What could equitable investment in Black nonprofit leaders look like? 

In September 2024, Candid and ABFE published two fact sheets about Black nonprofit leadership: Key Facts about Nonprofits with Majority Black Leadership and Key Facts about Nonprofits with Black CEOs. The data showed the world what Black nonprofit leaders have known for decades: Systemic issues in the social sector impact our ability to obtain the necessary resources to do our work.  

As a nonprofit executive director and founder working in this space for nearly two decades, I have firsthand knowledge of the cultural biases and systemic racism that often limit the success of Black-led nonprofits, especially those in the South. According to the fact sheets, the representation of Black CEOs is the strongest in the South, and Black CEOs are more likely to lead small organizations with the least financial resources.  

Changing the narrative about Black nonprofit leaders

In a report on the subject, the nonprofit Service Never Sleeps mentions that “Black leaders are often held to a standard of perfection to receive support or recognition. Any shortcomings, missteps, or miscalculation on the part of Black leaders seems to reinforce the ideas that they are unfit for their positions.” 

Therefore, instead of making a significant financial investment in Black-led organizations, funders encourage Black leaders to participate in mentoring and/or leadership development programs. These programs are often ineffective because they do not address the unique needs of Black-led organizations such as funding disparities, budgetary constraints, lack of operational support and access to the same networks as their white peers, and the broader structural barriers that Black leaders face, including anti-Blackness. Instead, these programs primarily focus on personal skills building, lack cultural competency for leaders of small and midsize organizations, and offer curricula that adapt a one-size-fits-all approach based on the “best practices” of the sector. 

As a result, Black participants are unable to implement the knowledge they acquire, due to the absence of the financial and/or personnel support to do so. Therefore, while these programs may appear to check boxes, they are not a true investment in the growth of Black nonprofit leaders and their organizations.  

Supporting the growth and sustainability of Black nonprofit leaders 

Supporting the growth and sustainability of Black-led organizations involves making resources accessible that help Black nonprofit leaders navigate systemic challenges. In a blog post, “Leadership Development Programs Need an Upgrade: Five Ways to Advance Racial Equity,” the Barr Foundation discussed how leadership programs can demonstrate an investment in nonprofit leaders of color with the goal of advancing racial equity in the sector: 

1. Support leaders to change systems: Enables Black leaders to build power and greater influence in their communities including developing relationships and networks. 

2. Center relationships: Support relationship building that leverages networks, connects leaders to peers and allies as well as relationships with funders and other individuals and organizations within the nonprofit power structure. 

3. Prioritize the well-being of leaders: Create fellowships, retreats, sabbaticals and/or changes in organizational structures to allow leadership and their staff to tend to their well-being. 

4. Give multiyear unrestricted support: Engage in trust-based philanthropy and provide organizations with operational support. 

5. Invest in early to mid-career staff: Create leadership development programs for staff other than the executive staff. 

An example of a successful leadership development program for Black nonprofit leaders, particularly Black women, that prioritizes the well-being of nonprofit leaders is the Women’s Foundation of the South’s WŌC @ Rest Leadership Program. In December 2023, I was accepted into this program, which is designed to teach program participants the importance of prioritizing their well-being. The retreat and the financial support I received afforded me the opportunity to center my well-being as a Black nonprofit leader. A key takeaway was the importance of aligning schedules with well-being goals, which can include setting boundaries for meeting availability, scheduling regular time off, and incorporating extended breaks. As a result, I feel 2024 was one of my most productive years as a nonprofit leader. 

Prioritizing well-being, building support networks, and advancing equity in change

Prioritizing my well-being created a mental space in which I was able to engage in strategic planning, develop my staff and other activities that were critical to my organization’s growth and sustainability.  

Achieving lasting change in the sector to address the racial inequities highlighted in the ABFE fact sheets require challenging biases about Black-led nonprofits and their leadership. Service Never Sleeps also suggests the sector can no longer ignore the fact that most Black nonprofit leaders are often tasked with leading underfunded organizations and excluded from influential networks that can provide resources to support their work. The ramifications of this include the health tolls from being unsupported, the pressure to successfully deliver despite funding limitations and capacity constraints, and the continued financial instability of Black-led organizations that impede their ability to thrive. Creating more equitable systems involves considering the cultural, social, and economic contexts in which these leaders operate and making meaningful investments in their success. 

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