2020 Research Report
CSI trends, forecasts and impacts
As part of our vision to increase impact and enhance value, Next Generation publishes an annual research study that focuses on the social investment and development industry trends.
In this study, we compare development practices globally and continentally. We use extensive research, literature reviews and personal interviews to provide insights on prevailing trends and forecast what the trends for the coming year may be.
These research reports are useful not only because they help organisations anticipate change, but also provide evidence of what works and what doesn’t. They provide insight into the future and what it means in practice for social, community investment and development practitioners in Africa.
This year’s theme:
Disruption with Impact
Download our 2020 CSI Trends, Forecasts and Impacts Research Report
This year, Next Generation’s annual research report is seeing the light quite late in the year.
With good reason. The new year always brings new hope, and trend forecasters are quick to
join the cause to predict positive future scenarios. However, our research indicated that the
social investment and development sector remains in turmoil.
Executive Summary
Historical trends
Have a look at the trends in our research reports from 2015 to 2018. You can see how the industry changed and continues to grow.
- “Do what matters, do what is right, do it the right way.” – 2015
- “Measurement leads to more giving. More giving leads to greater impact. Greater impact leads to sustainable development.” – 2016
- “We cannot move forward to exponential change and impact until we get the basics right… As long as we can provide evidence of what we have achieved, we have made a difference and society is better off because of our efforts.” – 2017
- “By working collaboratively, the sector can collectively harness the power of data and digital.” – 2018
Press releases
"The time has come for social purpose organisations to draw a line in the sand when it comes to accepting funds, creating policies and rolling out plans of action," says Reana Rossouw of Next Generation Consultants, a specialist management consultancy that focuses on impactful social innovation.
Read more
Globally, the development sector stands on the edge of a precipice, says Reana Rossouw, founder and owner of Next Generation Consultants, a specialist management consultancy focused on impactful social innovation.
Read more
Across the globe humanitarian and social purpose organisations are grappling with an uncertain future. Not only is there less money to go around, the sector is becoming more crowded and competitive. In addition, funders, grantmakers, philanthropists and social/impact investors are looking for innovation and new ways of thinking that will bring about greater impact for the communities they aim to serve.
Read more
Related Articles
8th Nov 2019
The good, the bad and the ugly of pitching for funding
A new trend is sweeping the globe, the advent of the challenge fund which invites social entrepreneurs who are pitching for funding in a competition space. From Barloworld’s Mbewu programme which will see R30 million awarded to social ...
8th Nov 2019
How to develop an effective impact report
Communicating impact is growing in importance as more and more stakeholders in the development sector begin to see the value in sharing their journeys and success stories. In a previous article we touched on the importance of transparenc...
8th Nov 2019
Social Innovation: beyond the buzz
From organ transplant deliveries by drone to smartphone apps that help diagnose eye disease and plant-based burgers that taste just like meat right through to entrepreneurship programmes that aim to build thriving early child development...
8th Nov 2019
Rethinking the funding of NGOs
The Next Generation Research Report 2020, Disruption with Impact dived deep into how the development sector, and how the funding of NGOs, is changing. Some of the most significant pressures that organisations face is the demand to become...
8th Nov 2019
Revolutionising monitoring and evaluation through impact measurement
The advent of the SDGs, growing dissatisfaction with current economic models, the explosion of impact investing, impact measurement and other innovative finance models coupled with the potential that the fourth industrial revolution pres...
8th Nov 2019
Strengthening the impact investor, philanthropist and social enterprise relationship
An Impact investor is often seen by many as an effective way to finance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Much is made of the trillions of dollars invested each year by investors and how this cash could be utilised to...
8th Nov 2019
Aligning philanthropy and social development with Sustainable Development Goals
The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations in 2015 has resulted in a seismic shift in the social development and humanitarian sectors. The 17 SDGs offer a blueprint that aims to align economic, social and env...
8th Nov 2019
Using Innovative finance for new economic models in a new world
“We are at the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!” thundered climate activist Greta Thunberg at the 2019 UN General Assembly. The Swedish teena...
7th Nov 2019
Building consensus through a new social compact
There is also growing concern over the sustainability of corporate social investment initiatives and large philanthropic funds/endowments and impact investors. While business and trade unions are increasingly at loggerheads, the climate ...
7th Nov 2019
Fighting for survival – an uncertain future for the humanitarian sector
This is putting unprecedented pressure on NGOs and many experts believe that NGOs as we know them are on the brink of extinction. They suggest that NGOs and other civil society actors need to start thinking strategically about how to ada...
Previous Reports
11th Apr 2018
2018 CSI trends, forecasts and impacts – research report
The growth of impact investors and in particular social enterprises, owned and headed up by innovative and brave young social entrepreneurs, combined with corporate social investors’ focus on enterprise development, provided the...
11th Apr 2018
2018 CSI trends, forecasts and impacts – presentation
The days of funding out of a moral or compliance imperative are over; instead, development financing is seen as a good investment, providing valuable returns and commercial opportunity, while contributing to positive and sustainable...
5th Jul 2017
2017 CSI trends, forecasts and impacts – research report
Extensive research report of trends, forecasts and impacts for the social investment and development sectors in Africa. Challenges, opportunities, impact and return on investment....
5th Jul 2017
2017 CSI trends, forecasts and impacts – executive summary
Grantmaking: Executive Summary of research report 2017/2018: Reflections and insights from Africa regarding the social investment and development sectors....
5th Jul 2017
2017 CSI trends, forecasts and impacts – presentation
Grantmaking: Trends, forecasts and impacts - insights and reflections from Africa...
14th Jun 2016
2016 CSI trends, forecasts and impacts – presentation
This presentation follows on previous (2013,2014,2015) presentations and provides an overview of the latest trends as well insight into the future for social, community investment and development practitioners in South Africa....
