Racial Equity in Philanthropy
Equitable philanthropy is synonymous with effective, high-impact philanthropy
The Racial Equity in Philanthropy multiyear initiative seeks to reinforce a message that equity practitioners have conveyed for decades: Achieving lasting social change will require more funding for the critical work of racial equity and efforts that address structural racism, particularly for leaders of color at the forefront of transformative social change.
"For growing numbers of us, our sense of survival, our sense of thriving is embedded in a sense of movement and spaciousness and increasing allowance for more and more difference. You ask, what is love? Love is space. It is developing our own capacity for spaciousness within ourselves to allow others to be as they are. That is love. To come from a place of love is to be in acceptance of what is—even in the face of moving it towards something that is more whole, more just, more spacious for all of us."
Our Approach to Advancing Racial Equity in Philanthropy
We seek to support donors to adopt equitable funding practices and understand the implications of structural racism for social change. We also honor and amplify the vital work of racial equity champions, who have been advocating on this issue for far longer and hold many of the insights needed to accelerate the sector’s progress. We view our role as a collaborator in this space as follows:
Goals of the Initiative
Through this initiative, we seek to accelerate a shared, field-wide understanding that more-equitable philanthropy is synonymous with effective, high-impact philanthropy.
We aim to see a significant increase in giving to organizations led by people of color as well as more collaborative, bidirectional, and trust-based relationships between funders and leaders of color (as gauged by the nonprofit leaders).
Collaborators and Organizations We Have Learned From
Seeking and Amplifying Ideas from Leaders of Color: Spotlight
Dreaming in Color
Hosted by Darren Isom
The equitable future we seek requires celebrating the genius of today’s leaders of color. In Dreaming in Color, hear from champions in the charge for equity and justice. Hosted by Bridgespan Partner Darren Isom, this podcast offers leaders of color space to share how they have leveraged their unique assets and abilities to embrace excellence, drive impact, and more fully define what success looks like. Listen now >>
Community Gathering at Martha’s Vineyard
In the summer of 2022, we convened 25 leaders of color at our inaugural Equitable Philanthropy gathering in Martha’s Vineyard. Our agenda consisted of small-group discussion sessions as well as activities to build community.
