Corporate social investment is money large companies spend on community initiatives, and it is a measured element of the B-BBEE scorecard rather than only goodwill. That matters practically: there is a budget, it must be spent, and it has criteria. For a non-profit or a community organisation, understanding those criteria is the difference between an approach that lands and one that does not.
It is also frequently confused with enterprise development, which is a different pot with different rules.
CSI is not enterprise development
Socio-economic development, commonly called CSI, funds initiatives benefiting black South Africans, typically through non-profits, education, health and community projects. The recipient is usually not a business.
Enterprise and supplier development funds small businesses, often those in or entering the company’s supply chain. If you are a business seeking growth funding, you want the second, and approaching the CSI team wastes the introduction.
What CSI funders actually need
Evidence that beneficiaries are predominantly black South Africans, a registered recipient organisation with proper governance, and the ability to report on what the money achieved.
Reporting is not a formality. The company must substantiate the spend for its own scorecard verification, so an organisation that cannot produce records is a problem for them regardless of the work it does.
How to approach a company
Match your work to what they already fund rather than asking them to fund something new. Most companies publish a focus area, and proposals outside it are declined regardless of merit.
Be specific: what the money buys, how many people it reaches, over what period, and how you will report. Vague requests for general support are the most commonly declined.
Get the organisation in order first
Registration as a non-profit or company, a governing document, a bank account in the organisation’s name, and current annual returns where a company at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.
Tax status matters too: a section 18A receipt, where you qualify, lets donors deduct the donation, which materially increases your appeal. Confirm the requirements with the South African Revenue Service.
Frequently asked questions
What is corporate social investment?
Spending by large companies on community initiatives, measured as the socio-economic development element of the B-BBEE scorecard.
How is it different from enterprise development?
CSI funds community initiatives, usually through non-profits. Enterprise development funds small businesses, often suppliers.
What do CSI funders require?
Beneficiaries who are predominantly black South Africans, a properly governed registered recipient, and the ability to report on outcomes.
Why is reporting so important?
Because the company must substantiate the spend for its own scorecard verification, so poor records create a problem for them.
What makes a proposal succeed?
Matching an existing focus area and being specific about what the money buys, how many people it reaches, and how you will report.
Further reading
Originally published in March 2018. Updated September 2026 to explain how corporate social investment works and how it differs from enterprise development.
