USD 300,000 Over Three Years: The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Grant That African Disability Social Enterprises Should Know About

Most disability funding in Africa targets established OPDs with existing governance structures and track records. But what about the growing number of disability-focused social enterprises, hybrid organisations, and innovative impact-first ventures that are building new solutions to disability inclusion challenges across the continent? What about the organisation that has run a successful pilot programme, demonstrated measurable impact, and is now ready to scale but needs the capital and support to do it?

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK Foundation) exists precisely for that moment. It offers up to USD 300,000 in flexible funding over three years, paired with deep operational and capacity-building support, to early-stage social impact organisations tackling urgent challenges with scalable, innovative solutions. Africa is one of its four priority geographies. And disability inclusion fits squarely within its mandate.

About the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

The DRK Foundation was established by venture capitalists Bill Draper, Robin Richards Donohoe, and Bob Kaplan, who brought the logic of venture investing to social impact philanthropy. Rather than spreading small grants across many organisations, DRK makes concentrated, long-term investments in a small number of organisations that it believes have the potential to create transformational change at scale.

DRK is not a passive funder. Its model includes not just capital, but active board-level operational support, specialist fundraising resources, peer learning through a community of social entrepreneurs, and strategic capacity building across governance, communications, and financial management. This combination of capital and hands-on support is designed to help organisations move from post-pilot to pre-scale and then beyond.

What the Grant Offers

A DRK grant provides:

• Up to USD 300,000 in funding over three years — provided as either unrestricted grant funding or investment capital, depending on the organisation’s structure
• Flexible allocation — recipients can direct funding where it is most needed according to their strategic priorities
• Board-level engagement — DRK assigns a board advisor to each portfolio organisation, providing high-level strategic guidance
• Fundraising support — access to DRK’s specialist fundraising resources and network to help organisations raise additional capital
• Community — membership in DRK’s global portfolio community, creating peer learning and collaboration opportunities

The unrestricted nature of DRK funding is particularly significant. Many grants come with tight restrictions on how money can be spent, no overhead, no salaries, only direct programme costs. DRK’s flexible funding model recognises that strong organisations need to invest in their own infrastructure, systems, and people, not just their programmes.

Who Is DRK Looking For?

DRK is highly selective. Its criteria are demanding but they are also clearly stated, which means organisations can self-assess before investing time in an application. DRK looks for organisations that are:

• Post-pilot and pre-scale: Beyond the idea stage, with a tested model that has demonstrated real-world impact, but not yet at the scale it is capable of reaching
• Typically two to five years old: Young enough to still be in the high-growth phase, but mature enough to have proof of concept
• Addressing an urgent, critical problem: Solutions that tackle genuinely pressing social or environmental challenges, disability exclusion, lack of AT access, inaccessible education, and similar challenges clearly qualify
• Innovative: Not just doing what others already do, but offering a meaningfully better approach
• Scalable: With a credible path to directly impacting a minimum of 10,000 lives within five years, and ambitions well beyond that
• Financially sustainable: With at least a developing earned income revenue stream, or a clear plan to develop one
• Systems-integrated: Working with and through existing systems, stakeholders, and infrastructure rather than building entirely parallel structures

Disability Inclusion Organisations That Could Qualify

DRK does not have a disability-specific funding stream, but disability inclusion organisations in Africa can and do fit its mandate. Examples of the types of organisations that could be competitive DRK candidates include:

• Social enterprises developing or distributing locally manufactured assistive technology at affordable price points
• Tech ventures building accessible digital platforms, sign language translation tools, or disability-inclusive financial services
• Education organisations developing scalable inclusive education models that can be licensed or replicated across multiple countries
• Health enterprises integrating community-based rehabilitation into primary health care systems at scale
• Organisations building disability employment platforms or inclusive hiring pipelines for corporate partners

The common thread is scale and innovation. DRK is not the right funder for a small advocacy OPD doing important local work. It is the right funder for an organisation that has cracked a problem and is ready to grow its impact significantly.

The Application Process

DRK’s application process is designed to be accessible and minimally burdensome. The foundation accepts applications year-round; there is no fixed deadline. The process works as follows:

• Step 1: Complete the online application form at drkfoundation.org/apply-for-funding. The form takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to complete and can be saved and resumed.
• Step 2: Upload a written executive summary, pitch deck, or business plan document covering your mission, the problem you address, your approach, evidence of impact, the team, financials, and your scaling strategy.
• Step 3: If your application shows initial fit, DRK staff will reach out for a conversation.
• Step 4: Successful applicants go through a deeper due diligence process before a formal funding decision is made.

DRK explicitly states that its process is designed to be open and accessible. Existing materials, pitch decks, strategy documents, annual reports can be repurposed for the application, reducing the burden on time-stretched founding teams.

📌 DRK receives a large volume of applications. The most competitive candidates are those who can clearly quantify their impact to date, articulate a credible scaling plan with specific targets, and demonstrate that their model is both replicable and financially sustainable. Spend time on these elements before applying.

Why This Grant Matters for Africa’s Disability Sector

The disability inclusion sector in Africa has a talent and innovation problem not a shortage of talent and innovation, but a shortage of funding that matches the ambition of the solutions being built. Too many promising disability-focused social enterprises stall at the post-pilot stage because the funding available to them is either too small, too restricted, or too short-term to enable genuine scaling.

The DRK Foundation model large, flexible, multi-year funding paired with hands-on support addresses exactly this gap. For the right organisation, a DRK investment is not just money. It is a three-year partnership with one of the most respected social impact funders in the world, and the platform, network, and credibility that comes with it.

If your organisation is building something scalable and has the evidence to prove it is working, the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is worth your time. Applications are open year-round. Visit drkfoundation.org to begin.