APN brings an ecosystem of philanthropy support institutions and civil society member organizations serving different forms of philanthropy currently in 48 African countries.
Established in 2009, APN was conceived as a space for African institutions to interrogate and intervene in the power dynamics that shape how resource mobilization, distribution and spending impact the possibilities of transformative change in Africa.

Ubuntu: I am because You are!
Solidarity We recognize each other as fellow human beings and begin to share a concern for the common welfare and well-being of each other. Only by ensuring the security, safety, and well-being of other people can we hope to secure our own.
Inclusivity We value and encompass “the breadth and depth of human difference.” Including but not limited to differences of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation and identification, age, class, economic circumstance, religion, ability, geography, and philosophy among other forms of human expression.
Partnership We understand the importance of relationship-building rather than a time-limited transactional approach and believe that parties to the partnership have a shared interest in learning and developing in a collaborative manner.
Respect We are committed to hearing the views, hopes, and fears of communities in an active and informed manner, while supporting and celebrating emerging and successful models of progressive social change.
Learning We believe that it is important to create time and space for learning, within which the African-grounded experience is recognized and valued
African philanthropy means resources- nature, human, financial, social, and intellectual that can be tapped into addressing Africa’s challenges. APN equates African philanthropy with citizen agency -the capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own choices. African philanthropy includes foundations and funds; family and community based; individual giving and collective solidarity mechanisms – in cash, in kind, or in time; and social investments.
African philanthropy is generally characterized by all forms of vertical and horizontal dimensions of giving private resources for the common good; it cannot be defined by a single culture or model of giving.