Our Story
The Royal African Foundation (RAF) was founded in 2001 by Royal African Safaris Partners and guests as a way to formalize how we were already giving back to the communities and wildlife that we love. We chose to build our own foundation so we could give transparently, know where every dollar was going, and see its impact on the ground firsthand.
For much of our history, the Foundation was entirely volunteer-run. That began to change in 2020, when we brought on our first full-time staff member, and from 2010- 2025, thanks to our incredible foundation family supporters and our foundation team, we grew the foundation by 1,591%. In 2025, our work directly benefited 22,168 people across Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and beyond.
Our team
Our foundation team is made up of our:
Board of Directors: Currently: Adam Hedges, Frank Murphy, Hannah Strand, Indi Bilkhu, John Heminway, John Valentine, and Melinda Oakley. (We would also like to acknowledge our Founding Board of Directors: Adam Hedges, Blane Bowen, David Penrose, Peter Silvester, Petrina Destro, and Tim Corfield.)
Officers: Emma Anton (President and Director), Petrina Bestor (Secretary-Treasurer), and Marias Ripau (Projects Officer and RAF East and Southern Africa Branch Executive Officer).
Volunteers: All the Royal African Safaris Partners, consultants, and camp crew who volunteer on the ground for our foundation and its projects.
100% Model
Our 100% model
We are a lean organization, and thanks to contributions from Royal African Safaris and Passage to Africa, which cover our foundation’s overheads, 100% of your donations go directly to project costs.
This means that the 20%+ of your donation that goes to overheads in other organizations, goes directly to project costs with us, significantly increasing the impact your support has on the ground for the communities and wildlife we all love.
If you have any questions, please do get in touch at foundation@royalafrican.com or using our contact details below.
FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions
Don’t see your question? Please do contact us using the details at the bottom of the page.
How does RAF work?
The Royal African Foundation is an independent US 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates and nurtures projects with local communities and partners on the front lines of conservation in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and other African countries. We take a listening-first approach, working alongside the communities we serve to identify their most pressing needs and channeling support directly to the projects that address them. Because our overheads are covered by contributions from Royal African Safaris and Passage to Africa, 100% of donations go directly to project costs.
Is RAF a 501(c)(3), and are donations tax-deductible?
Yes. The Royal African Foundation Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States. Donations are tax-deductible as provided by law. Our EIN is 82-0537124. You can view our Candid profile for more information on our governance and transparency.
Where does my donation go?
100% of your donation goes directly to project costs. You can choose to give to a specific project or area, or make a general donation to be allocated where it is needed most. Either way, we’ll keep you updated on the impact your gift is making on the ground.
What is the difference between RAF and Royal African Safaris?
Royal African Safaris (RAS) is a private safari company that was founded in 1985.
RAS and RAF are legally and operationally separate: RAF is an independent US 501(c)(3) nonprofit with its own board and governance, funded by donor contributions. RAS is one of RAF’s overhead-covering supporters, alongside Passage to Africa, which is what enables our 100% model.
What is Passage to Africa?
Passage to Africa is a sister organization of Royal African Safaris that specializes in bespoke African travel. They also help to cover the Royal African Foundation’s overheads and administrative costs, so that 100% of donations can go directly to project costs.