The balance of power between the Global North and Global South: A case study of grant funding to Sub-Saharan Africa by a U.S.-based non-profit

Abstract

The global nonprofit sector is vast and growing. Worldwide, nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations exist to address a multitude of needs or provide a multitude of services. Their existence is necessitated by unfortunate situations in which needs are not being met and services are not being provided by the state or other institutions that would normally fill that role. These organizations typically rely on funding from donors in order to carry out their stated mission. To attract and retain donors, these organizations must provide a compelling reason for contributing. Historically, funding patterns and organizational methods have focused on alleviating needs in the Global South, perpetuating the idea that countries in the Global North must in some way come to the rescue. This creates the impression that recipient organizations in the Global South are without agency, and are unable to meet their own needs or design their own solutions to the problems that they do realistically face. Arguing for a rethinking of this assumption, this thesis explores the question of agency among donor recipients in the Global South. Findings from the study point to the need to change the conversation about the balance of power between Northern and Southern-based NGOs.