About

Funds & Initiatives

Impact & Events

Community Resources

Donate

The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Let’s Celebrate Black Women After Black History Month Ends by Giving Them More Funding
First published: March 11, 2022

THE CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY: LET’S CELEBRATE BLACK WOMEN AFTER BLACK HISTORY MONTH ENDS BY GIVING THEM MORE FUNDING

March 11, 2022
As another Black History Month wraps up, we need to take stock of what has actually been accomplished during this annual event — especially when it comes to supporting Black women.

Report after report on the state of Black women send the same disturbing message: As the population as a whole made major strides during the last several decades in areas such as economic opportunity and health, Black women were consistently left behind.

Black women today are paid just 63 cents for every dollar earned by white men in the same jobs — far below the 79 cents white women make…. Since we know racism and sexism are inextricably tied, how can we start to unravel them both and create meaningful change? By funding organizations that are doing the work to lift up the needs of Black women — and that are run by Black women. Philanthropic leaders have pledged to increase such giving during the past few years. But they need to act with much more urgency. As an economic-justice grant maker, I’ve seen the difference such funding can make. Here are a few recent examples:

  • …The Black Girl Freedom Fund, launched in September 2020 as an initiative of Grantmakers for Girls of Color, is calling for the investment of $1 billion in Black girls and young women by 2030. It raised more than $20 million in its first year from more than 15 foundations and some 1,000 individuals, including contributions from celebrities such as the singer Ciara and actors Rashida Jones and Tracee Ellis Ross. By April, the fund will have deployed approximately $4 million to organizations focused on addressing the wellness, safety, and leadership of Black girls and young women, including performing-arts programs centering on the voices of Black girls and survivor-led organizations focused on ending sexual assault… READ MORE FROM THE CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY