DGMT's approach to scaling and the lessons along the way

HANDS-ON Experience Learning September 2025 | Issue 31

OPPORTUNITY

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Cultivate and connect imaginative leaders

DGMT’S APPROACH TO SCALING AND LESSONS ALONG THE WAY Scaling, the process of expanding impact to reach more people, influence systems, or shift social norms, is not simply about making projects bigger. In complex environments like South Africa, it requires new ways of thinking, strategic partnerships, and a readiness to adapt to changing political and economic conditions. For DGMT, scaling is embedded in its mission: to unlock the “10 opportunities to escape the inequality trap” and to shift national outcomes in early learning, youth employment, and social inclusion. Over the past 15 years, DGMT has evolved from a philanthropic grant-maker to a “public innovator through strategic investment”, reconfiguring its structure, funding approaches, and partnerships to pursue change at scale. This has meant moving beyond isolated projects towards systemic interventions: from shaping national early childhood development (ECD) platforms to securing policy wins like zero-rating the digital content of public benefit organisations (PBOs) and influencing government strategies for children and teenagers.

This learning brief examines DGMT’s journey of mainstreaming scaling within its organisational strategy. It outlines the mindsets, mechanisms and partnerships that have enabled scale, and unpacks three practical examples that illustrate different pathways: a focused policy device, an ecosystems approach, and a political approach to national mobilisation for children and teens. The aim is to share lessons that other civil society actors and funders can adapt when moving from promising pilots to population-level impact.

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DGMT’S APPROACH TO SCALING AND LESSONS ALONG THE WAY

Issue 31 /// September 2025

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DGMT's approach to scaling and the lessons along the way

Published on Sep 23, 2025

DG Murray Trust

Scaling, expanding impact to reach more people, influence systems or shift norms, is not just making projects bigger. In complex South African contexts, it demands new thinking, strategic partnerships, and readiness to adapt to shifting politics and economics. For DGMT, scaling is core to its mission: unlocking the “10 opportunities to escape the inequality trap” and shifting national outcomes in early learning, youth employment, and social inclusion. This learning brief examines DGMT’s journey of mainstreaming scaling within its organisational strategy. It outlines the mindsets, mechanisms and partnerships that have enabled scale, and unpacks three practical e amples that illustrate different pathways: a focused policy device, an ecosystems approach, and a political approach to national mobilisation for children and teens. The aim is to share lessons that other civil society actors and funders can adapt when moving from promising pilots to population-level impact.