Elisabeth Makumbi

Elisabeth Makumbi is a senior manager in Bridgespan’s Johannesburg office. She advises philanthropies and nonprofits on strategy, governance, resource mobilization, and social impact. Her work spans strategic advisory services, philanthropy, program management, and stakeholder engagement, drawing on expertise in policy, law, governance, and systems change.

Elisabeth has worked extensively across the nonprofit and philanthropy sectors, supporting organizations to design and scale high-impact initiatives, conduct due diligence, and determine funding mechanisms. She is a contributor to Bridgespan’s thought leadership and has co-authored numerous publications on community-driven change, locally led development, philanthropy, impact measurement, and nature conservation. Her work includes “Five Levers for Philanthropists and Impact Investors to Pull to Help Conserve and Restore the World” (Bridgespan.org, 2026), “How to Assess Community-Driven Change: Four Guiding Principles for Funders and Nonprofits” (Bridgespan.org, 2025), and “Community-Driven Change: Demonstrating Impact in Africa and India” (Bridgespan.org, 2024).

Prior to joining Bridgespan, Elisabeth served as a non-executive director of Brightest Young Minds and the Greater Cape Water Fund. Previously, she was also a consultant and engagement manager at Pegasys, a development and strategy consultancy in South Africa focused on climate change, and a legal consultant with the World Bank Group in Washington, DC, where she contributed to the Women, Business, and the Law report. She began her career in commercial litigation and dispute resolution at Webber Wentzel Attorneys.

Elisabeth holds a Master’s degree in international law from Georgetown University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Pretoria, and a certificate in systems change and social impact from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business.