BIPOC donors are driving bold change in philanthropy 

Racial justice philanthropy has historically been most applauded when led by wealthy white individuals who often support organizations that are not led by the communities they serve. While BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) donors have been taking care of their communities for generations, they have yet to be significantly represented in traditional philanthropy. But change is on the horizon: Wealthy BIPOC donors are increasingly stepping forward to support social and racial justice movements, creating a powerful force that can transform traditional philanthropy.   

 The Donors of Color Network (DOCN), a community of BIPOC donors, is part of that movement. As the only cross-racial high-net-worth donor network dedicated to racial justice, DOCN provides an organizing space for and builds solidarity among these donors so they can become more impactful philanthropists, acting as a model for the broader philanthropic community to give more inclusively.   

Centering values and preserving collective space 

BIPOC donors are integral to advancing racial justice in philanthropy, driven by personal experiences with racial bias that inform their priorities. DOCN’s report, Always Sounds Like Someone Else: A Portrait of High Net Worth Donors of Color, illustrates how BIPOC donors often face challenges finding spaces in philanthropy that acknowledge their contributions and align with their values. Nearly all 113 BIPOC donors interviewed shared experiences of discrimination and bias in their careers and in the philanthropy space. Those experiences led donors to prioritize social justice, women’s and gender rights, and racial justice causes. 

So, how can we empower BIPOC donors? DOCN’s approach is to create inclusive and supportive spaces where they can connect, strategize, and align efforts. Collective spaces such as these allow BIPOC donors a rare opportunity to compare notes with peers and align their efforts, moving beyond the constraints of isolated giving and overcoming the “white gaze” that often defines traditional philanthropy—the status quo that funds low-risk, short-term priorities which unfortunately results in preserving the social order over sustained investments in bold, innovative solutions generated by communities most affected by racism and injustice. 

BIPOC donors can leverage more than their dollars for bold change 

In 2020, when a group of BIPOC donors learned that only 1.3% of a total of $1.34 billion in grant dollars from 12 major environmental funders was directed to BIPOC-led, justice-focused groups, according to a 2020 New School study, they formed a working group and set off to use their influence to make bold change. Listening to BIPOC movement groups focused on environmental justice, this donor group worked with DOCN to envision a strategy that leveraged their role as wealthy people of color to peer-pressure foundations into making bold investments in climate justice. After a year of listening and strategizing, in 2021, DOCN launched the Climate Funders Justice Pledge (CFJP), which calls on funders to set a bold benchmark of allocating 30% of climate funding to BIPOC-led organizations. 

Since then, CFJP has mobilized over $140 million for BIPOC-led climate initiatives, with commitments from 31 foundations. CFJP emphasizes commitment to transparent reporting by funders. Requiring clear benchmarks demonstrates to the sector that empowering BIPOC-led groups is not only essential for equity but also central to any sustainable climate strategy. 

Understanding the efficacy of this campaign, BIPOC donors are pointing out that the same inequities in environmental philanthropy also exist in other philanthropic subsectors. CJFP serves as a model for the kind of inclusivity, transparency, and accountability that can help advance equitable grantmaking across the sector that centers the needs of communities most harmed by racist systems. Seeing the role of BIPOC donors as leaders and influencers, nonprofits can look to their donors of color as not only funders, but also advocates in pressuring their peers to prioritize investment in historically underserved communities. 

A vision for inclusive and accountable philanthropy 

As high-net-worth BIPOC donors start to become more visible in their giving, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders should actively engage in listening to and including them in the ecosystem, inviting them to participate in community and board meetings, webinars, working groups, and trust-building initiatives that encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing. Whether they’re taking collective action to support movement leaders or holding mainstream philanthropy accountable, BIPOC donors drive increased visibility and critical resources to BIPOC-led organizations. 

And in a time of intense polarization, BIPOC donors should be seen as natural allies against retrenchment of funding to BIPOC-led organizations. Wealthy individuals and institutional funders have the opportunity to center racial justice as a proactive, strategic force, for a just future will require deep, community-focused organizing and sustained commitment. BIPOC donors will be an invaluable asset in strengthening the coalition of organizations fighting for a liberatory vision that includes us all. 

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