By Tiffany Legington Graham
If you research philanthropy and well-known philanthropists, you will find a lot of familiar names … Carnegie … Rockefeller … Buffett … Gates. In comparison, you will not find as much historical or current information on donors of color and even less about Black or African American donors.
The Black community has a long history of giving, dating back to traditions on the African continent. The very roots of philanthropy within the Black community stem from the African principle of ubuntu, a Nguni word which means “the quality of being human” or oftentimes referred to as “I am because you are” — the idea that we can only be strong when we have care and concern for our neighbor and focus on collective impact.
Nelson Mandela once reflected on this philosophy: “In Africa there is a concept known as ‘ubuntu’ — the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.”
There is no such thing as a monolithic Black donor, as each donor’s giving is highly personal and based on personal values and lived experiences. However, there are certainly general themes that can be gleaned from the cultural, social and religious traditions of Black Americans that can provide insight into how to engage with this highly philanthropic group.
Impact of U.S. History On Black Philanthropy
If you know the history of Black people in the United States — from the institution of slavery which lasted 250 years to the Jim Crow period of continued segregation which lasted another 100 years to today, where these historical patterns of political and social discrimination have created and exacerbated disparities of almost every metric, including wealth, education, housing and health — then you know that faith, perseverance, strength and the sharing of resources have been required to ensure the very survival of Black Americans.
This history cannot be disregarded and is important to know when seeking to understand the philanthropic priorities of Black donors. Tyrone Freeman, Ph.D., with the Lily School of Philanthropy at Indiana Unioversity, sums it up best:
“African American giving is grounded in a collective sense of responsibility and obligation towards the community and the continuing larger struggle for liberation. It is based on a generosity of spirit as an expression of dignity, humanity and identity. So, anyone can give. One does not have to be rich or be limited to monetary gifts to express this generosity. Whatever one has that may be helpful to others can and should be shared for collective benefit and communal uplift.”
Based on several research studies and personal experience, there are three key giving priorities that are consistent in the Black community:
* Religious tithing;
* Education; and,
* Healthcare.
In general, Black Americans are strongly rooted in faith traditions across the spectrum of denominations and in particular, Christianity. Most, if not all, Black Christian donors believe in the importance of tithing and giving to the church. According to Blackbaud’s “Diversity In Giving Study,” African American donors say they give an average of 13% of their income to their place of worship, compared with 9% of donors overall. As with all donors, regardless of race, this continues to be the top philanthropic priority for Black donors.
It is important to note that the Black church has long supported the community through its mission- and community-oriented work by providing educational resources, food, shelter, and clothing. Historically and today, giving in this category not only supports the church, but is also a pass-through to meet other needs in the community.
Education is a second philanthropic priority. Throughout several generations, Black Americans were denied the opportunity to receive an education. In fact, during the slavery era, it was even illegal to teach an enslaved person to read and write. During the Jim Crow period, Black Americans had to fight for access to equal, quality education as evidenced in the historic 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. The Board of Education. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that education is a high priority for Black donors, who consistently give both formally to institutions as well as informally to family and friends to ensure that those who need it most have access and resources for a high-quality education.
During the past few years alone, there have been several historic contributions to educational institutions by Black donors. In 2019, billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith gave $34 million to settle the student loan debt of 400 graduating students at Morehouse College, an HBCU (historically Black college or university) in Atlanta, Georgia.
Another philanthropic priority for Black donors is those causes that disproportionately impact the Black community, including healthcare. Given the history and impacts of racial discrimination in the United States as described above, Black donors tend to be concerned with issues across the spectrum that impact and/or uplift the Black community. This includes advancements in civil rights and social justice, supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives, and providing resources for underserved communities. In regard to health care, Black donors understand the importance of medical research and quality treatment. They are also keen to support treatment for the diseases and conditions that disproportionately impact people of color, including Black maternal health, sickle cell disease, and prostate cancer.
The Generosity Of Black Donors
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington
Black donors are community-minded and generous. W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors produced a study in 2020 that showed almost two-thirds of Black families make charitable donations, totaling about $11 billion a year. In addition, the study showed that Black households typically give 25% more of their income than other households.
As mentioned earlier, there is a strong multi-generational tradition of collective giving in the Black community. This giving might be done in support of institutions and nonprofit organizations, but oftentimes giving is informal, a “pass the hat” kind of approach in providing direct and immediate support to those who need it within family, friend, church and other networks.
In fact, during the past couple of decades, there has been a proliferation of African American “giving circles,” whereby groups of donors pool their financial resources to have a larger collective impact in the community. Many times, these giving circles also serve as an opportunity for groups to gather and learn more about strategic philanthropy, grant-making tactics and other topics in support of community uplift and impact.
Approaches For Engaging Black Donors
Black donors as a group are culturally very philanthropic, with a strong sense of responsibility to give back to the community. Listed below are several suggested approaches for engaging Black donors:
- Remember that Black donors are not a monolith. Although there are philanthropic themes that can be leveraged as a starting point, each donor will have unique priorities for giving based on their personal experience and perspectives.
- Work on becoming more culturally competent. A one size fits all approach will not apply here. Understand the basics of African American history and culture. Be prepared to discuss how the work you are doing can positively impact the Black community and/or individual constituents.
- Build trust between you, your institution and your donor. As with all donors, trust is an important part of relationship building. Make sure to be genuine and honest in all of your engagement and follow-up when promised. If there are aspects of your organization’s history that have been less than favorable, be transparent and candid about it with an eye to future opportunities.
- Peer-to-peer influence is key. Oftentimes, it is helpful to have an advocate or ambassador for your organization who looks like the donors you are seeking to engage or who is actively engaged in the circles within which you are trying to connect. Don’t underestimate the power of peer-to-peer influence in helping you to open doors and network authentically within the Black community.
- Steward, steward, steward. At every step in the process and with every gift received — no matter the size — make sure that you are thanking your donors and continually finding ways to meaningfully connect them more deeply with your mission. This is critical in building the type of relationship that will spur larger gifts and long-term commitments.
Poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou is often quoted as saying “the difference between charity and philanthropy is the distance of the soul…to be philanthropic is to give something, to be charitable is to give one’s own heart.” Ms. Angelou’s sentiment is reflective of the spirit of Black giving, which remains a vibrant concept today.
There is tremendous opportunity to tap into the generosity of Black donors and as with most donors, along the way you will learn even more about yourself.
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Tiffany Legington Graham is chief marketing and development officer at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Her email is [email protected]
