History of Uthungulu Community Foundation (25 years of existence)

The Uthungulu Community Foundation was officially launched on 03 July 1999, as a South African pilot project. Before 1999 South Africa had no community foundations. The Uthungulu Community Foundation came about after a series of meetings and consultations undertaken by representatives from the South African Grantmakers Association (SAGA), the Ford Foundation, the CS Mott Foundation, Billiton Aluminium and the Zululand Chamber Business Foundation.

An agreement was reached that the Zululand Chamber Business Foundation (ZCBF) was to incubate a pilot Community Foundation in the Uthungulu region. Billiton pledged a substantial seed funding that was met with a matching grant from Ford Foundation to start the endowment fund. A steering committee was established and fund-raising began. In preparation for its official launch on 03 July 1999, the Uthungulu Community Foundation started appointing office staff in January 1999. On 03 July 1999 the Foundation was formally launched and His Majesty, King Goodwill Zwelithini was announced as its patron and unveiled a memorial plaque.

On 22 November 2001, Uthungulu Community Foundation (UCF) issued its first annual grants to some most needy and deserving communities.   The Foundation’s patron, His Majesty, King Goodwill Zwelithini, hands over the grants to recipients.  This is done to highlight the national importance and significance of these grants to recipients. 

Uthungulu Community Foundation (UCF) is the only South African Foundation that has since the year 1999 survived, and continues to operate as a fully fletched Foundation, similar to other sister global foundations.  There were nine (9) community foundations that were originally established at various places, throughout South Africa.

Today the Uthungulu Community Foundation advises almost all nongovernmental and community-based organisations spread all over South Africa on Community Foundations.