Aligning resources with priorities set by Afro-descendant communities.
We're a global community of 230+ funders of African descent reshaping how funding flows to African and Afro-descendant communities, because when they are meaningfully represented in decision-making, outcomes improve.
Who We Are
A Movement Built on Trust, Joy, and Shared Purpose
Funders of African Descent (FoAD) is a global community of funders, values-aligned investors, and philanthropic leaders of African descent committed to reshaping how funding flows in African and Afro-descendant communities.
We know from research and lived experience that when people with ancestral proximity, cultural context, and personal investment in community self-reliance make capital decisions, outcomes improve in the everyday well-being of our people.
FoAD is a place to replenish, dream together, and build toward a future our communities deserve, with both heart and strategy.
230+ Members Worldwide
Across 6 Continents
30+ Gatherings Hosted Globally
Backed by
Why FoAD Exists
Changing Who Decides Changes Everything
Across philanthropy and investment, significant resources are directed toward African and Afro-descendant communities. Yet in many cases, decision-making bodies lack lived or cultural proximity to the communities in question, resource allocation is shaped without sufficient contextual insight, and local actors remain underrepresented in funding decisions.
This creates a structural decision gap. Not necessarily ill intent, but insufficient representation and coordination. And when decision-making lacks proximity, outcomes suffer.
This moment calls for a redesign of decision-making itself, elevating African and Afro-descendant leaders whose knowledge, proximity, and accountability create better outcomes for our communities.
How FoAD Creates Change
Self-determination isn’t just a value, it’s a performance driver.
What We Do
FoAD accelerates Afro-descendant-led resource allocation by building a trusted ecosystem where funders connect deeply, learn and collaborate strategically, and strengthen practices that support more effective and informed resource distribution.
We focus on how resources move, and who is shaping those decisions.
When communities shape how resources are used:
Programs reflect real demand, not assumptions made from a distance
Resources are deployed more efficiently, with less waste and duplication
Risk is better understood, because proximate leaders read what outsiders miss
Solutions scale more sustainably, because they're built with communities, not at them
Our Advisors
FoAD is guided by philanthropic and investment leaders spanning foundations, impact funds, and innovation organizations across Africa, the U.S., and beyond.
Marla Blow (co-founder) | Skoll Foundation
Dana François | W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Nasra Ismail | The Aspen Institute
Samantha Abrams | Microloan Foundation
Daniel Barker | Halcyon House
Dedo Baranshamaje (co-founder) | Segal Family Foundation
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji | Future Africa
Kady Sylla (co-founder) | Myriad USA
Elzine Gawaxab-Mushambi | Impact Tank Namibia
Alex Tsado | Udu Technologies
Our Team
We are a global team dedicated to building the infrastructure that puts Afro-descendant leaders at the center of the decisions that shape our communities.
Ineza Mutimura | Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
Ineza is a pan-African builder advancing Afro-descendant leadership and collective futures. She works across impact investing and venture philanthropy, including previously at Mulago Foundation. Ineza also served on the founding team of the African Leadership University. She integrates wellness as a yoga teacher to support resilience and community.
Ashley advises philanthropic institutions on strategies that strengthen Afro-led organizations and shift how resources reach communities. Grounded in early work in youth justice and GBV nonprofits in South Africa, she centers healing and deep community care. She integrates somatic practices and Pilates to support embodied leadership, helping leaders move with clarity, courage, and staying power.
Ashley Simpson | Chief Operating Officer
Cassandra Ndahiro | Director of Strategic Communication and Community
Cassandra is a strategist and community builder shaping how ideas, stories, and people come together to strengthen learning and leadership across Africa. Her work spans education, program design, and ecosystem development, connecting communities and supporting collective impact. Grounded in holistic well-being, she brings an intentional approach to leadership, centering balance, reflection, and sustainability.
Contact Us
Interested in learning more?
Email us on team@foadgroup.com and we’ll get back to you!