Racial Equity In Philanthropy

Closing the Funding Gap

In this collection of articles and reports, we seek to reinforce a message that equity practitioners have conveyed for decades: Dismantling the persistent and substantial barriers leaders of color face in securing philanthropic funding is critical to achieving social change.

 

 

Unlocking Social Progress by Addressing Structural Racism

By Britt Savage, Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Peter Kim

What if philanthropy did whatever it takes to finally achieve racial equity? What would that look like? Across the nation there are organizations, collaboratives, networks, and grassroots efforts are addressing structural racism in their work. These efforts are often led by leaders of color. The achievements of such efforts and lessons learned offer funders a behind the curtain look at what it takes to truly create lasting social change. Read More >>

Guiding a Giving Response to Anti-Black Injustice

By Susan Taylor Batten, Edward M. Jones, Leslie MacKrell, Jerry Petit-Frere

This collaboration between ABFE and The Bridgespan Group offers funders potential paths to invest in organizations and movements within the Black-led racial justice ecosystem. Read More >>

The Problem with “Color-Blind” Philanthropy

By Cheryl Dorsey, Jeff Bradach, and Peter Kim

Even when grounded in a well-meaning attempt at equity, ignoring the implications of race on the work philanthropists fund has only served to disadvantage people of color.
Read more on HBR.org >>
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The Bridgespan Group and Racial Equity: Reflections on Our Journey

Co-founder and Managing Partner Jeff Bradach describes Bridgespan’s journey to center racial equity in its work. Here he offers context for the research we are releasing now and in the future to help build a more equitable and just society. Read More >>
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Racial Equity and Philanthropy: Disparities in Funding Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table

By Cheryl Dorsey, Jeff Bradach, and Peter Kim

Without a racial equity lens, philanthropy cannot address important social problems like economic mobility, climate change, or inequality. This new research, from Echoing Green and The Bridgespan Group, lays bare the racial disparity in today’s funding environment. Funders cannot make population-level impact without funding more leaders of color and funding them more deeply. With data and stories of philanthropists that has made racial equity an imperative, this research lays out an argument for funders that racial equity is critical to achieving social change. Read More >>
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Overcoming the Racial Bias in Philanthropic Funding

By Cheryl Dorsey, Peter Kim, Cora Daniels, Lyell Sakaue, and Britt Savage 

Racial bias—both personal and institutional, conscious and unconscious—creeps into all parts of the philanthropic and grantmaking process. The result is that nonprofit organizations led by people of color receive less money than those led by whites, and philanthropy ends up reinforcing the very social ills it says it is trying to overcome. We offer a framework of the barriers leaders of color face when securing funding, along with practical advice for foundation staff. Read the article on SSIR.org >>
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