Fueling Local Solutions Since 2012
The story of the Changemakers Initiative
Supporting 30 organizations annually across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Pacific Island nations with unrestricted funding and trust in local expertise.
In 1994, on a sweltering afternoon in rural Kenya, our founder Robert Harper had a revelation: the solutions already exist in communities—what’s missing is the right kind of support.
After witnessing how local organizers achieved remarkable results with limited resources, Harper developed a revolutionary funding approach:
The Changemakers Initiative launched in 2012 with support for 15 organizations across three continents.
our founder
Learn about Robert Harper, the visionary who revolutionized international development funding
Born to middle-class parents in Boston in 1945, Robert Harper took an unconventional path. After graduating from Harvard with an economics degree, he declined lucrative job offers to join a small NGO working in East Africa. What was meant to be a two-year commitment turned into a fifteen-year journey across the continent.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Harper worked alongside community organizations in Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and Mozambique. His unassuming nature and genuine curiosity earned him rare access to local changemakers who shared their frustrations with international funding mechanisms.
Harper meticulously documented these conversations, revealing a recurring theme: talented local leaders were spending more time satisfying donor requirements than implementing solutions they knew would work.
The Birth of a Vision
From Vision to Movement
Learn about Robert Harper, the visionary who revolutionized international development funding
Disrupting Philanthropy
The “Harper Model” challenged traditional grant-making approaches by prioritizing trust in local expertise over restrictive reporting requirements.
Sustainable Future
By 2021, Harper established a $25 million endowment to ensure the Initiative would continue its vital work beyond his lifetime.
Legacy and Impact
Today, the Changemakers Initiative:
Global Reach
Supports 30 organizations annually across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Pacific Island nations, amplifying local solutions to regional challenges.
Barrier-Free Access
Remains completely free of charge at all stages, with no application fees or costs required from grantees, true to Harper’s vision.
Local Leadership
Continues to spotlight extraordinary local changemakers, shifting focus from funders to the community leaders creating lasting impact.