Feedback Labs | March 24, 2025
For years, local organizations in the Global South have done some of the most impactful, community-driven work—yet they receive only a fraction of global funding. With complex application processes, restrictive grant structures, and limited visibility among international donors, many of these organizations struggle to access the resources they need to thrive. Kuja, an initiative of Adeso Africa, is on a mission to change that.
In our latest LabStorm, we explored how Kuja can strengthen donor-local organization relationships, refine its platform to drive engagement, and use feedback to ensure that the voices of local changemakers remain at the center of funding decisions.
About Kuja
Kuja is an online platform and community designed to connect local organizations in the Global South with funding opportunities, learning resources, and operational support. Built by Adeso Africa, a pioneering social enterprise committed to African-led development, Kuja’s mission is to reduce the systemic barriers local organizations face in securing and managing funding.
The platform offers four key solutions:
- Kuja Link – A centralized hub that matches local organizations with funding opportunities, including an AI-powered proposal-writing tool.
- Kuja Learn – A collaborative space for e-learning, webinars, and workshops, supporting both local organizations and donors in shifting power dynamics.
- Kuja Advise – A skills marketplace that connects local organizations with experts for pro bono or reduced-cost services.
- Kuja Build – An outsourcing service that helps organizations with HR, accounting, and grant management, easing administrative burdens.
Launching in February 2025, Kuja has the potential to transform how funding flows to local organizations. But to succeed, it needs to build trust among donors, ensure its platform is useful to funders and grantees alike, and create feedback loops that drive continuous improvement.
Key Discussions
1. Building Trust in the Platform
One of Kuja’s biggest hurdles is earning the trust of both donors and local organizations. Participants explored several ways to establish credibility:
- Verification and Transparency – Creating a verification system (similar to a social media “blue check”) where local organizations can upload registration documents, audits, and proof of funding history.
- Partnerships with Other Platforms – There are several platforms that support organizations in different ways, and creating profiles can become repetitive. Kuja is establishing partnerships with those platforms to integrate, rather than duplicate.
- Success Stories & Case Studies – Highlighting previous funding wins and showcasing how donors and grantees have successfully worked together on the platform could encourage broader participation.
By demonstrating legitimacy and providing an easy onboarding experience, Kuja can become a trusted resource for both donors and local organizations.
2. Making Kuja an Essential Tool for Donors
While Kuja is designed to help local organizations access funding, it also needs to offer tangible value to donors to encourage engagement. Attendees suggested:
- Customizable Grant Matching – Enabling donors to set specific criteria for funding (e.g., focus areas, geographies, budget sizes) so they are matched with relevant organizations.
- Pre-Vetted Pipelines – Providing a streamlined list of vetted local organizations could reduce administrative burdens for donors and encourage more direct funding.
- E-Learning for Funders – Kuja could offer trainings on decolonizing philanthropy and trust-based grantmaking, helping donors shift their practices toward more equitable funding.
By ensuring donors see Kuja as a valuable tool for simplifying their funding processes, the platform can encourage more direct engagement with local organizations.
3. Creating Feedback Loops to Strengthen Impact
For Kuja to continuously improve, it needs to embed feedback into the platform itself. Participants explored strategies to gather meaningful insights from users, including:
- “Feedback Reunions” for Grantees and Donors – Hosting follow-up discussions months after funding is awarded, allowing donors and local organizations to reflect on what worked and what could improve.
- In-Platform Feedback Prompts – Incorporating quick, structured feedback questions after major interactions (e.g., after submitting a funding application or completing a training).
- Highlighting User-Driven Platform Changes – Making sure that grantees and donors see how their feedback has shaped Kuja’s features, reinforcing the value of participation.
By closing the feedback loop, Kuja can ensure it remains user-centered and continues to evolve based on real-world needs.
Key Takeaways
- Trust and transparency are critical. Establishing a verification system, partnering with other platforms, and sharing success stories will help build credibility.
- Donors need clear incentives to engage. Features like automated grant matching, pre-vetted pipelines, and funder education can encourage participation.
- Continuous feedback is key to Kuja’s success. Implementing structured feedback loops will ensure the platform remains responsive to users’ needs.
Conclusion
This LabStorm with Kuja reinforced that shifting power in philanthropy requires both innovative technology and intentional relationship-building. By simplifying funding access, strengthening donor-grantee relationships, and embedding meaningful feedback loops, Kuja is poised to transform the way local organizations in the Global South receive support.
Are you working on funding equity and donor engagement? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments or reach out to us at [email protected] to continue the conversation.
Learn More About LabStorms
LabStorms are collaborative problem-solving sessions designed to help organizations tackle feedback-related challenges or share what’s working well in their practice.
Presenters leave the experience with honest, actionable feedback and suggestions to improve their feedback processes and tools.
To learn more about participating in a virtual LabStorm, please visit feedbacklabs.org/labstorms.
