Magnitude and Bond

By: Valaida Fullwood, Award-Winning Author of Giving Back

“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.”- Gwendolyn Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and first Black woman to serve as U.S. Poet Laureate

Twenty years ago, I joined with 16 other Charlotte, North Carolina residents to establish a Black philanthropic collective and pool dollars for grantmaking to local nonprofits. Formed in 2006 as New Generation of African American Philanthropists, our giving circle is now NGAAP Philanthropic Collective and has grown to more than 100 members. Over two decades, our volunteer corps of everyday givers has earned a reputation for inspiring action through the power of Black philanthropy. Joining NGAAP changed my life.

First, we need to level-set. Black philanthropy is not merely a reference to individuals with African heritage writing checks to charitable causes. Instead, the phrase connotes a culture of giving, like Jewish philanthropy or Women’s philanthropy. Unpacking these cultural legacies — defined by gender, religion, or race — reveals common threads of history, lived experience, values, and philosophies. Legacy then shapes a group’s motives and methods of giving.

Prime among the characteristics of Black philanthropy are:
· Ubuntu; Recognition of a Shared Humanity
· Collectively
· Money and More
· Not Necessarily from Abundance, Sacrificial when Necessary
· Social Justice Lens

As a Southerner, the tradition of Black philanthropy reminds me of soul food in that it reflects a rich history, stretching from Africa to influences in the Americas. Each ingredient is intentional and carries a fascinating backstory. Not every meal an African American prepares is soul food. Likewise, not every donation is inherently Black philanthropy. Pooling and giving funds as part of a collective resonated with me as a Carolinian familiar with cultural customs. Becoming part of NGAAP also sparked my interest in amplifying stories of Black philanthropy. Often little known and sometimes misunderstood, our tradition of generosity has roots in philanthropy in its purest form: love of humanity. I wanted to share stories of generosity that centered love, compassion, and community connection, rather than those singularly focused on financial gifts. Collecting such stories is how I began developing a book centering African American giving to “reframe portraits of philanthropy.”

Authentic storytelling is crucial for narrative change. Important to confront and counter are the twin myths that “Black people don’t give” and that “most philanthropic dollars go to Black communities and causes.” Data reveals the truth. African Americans give a higher percentage of their income and wealth to charitable causes than any other racial group in America. Further, in the U.S., only one to two percent of philanthropic dollars go to Black-led nonprofit organizations, generally even less in the South.

Additionally, philanthropy is not novel to Black communities. IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy professor Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Ph.D., author of “Madam C.J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving,” cites preeminent Black scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, Ph.D., as recognizing in 1903 the formidable philanthropic practices among African Americans:

Few races are more instinctively philanthropic than the Negro. It is shown in everyday life and in their group history. Some few of their larger philanthropies in America in early days have been recorded.

It took nearly five years to interview over 200 givers of all ages and socioeconomic levels to document their seldom-told stories. Published in 2011, “Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists” is a 365-page hardcover volume of first-person narratives and photographic portraiture. My collaborator, Charles W. Thomas, was the photographer on the book. Upon its release, Giving Back was named one of the “10 Best Black Books of 2011.” It also earned the 2012 McAdam Book Award, which recognizes “the most inspirational and useful new book for the nonprofit sector.”

The groundbreaking collection of stories attracted major funding thanks to a collaboration with Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), Charlotte’s 159-year-old, historically Black institution for higher learning. Together—Charles and I, with a team of NGAAP members and JCSU staff and students—reimagined the storytelling of Giving Back to create a multimedia, traveling museum exhibit. Entitled Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited, the exhibit launched in 2015 and has since traveled to college campuses, public libraries, and museums across 35 U.S. cities and 16 states.

These exhibitions create space for local leaders and institutions to host community conversations that center Black perspectives while exploring multiple facets of philanthropy. Topics range from next-gen giving and faith-based giving to estate planning, community wealth building, arts patronage, and more. Now on national tour, The Soul of Philanthropy illuminates local stories and promotes local interests. Exhibitions have catalyzed new Black philanthropic initiatives, giving circles, and dedicated funds for community investment.

Since founding NGAAP, these and other endeavors to tell our stories and preserve tradition have positioned me as a leading thinker and writer on Black giving. I have found purpose in reshaping how Black communities understand, practice, and reclaim their philanthropic identity. My work to chronicle Black philanthropy has earned national awards and opened doors to new opportunities to advance the sector.

Case in point, the same year Giving Back was published, I was present in Minneapolis in 2011 when Jacqueline Copeland, Ph.D., established and first announced August as Black Philanthropy Month. That synchronicity allowed me to join Dr. Copeland as a co-architect of the monthlong campaign to “recognize, amplify and invest in Black-led change.” Black Philanthropy Month has now swelled with observances across the Americas as well as in Europe and Africa.

On the heels of Black Philanthropy Month 2026, and with a clear view of the deepening movement to demonstrate the transformative power of Black giving, I have observed four notable trends. These include:

· Heightened interest and research
· Growth in Black giving circles
· Investment in infrastructure
· Sharpened focus on shaping the future

Heightened interest and research

In the wake of government retrenchment and some funders’ retreat from race-explicit work, there are leaders who remain committed, some even doubling down. These foundations, major donors, and organizations in the philanthropic realm are stepping up to mitigate the funding cliff many Black-led or Black-serving nonprofits face. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports the government has cut or frozen $177B in grants in the past two years. The consequences are dire. Not only are more nonprofits shuttering, but the people they once served are becoming increasingly vulnerable.

