“The variables of culture, geography, gender, and more highlight the need for both better understanding and increased grantmaking to organizations led by people of color.”
To be good stewards of entrusted resources, the philanthropic sector must move beyond charity and good intentions that perpetuate harm to understand and address the impact of systemic racism and social injustice in the communities we serve. We must begin by making an authentic and honest assessment of past practices and re-examine the decision-making process in the areas of collaborative funding and inclusive community engagement. Our focus must shift to intentionality on the use of our endowments and we must hold ourselves accountable to measure the impact of equity in our grantmaking. The communities we serve are not monolithic. The variables of culture, geography, gender, and more highlight the need for both better understanding and increased grantmaking to organizations led by people of color. The impact of COVID-19 coupled with the recent protests social injustice has revealed to the philanthropic community the need for greater awareness and greater investment to address pre-existing health, social and economic burdens driven by systemic racism.