Black at Work: Claiming Your Role as a Philanthropic Leader

Years back, I shared my first giving memory. It was of collecting quarters for the missions ministry at my church. I remember the hardback blue quarter holder with a slot for each coin to be tucked neatly into. I felt pride turning in my full holder, of my time in church and watching my family serve their community. We were philanthropists – givers of resources, time and talent.

Fast forward 40 years, and I have helped give away a lot of money. Some of it was through my job at a private foundation, some through committee work and some through my own wealth. Some of my giving as been formal, as in directly donating to nonprofit organizations, and some of it has been episodic buying books for family members in college or paying rent for someone going through a hard time. I’ve also volunteered time by sitting on boards of directors or serving on search committees. As you read this you may be thinking to yourself, I do those things too, but you still do not identify as a philanthropist. I’m going to offer seven reasons to change your mind.

1. Philanthropy does not belong to the rich. In the U.S., the public narrative around philanthropy was shaped by wealthy folks who thought they could ‘solve the problem’ of poverty. Their approach was much like yours and mine. Giving resources to help those need it.
2. The rich have not solved the challenges they set out to tackle. This means, there is space for the rest of us to help create solutions that will be catalytic for our communities.
3. Give to Black leaders not just Black recipients. It’s easy to fall into the trap of giving to organizations that serve Black people without examining their senior leadership and board. Black-led organizations only receive 2% of charitable giving. We can change that by making different investments.
4. Black leaders experience racism too. Black nonprofit leaders experience the same (micro)aggressions from white donors that you experience at work. Just like many of you make less than your white, less educated peers, Black nonprofit leaders are given less than theirs. Black donors and Black nonprofit leaders working together is good for everyone – you, them and the communities being served.
5. Giving is our legacy. It’s what our Big Mamas taught us, and it’s our responsibility to make sure we teach the next generation too! Our children and grandchildren only benefit from learning early to give back to others often.
6. Black futures need your genius. You’ve excelled in your career because of the leadership and tenacity you’ve demonstrated over your careers. Black-led organizational leaders often have great ideas but don’t always have access to the expertise from other industries. Partnering with them can include both money but also technology, legal, accounting and other skilled-knowledge.
7. Leverage your gift. Collective giving is something Black folks have always done. Today, collective giving includes employer matched giving programs and giving circles. There can be perceived and real pressure to follow the company’s giving strategy or give your resources to the company giving campaign. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about how and why your company chooses the organizations it supports.
8. Talk about your giving. In many of our faith traditions, talking about your giving was seen as bragging, and thus frowned upon. However, we know that others are influenced by what they see. When you talk about your giving publicly as a way to invite others in, you can inspire someone to join you in making a difference.

These are just a few of many examples of philanthropic leadership. As you see, it’s about more than how much money or money at all. It’s about the human, relational, and social capital that we also bring with us. It’s also about the intentionality about how and why we give. If you’ve been giving only your money, reach out to your favorite organization and see what other ways you can support their work.

Let me know, do you see yourself as a philanthropic leader?