Mapping Public and Private Sector Donor Activity in the MENA Region

With bilateral and multilateral development and humanitarian aid budgets experiencing increasing uncertainty, unpredictability and reductions in spend, philanthropic organisations and other non-traditional donors are attempting to provide more of a catalytic role in the sector, broadening their networks and partners to achieve greater scale and collaboration. 

In  2022 we were commissioned by the implementation arm of a prominent European Family office to support the development of their partnerships strategy for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Over three months, we undertook desk-based research to catalogue active public and private donors and funders in the region and conducted a series of stakeholder interviews to longlist over 100 potential partners. Drawing on the desk based research and other mapping completed, we built 50 detailed profiles based on an agreed scoring criteria.

Based on the shortlisted profiles and a mapping of donor trends in the region, we made a series of key recommendations to shape the partnerships strategy for our client for the next five years. We were invited to present our recommendations to our client’s investment board, where the framing of the strategy was approved. Our work continues to be used on a weekly basis by our client and has delivered a number of new strategic partnerships.