A new report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy finds that many foundations in the Washington, DC, area profited from anti-black racism and need to do more to right the wrongs of the past.
The foundation report, Cracks in the Foundation: Philanthropy's Role in Reparations for Black People in the DMV, identifies four sectors driving harm against the black community: media, housing, employment, and healthcare.
The profits of those newspapers helped build the wealth behind several modern-day charitable foundations, including the William S.bell Foundation, created by the great-grandson of the Baltimore Sun's founder; and the Meyer Foundation, named for the former owner of the Washington Post.
The report finds that in most years, only about 1% of grantmaking from private foundations specifically names Black people as beneficiaries.
"This underrepresentation highlights the need for a more comprehensive and intentional effort to rectify historical injustices and promote the equitable distribution of resources within the philanthropic sector," the report states.
The report offers eight case studies of foundations in the DMV area, detailing the ways they profited from anti-Black racism in various sectors, including real estate, housing, employment, and healthcare.
The authors call for "honest and potentially painful conversations around philanthropy's role in
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While philanthropy, social responsibility and corporate governance all already play a role, we will probably see more powerful contributions when companies embed social innovation into their core business strategies and operations.