Funding cuts and shifts in priorities among once-reliable funders have swung focus to Black philanthropy. Institutional philanthropy has limited financial capacity to close the funding gap left by government. Compounding the deficit is a lack of courageous will among many institutions to exert the financial power they hold. In this environment, Black philanthropy is growing as an area of study and investment.

Despite the pullback, some leaders remain committed and are leaning in to understand Black giving and cultivate, support, and increase the flow of philanthropic resources to African American communities. The body of research and documentation on Black
Americans’ giving habits, value systems, priorities, and motivations is growing. This was evident in the volume of reports and articles released during Black Philanthropy Month.

Examinations underway span a focus from high-net-wealth individuals, families, everyday givers, arts patrons, mutual aid societies, giving circles, and faith-based giving. I am currently part of one such national research project, titled “Abundance, Trust, and Repair: Black Theological Perspectives on Giving.” Growing interest in Black philanthropy could attract greater philanthropic investment in the South, where most Black Americans live.

Growth in Black giving circles

In 2024, Axios named giving circles the fastest-growing form of philanthropy. Black-founded circles are among the identity-based groups fueling the growth. Philanthropy Together, a global initiative to scale and strengthen the giving-circle movement, estimates
roughly 4000 giving circles in the United States. Nearly every major American city now has one or more giving circles formed by Black residents. While the increase in Black giving circles is not new, the rise has continued since the early 2000s, when NGAAP was formed.

For people of African descent, giving circles are an iteration of a collective giving model with cultural significance and a long place in Black history. Collective kinship giving models, such as susu (or sou-sou), are systems of saving and distributing resources for each other’s material welfare and spiritual well-being, found throughout the Caribbean and in U.S. immigrant communities, with roots in West Africa.

Greater awareness of chronic underinvestment in Black-led nonprofits is driving many individuals to join others to form giving circles to support valued organizations serving the community. Further, as community foundations and other mainstream philanthropic institutions struggle with racial inclusion and responsiveness to communities of color, Black-led and other identity-based giving circles disrupt philanthropy’s structural barriers to social change. Black organizers cite the model’s adaptive nature, democratic principles, and suitability for creating impact in one’s community among its key features.

Adding value to giving-circle participation is the launchpad it offers to other meaningful pursuits. Giving circle members have been inspired to volunteer routinely with grantee organizations, serve on nonprofit boards, run and serve in elected office, establish their own philanthropies, author books, and make career moves into philanthropy.

Investment in infrastructure

Today’s social and political climate has raised the specter of losing decades of social, political, and economic gains. Building independent organizations, anchored by Black philanthropy and the support of allies, is a priority. Concerted efforts aim to develop
sustainable structures and endowed organizations to mobilize and channel resources. Such infrastructure is intended to provide autonomy to weather this moment and establish a solid foundation for what comes next.

NGAAP, for example, is currently scaling after two decades to establish our region’s first community-rooted, Black-founded philanthropic intermediary. It is a strategic move to create a new structural channel for the flow of resources. NGAAP, as stalwart volunteers, has been filling a vacuum in the local philanthropic landscape. That function is better suited for an appropriately resourced organization, with a sustainable structure, staff, technological tools, and greater financial capital. As leaders in cities across the country, we want to see what becomes possible when Black giving isn’t a footnote in the local
landscape but its leading edge.

Sharpened focus on shaping the future

Throughout our history, Black Americans have practiced futuristic thinking. Bold leadership necessitates casting a vision of what is possible and offering a compelling picture of an imagined future. Painting a mental picture of new possibilities unites people
around a common goal and inspires action. Philanthropic futurist Trista Harris often cites MLK’s “I Have a Dream” as an example of futuristic thinking that stirred the country’s imagination.

The stakes are high. Perhaps more a current of change than a trend, Black philanthropists are rethinking everything and imagining anew what is possible for our communities and country. Intentionality, adaptability, and accountability are crucial as we take proactive measures and steward resources to deliver long-term social impact.

Amid this forward thinking is consideration of the past. Memory of what our elders and ancestors survived and triumphed over is always with us. An elder at the Black Philanthropy Month gathering, “Power and Purpose,” hosted by ABFE on Martha’s Vineyard
said something none in attendance will soon forget. She recounted the circumstances under which our forebears still built communities and a society, then implored: Do not embarrass the ancestors.

Even with policy swings, inflation, climate change, and AI’s emergence, Black philanthropists inherit a wealth of wisdom and fundamental values—ancestral intelligence, often called our AI—to navigate challenges and chart new paths forward.

Lessons in Giving Black
While this piece focuses on history and trends in philanthropy among African Americans, a bigger opportunity to learn exists. Mention of Black philanthropy gives cause for some white people, and Black ones too, to tune out as if it lacks credence in their lives. In many ways, elevating Black philanthropy invites everyone to learn from practices that embody “love of humanity.” That is, philanthropy anchored in values around communal care and renewal, bringing to bear money as well as other forms of capital: social capital, reputational capital, intellectual capital, and moral capital. I call this “giving Black.”

No matter your racial identity, we all can give Black. It enhances the flavor, potency, and joy of philanthropy. I like my Southern cooking and my philanthropic giving well-seasoned and full of soul.

About Grant Philanthropic Advisors:
We’re an independent firm helping clients to focus and maximize their philanthropy—in turn, strengthening the fabric of our communities. Founded in 2019, we help donors move from responsive patterns of giving by assisting clients to identify values and become more strategic in their philanthropy. Our goal is to help donors to become more effective as change-makers. We work with foundations (large and small staff teams), donor advised fund holders, multi generational families, individuals, philanthropy supporting organizations and corporations to design philanthropic strategies.