grassroots challenges we face.
Launched in 2016, BUILD (Building Institutions and Networks) was born from a simple but radical premise: that the greatest impact in the nonprofit sector doesn’t always come from narrowly funded, short-term projects—but from building the institutional muscle of organisations themselves. Instead of tying funding to predetermined outcomes or donor-driven mandates, BUILD provides long-term, flexible, and unrestricted funding. This enables nonprofits to invest in their own infrastructure—staffing, systems, leadership development, and technology—allowing them to operate with agility, sustainability, and self-determination.
Walker has often argued that under-resourcing civil society organisations weakens the very structures meant to defend democracy, advocate for the marginalised, and drive social change. “If we only fund programmes,” he said, “we will get fragile organisations. But if we fund institutions, we will get stronger movements.” This is the kind of thinking South Africa urgently needs to embrace as we move beyond the symbolic milestone of 30 years of democracy.
The local CSI sector remains largely committed to programme-aligned funding—supporting initiatives that dovetail neatly with a company’s brand identity or business goals. While there is nothing inherently wrong with aligning purpose and profit, the danger lies in a model that often prioritises optics over outcomes, and strategy over substance. Too many nonprofits are left chasing funding for what fits into a corporate theme rather than what their communities genuinely need. This results in short-term wins but long-term fragility. The BUILD model offers a vital counterpoint to this: start by funding the foundations, not the facades.
Imagine what would happen if South African corporates took a BUILD-inspired approach. Instead of asking, “What programme aligns with our mission?” they asked, “What organisations are doing the deep, unglamorous work of social change, and how can we strengthen their backbone?” This would require a shift in power—trusting that those closest to the problem are also closest to the solution, and that they know best how to allocate resources for lasting impact.
South Africa’s civil society is filled with organisations doing critical grassroots work—tackling issues like gender-based violence, township education, food insecurity, and youth unemployment. Yet many of these organisations operate on shoestring budgets, without adequate staffing, leadership development, or digital tools. They are expected to perform miracles without the basic scaffolding. The BUILD philosophy reminds us: capacity is not a luxury—it is the engine of impact.
There’s also a deeper message embedded in Walker’s approach: trust. BUILD trusts that civil society leaders know what they need. It does not second-guess their decisions, nor impose rigid reporting metrics that often drain time and energy. In South Africa, trust-based philanthropy is still nascent. Many funders remain cautious, preferring to tightly control how their money is used. But as Walker has pointed out, such control often limits innovation, responsiveness, and authenticity.
As we consider what the next 30 years of South Africa’s democracy should look like, we must ask: are we investing in social change, or just in social performance? Are we willing to support the messy, complex, and often invisible work of building institutions, or are we only interested in neat, photogenic results?
It is time to evolve the CSI conversation in South Africa. We need to broaden the definition of impact. An organisation that uses funding to hire a qualified finance manager, install proper data systems, or pay its staff a living wage is building long-term capacity. These may not be “exciting” programme outcomes, but they are essential for sustainability and scale.
Darren Walker’s legacy at the Ford Foundation is not just about the money the foundation gave—but about how it gave it. BUILD is a blueprint for rethinking power, trust, and transformation in philanthropy. As he steps down, South Africa would do well to internalise his parting lesson: that real change begins not with big promises, but with strong foundations.
In the next era of our democratic journey, let us stop building houses of hope on shaky ground. Let us fund the foundation.
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