About us

The South Africa Development Fund (SADF), formerly known as Fund for a Free South Africa (FreeSA), was established in 1985 by a group of South Africans living in exile in the United States. They were joined by Americans active in the civil rights and anti-apartheid movements in developing a model of philanthropy to help bring attention and an end to South Africa’s apartheid system and to reverse its political and social impact.

Since its inception, the organization has facilitated cooperation between concerned Americans and South Africans to enhance social and economic justice in South Africa. SADF solicits funds from individuals and donor organizations, and works in partnership with community-based organizations to provide financial and technical support to communities still disadvantaged by decades of apartheid policies.

After the democratic elections in 1994, U.S. interest in South Africa began to dwindle. South Africa may have been finally free, but the residual impact of apartheid and the alarming spread of the nation’s AIDS pandemic made the need for donor support even greater.

In the beginning of 1997, FreeSA was reorganized to best serve the needs of South Africa. On July 1, 1997, a new board of directors was voted in. The board consists of seven South Africans all of whom spend a considerable amount of time in South Africa. The organization, now called South Africa Development Fund, opted to focus exclusively on its grantmaking program.

Over the years, SADF has used its grantmaking to focus on the needs of the most disadvantaged sectors of South Africa: women, children, rural people, unemployed, residents of informal settlements, elderly and disabled. Our grantee organizations are committed to non-sexist, non-racial, democratic practices. While always fluctuating. the number of organizations awarded grants ranges somewhere between 55-60 grantees per year.

To date, SADF has sent over 9 million dollars in grants to organizations in South Africa.

555 Amory Street, Boston, MA 02130   |   tel: (617) 522-5511 fax: (617) 522-5591   |   info@sadevelopmentfund.org