Global leaders convene in Cape Town to explore innovative financing models that link funding to measurable social impact, strengthening health systems and accelerating progress towards development goals.
Global leaders, policymakers, funders and development experts will gather in Cape Town from 25–27 March 2026 for the Outcome Finance Alliance (OFA) Summit, hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) in collaboration with the Presidency of South Africa’s Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI).
The summit focuses on advancing Outcomes-Based Financing (OBF), an approach that links funding directly to measurable social results, ensuring that investment translates into real improvements in people’s lives. As governments and development partners face increasing fiscal pressure, outcomes-based models are increasingly being explored as practical tools to strengthen accountability, unlock new investment and improve the effectiveness of social programmes.
Outcomes-Based Financing is gaining traction globally as a way to address complex development challenges including public health, youth development and social protection. By focusing on verified results rather than activities alone, the model encourages innovation, collaboration and improved delivery of services to communities most in need.
A key area of discussion at the summit will include South Africa’s experience with Social Impact Bonds (SIBs), which enable private and philanthropic investors to fund interventions upfront, with repayment linked to the achievement of agreed outcomes. These models are helping to create new partnerships between government, investors and implementation organisations.
One example is the Imagine Programme, a pioneering intervention supporting adolescent girls and young women in high-need communities through integrated sexual and reproductive health services, psychosocial support and improved access to prevention and treatment services.
Early learnings from the programme highlight the importance of improving access to contraception, strengthening mental health support, reducing stigma and improving linkages to care. The programme demonstrates how targeted, evidence-based interventions can contribute to improved health outcomes and long-term social development.
The summit provides an opportunity for collaboration between global and local stakeholders working to strengthen development financing systems that prioritise measurable impact. It also highlights South Africa’s role in contributing practical solutions that support progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
As demand grows for more effective use of limited public resources, innovative financing approaches are becoming increasingly important in ensuring that social investment delivers meaningful and sustainable change.
