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STRATEGIC CONTENT THAT UNLOCKS FUNDING, PARTNERS, AND IMPACT

Turn complex ideas into 
funder-ready 
materials.

A senior strategy partner for mission-driven organisations and the teams advancing impact-aligned infrastructure across Africa and the Global South. We turn complex ideas into the strategic narratives, investment cases, concept notes, and executive decks that unlock funding, partnerships, and impact.

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Funder strategyTheory of changeStakeholder engagementPartnershipsProposals & concept notesBankable project narratives

01The Gap

Even strong initiatives lose traction when the case is not clear.

Mission-driven organisations have important concepts, committed leaders, and urgent problems to solve — But when the problem, proposition and path to impact are scattered across notes, conversations, and partial drafts. It becomes hard to secure funding, align partners, or respond confidently to proposal windows.

01

The idea is strong but unclear

Visionary concepts often lack the structural clarity required for external scrutiny.

02

The materials are fragmented

Crucial logic is trapped in notes and emails rather than a single source of truth.

03

The ask is not externally ready

High-level goals are clear, but the investment, partnership, or proposal logic remains opaque.

02The Offers

Catalyst Packs that fit your moment

Materials designed for organisations preparing to brief, pitch, align or submit

The same packs make impact-aligned infrastructure projects fundable and partner-ready — the investment case, stakeholder materials, and funder decks that move a project from concept to procurement.

Offer 01 — Flagship

Funder-Ready Strategy Pack

Turn a complex programme idea into a funder-ready strategy and investment proposition.

Best for

NGOs, foundations and public-interest startups preparing for funders, donors, or investors — and public bodies or sponsors building the bankable case for impact-aligned infrastructure.

Outputs
  • Strategic narrative
  • Theory of change
  • Intervention portfolio
  • Investment logic
  • Funder pitch deck
  • Short concept note
2–3 weeks
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Offer 02 — Mid-engagement

Partner-Ready Stakeholder Pack

Turn a strategic initiative into clear stakeholder and partnership materials.

Best for

Teams preparing partnerships, corporate engagement, implementation alliances, or government-facing conversations.

Outputs
  • Stakeholder map
  • Partner value proposition
  • Engagement narrative
  • Briefing note
  • Partnership deck
  • Implementation framework 
1–2 weeks
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Offer 03 — Sprint

Proposal & Concept Note Sprint

Move quickly from raw inputs to a credible first-draft or near-final funding document.

Best for

Nonprofits and startups needing fast, structured, AI-assisted proposal or concept note production.

Outputs
  • Concept note
  • Proposal narrative
  • Executive summary
  • Problem framing
3–7 days
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03Methodology

A structured process from concept to externally ready materials.

01

Strategic intake

We clarify the objective, intended audience and decision required, ensuring that the work is focused on the issues that will matter most to those assessing it.

02

Strategic framework

We establish the strategic rationale, delivery model and supporting evidence, creating a proposition that can withstand funder, partner and stakeholder scrutiny.

03

Positioning & narrative

We articulate a clear and credible case for support, aligning the investment rationale, stakeholder perspective and narrative around the commitment sought.

04

Pack production

We prepare the final proposals, concept notes and executive materials to a polished standard, ready for submission or presentation to decision-makers.

04Who it’s for

Built for mission-driven organisations and impact infrastructure across Africa and the Global South.

African NGOs preparing for funders

Translating field experience into structured, fundable propositions.

Regranting foundations raising to fund others

Sharpening the case that unlocks the capital they redeploy.

Sponsors of impact-aligned infrastructure

Municipalities, SOEs, and project-preparation teams building the investment case for water, energy-transition, and municipal or social infrastructure.

Social enterprises scaling across the Global South

Framing mission-driven ventures for funders, partners, and procurement.

Founder-led initiatives seeking partners

Helping visionary leaders find the language partners trust.

Public–private initiatives needing alignment

Shared strategic materials across diverse stakeholders.

05Engagements

Ways to work together

A ladder of engagements — from rapid proposal sprints to a flagship funder-ready strategy pack and ongoing fractional support.

Proposal & Concept Note Sprint

3–7 days

Fast, AI-assisted production of proposals and concept notes for live funding opportunities.

Start a sprint
Flagship

Funder-Ready Strategy Pack

2–3 weeks

Flagship engagement for funder, donor, and investor-ready strategy and materials.

Start the engagement

Partner-Ready Stakeholder Pack

1–2 weeks

Structured materials for public-private partnerships, corporates, and implementers.

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Fractional Strategy Partner

Ongoing

Senior strategy and funding support for organisations needing continuity.

Check availability

Engagements are scoped to each project — book a call to discuss scope and pricing.

06Your human partner

Mpumi Mazibuko

Founder & Strategy Lead

Mpumi Mazibuko is a CA(SA) and senior strategy and partnerships adviser with more than 15 years’ experience turning complex ideas into clear, fundable and decision-ready propositions.

Her career spans infrastructure, development finance, public-private partnerships, organisational strategy and strategic partnerships across Africa, including the structuring and delivery of large-scale infrastructure transactions and mobilising more than US$100 million in DFI capital. She has advised multilateral institutions, public-sector entities and mission-driven organisations on strategy, investment cases, theory of change, stakeholder engagement and executive decision materials.

At 1st Domino, she brings that experience into a focused proposition: helping organisations create the strategic content that makes the next move possible, whether that is funding, partnership, stage gate approval or implementation.

Mpumi Mazibuko, Founder and Strategy Lead at 1st Domino

07Get in touch

Request the offer brief

Share a few details about your programme, partnership, or proposal opportunity. We will review your note and respond if there appears to be a strong fit.

Have a strong idea that needs to become truly ready?

Get in TouchView the offers