Join Our Community!

We are committed to the mandate of addressing complex societal issues and supporting various positive initiatives by:

First Citizens invites you to join our ‘Community’ by submitting your partnership proposals for our consideration.

Criteria For Entry:

Submissions must:

Be from registered civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations
Demonstrate a strong commitment to equity and inclusion by clearly showing one or more of the following:
1. Expanding access to education and learning opportunities.
2. Ensuring equitable geographic reach across the communities and regions served.
3. Supporting vulnerable or marginalised groups.
4. Advancing gender equity and balanced participation.
Be aligned to the First Citizens Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Pillar- Youth Development and Education
Be aligned to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals of the United Nations established in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly
Be clear with respect to background/context, objectives, outputs, timelines, benefits to the sponsor, impact metrics, outcomes and evaluation
Contain a detailed budget
Include a detailed Public Relations plan
Proposals not meeting any of the aforementioned criteria will be regretted

All submissions will be assessed by the First Citizens Foundation on the following:

1. Strategic Alignment

Alignment – to the First Citizens CSR pillars i.e. Environment, Sport, Youth Development, Education, Gender and Culture.
Compatibility: The organization’s philosophy, ideology, work and brand, complement that of the Group.
Sustainability: The organization or initiative has the resources, support and plans in place to operate for the long-term. The organization or initiative must also be aligned to at least one UN SDGs and two SDG targets.

2. Programme Design and Feasibility

Cost of Entry: The requested funding must be reasonable and clearly justified.
Measurability: The ability of the organization to measure the impact of the initiative, the number of planned success indicators including persons impacted, volunteer hours and visibility/awareness etc.

3. Visibility and Partnership Value

Reputation: The organization or initiative must have a proven track record of successful programs and credible collaborations with other corporations, government entities, or reputable charitable organizations. It should be recognized as trustworthy, well-managed, and capable of driving positive change.
Visibility/Awareness: The organization / initiative is visible, recognized and known by the public for its work in any of the previously outlined key pillars.
Sponsor Exclusivity: The organization or initiative provides the Group with category exclusivity (i.e. no other major financial institution should be a key sponsor). Depending on the level and scope of the Group’s support, this exclusivity could apply only to the initiative that will be funded or to the charity in general.

4. Impact and Outcomes

Mutual Benefit: The organization or initiative and the Group will mutually benefit from working together. This may also include an opportunity for First Citizens staff to volunteer for the project.
Opportunity for Profile: The organization or initiative will provide the Group with adequate opportunities to profile and promote its involvement in the cause or charity.
Impact: The effect(s) of the initiative on the community. The number of persons targeted. The number and type of secondary stakeholders that would benefit from the initiative.

5. Organisational Capacity

Transparency and Accountability: The organization or initiative is willing to show how funds are used. The organization should provide current and recent financial statements (or equivalent) to demonstrate their solvency. A third party such as an audit firm validating their accounts will strengthen this score.

Once you have met the criteria outlined above, you may submit your proposals.