What would it look like if
philanthropy celebrated Black Abundance instead?
philanthropy celebrated Black Abundance instead?
A Call to Action
Almost two years have passed since the social uprisings of 2020. The disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black communities coupled with the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin set off a litany of statements from philanthropy expressing solidarity with Black communities.
These events have led to expanded support of racial equity- and racial justice-focused grantmaking and increased funding to Black-led organizations. But history shows that responses can be short term, that attention shifts, that structural change requires focus. Will recent efforts lead to structural and sustained change in how philanthropy is in relationship with Black communities and increased investment in Black-led and Black-serving organizations for the long term, uplifting freedom for all communities? It is possible, and Abundance is an opportunity to advance transformational change through the joyful work of celebrating, supporting, and being by lead by Black communities.
What would it feel like if philanthropy
celebrated and invested in Black Lives,
Black Resilience, Black Joy, and Black Power?
celebrated and invested in Black Lives,
Black Resilience, Black Joy, and Black Power?
Abundance.
Abundance is an acknowledgement of the richness of existing Black-led efforts and the opportunity to support those efforts in a way that leads to freedom and joy for all.
Abundance is a movement.
It is a movement to free mindsets, dollars, policies and practices to address anti-Blackness in philanthropy.
Abundance is a structural shift.
It is a demonstration of love for Black people, embracing the multitudes of intersectional identities. It is how philanthropy moves resources when we really love Black people.
The goal is to ensure long-term and equitable distribution to Black-led and centered organizations, including those that challenge systems. This is imperative for racial equity and racial justice.
The Commitment
1.
Set a quantifiable goal to significantly raise annual payout to Black-led work by the start of 2025, with growth year over year starting now.
2.
Examine culture, policy and practices to address barriers faced by Black-led organizations to enter the front doors of philanthropy and secure significant investment over time.
3.
Learn and act, in a community that supports profound and often counter-habitual work, and acts on structural opportunities.
4.
Build movement, and shift the predominant narrative by celebrating Blackness.
Operate from abundance.
Commit to change today!
Commit to change today!
The Latest from Abundance
Liz Dozier is founder and CEO of Chicago Beyond. Dozier, along with Sharon Bush, created the Abundance Movement to ensure equitable giving from philanthropic organizations to Black-led and Black-centered organizations.
The movement’s recruitment of new leadership is an exciting first step toward creating proactive change within philanthropy.
We, as funders, can begin to remedy philanthropy’s unjust practices, policies and outcomes through our explicit and intentional actions. Abundance is a movement in philanthropy to change practice, policy, mindsets, and ways of being to support Black people and communities. Stepping into Abundance in this time is an opportunity to acknowledge and learn. It is an opportunity for collaborative efforts, board engagement, reimagined funder practices—leading to impact for Black people and communities and structural shifts that are generative, generational, and far greater than the sum of their parts.
Watch Sharon Bush and Liz Dozier talk with Fox 32 Chicago about the Abundance Movement and the importance of moving from pledges to action in support of Black communities by increasing funding to Black-led organizations.
Jim Rendon from the Chronicle of Philanthropy interviews Sharon Bush, Liz Dozier, and John Palfrey upon the public launch of the Abundance Movement. In the interview, the three leaders of the founding organizations discuss the purpose and goals of Abundance, the barriers Black-led nonprofits face in receiving funding, and how Abundance can help change the narrative that Black communities are problems.
AP News shares a Chronicle of Philanthropy interview with Sharon Bush, Liz Dozier, and John Palfrey about the Abundance Movement. “The goal is to bring together a group of foundations that want to learn about how to include more Black-led groups in their grantmaking and ultimately get more funding out the door to them.”
Abundance was featured at GEO’s annual conference this year! On Monday, May 16, we hosted a dinner at Virtue restaurant on Chicago’s south side where philanthropic leaders from across the country came together to learn more about the Abundance movement. This wonderful dinner provided an opportunity for guests to meet and be in community with others who their commitment to racial equity and justice, hear more about how they could participate in Abundance, and support a celebrated Black-owned restaurant. Abundance also hosted an interactive session on Wednesday, May 18, where in addition to learning about the movement, participants also shared their experiences with advancing racial equity initiatives within their foundations.
At the largest annual convening of Black professionals in philanthropy hosted by ABFE, Abundance hosted a session where attendees learned how their organizations could move beyond pledges to action in support of Black communities.
What would it look like if philanthropy celebrated and invested in Black lives? It would look like Abundance. Abundance is a structural shift in how philanthropy supports Black-led and Black-centered organizations. It is how philanthropy moves resources when we really love Black people. Read the press release to learn more about the Abundance Movement and how you can become involved in changing mindsets, policies, and practices to move more dollars to Black-led work.
