Beyond the professionalized nongovernmental organization: Life‐history narratives of grassroots philanthropic leaders in Africa

Abstract

This research examines everyday people as grassroots philanthropic leaders in development aid in Africa. The article balances two objectives. First is to provide a counter narrative to the broad frames that traditionally drive research on nonprofit organizations and development aid, which have tended to center more on the professionalized nongovernmental organization and traditional North-South aid models. Second, I situate grassroots philanthropic leaders within the broader landscape of people engaging in development aid. I use life-history narratives of leaders to illuminate the diminishing barriers to being a philanthropist, capture motivating and relational dimensions in grassroots philanthropic leadership, as well as provide evidence of African philanthropy and further engagement of diaspora through small voluntary organizations. The findings espouse the everyday, relational practices of grassroots philanthropic leaders in development aid but do not entirely divorce these leaders and their initiatives from the overarching goals of development.

Grassroots INGOs in Africa: Perspectives on What They Are (and Are Not?)

“…These findings build on understanding these types of organizations in development as personalized projects (e.g., Appe, 2020; Appe & Telch, 2020; Haaland & Wallevik, 2017; Kinsbergen et al, 2017; Kinsbergen & Schulpen, 2013; Schnable, 2015). Northern volunteers report that these personal relationships have changed their own lives in New York.…”

“…This dependency produces stories of personal relationships, which are prevalent among the volunteers in the United States and in Kenya (see also Appe, 2020) and help volunteers distinguish these organizations. Volunteers in the United States particularly note that their experiences in Kenya are inherently different than what they might experience as a tourist , presenting another opposition in the data.…”

“…I build on the work of Allison Schnable, who has examined these organizations through the lens of nonprofit theory and volunteering perspectives (Schnable, 2015) as well as their role as development partners (Schnable, 2021). It is also informed by the importance of meaning making and motivations in small voluntary aid organizations (Appe & Telch, 2020), and adds to research that examines grassroots philanthropic leadership in Africa (Appe, 2020). To this extant research, I contribute further rich qualitative data collected in the United States and in Kenya at the organizational level.…”