Recoloring the Community Foundation Landscape
In the U.S., more than half of the children younger than a year old are of color and almost one in every 10 counties is majority-minority. By 2023, the majority of U.S. children will be of color. And by 2042, people of color will comprise the majority of the entire U.S. population. These demographics have been shifting over several decades and are especially pronounced in the metropolitan areas that many community foundations represent.
Community foundations have been addressing critical social needs for generations. But are they equipped to effectively fulfill their missions in the context of such an altered demographic landscape? Many community foundations have traditionally served donors who may have little or no connection to the communities of color in their areas. How can community foundations collaborate with donors of color and address the priority issues facing communities of color? And how can community foundations increase their capacity to adequately address the needs of communities of color in their programmatic areas of interest?
Marga Incorporated is a consulting firm providing strategic advice and research to philanthropic initiatives and community partnerships. Marga has worked with various foundations that have been seeking to increase their relevance in local communities that have experienced substantial demographic shifts. One aspect of Marga’s work is coordinating the Race and Equity in Philanthropy Group (REPG), which strengthens foundations’ policies and practices on race, diversity, and inclusion. REPG members include The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The California Endowment, the California Community Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, and the Woods Fund of Chicago.
On September 10, the REPG will facilitate a session at the Council on Foundations’ Fall Conference for Community Foundations on engaging donors of color in the context of changing demographics. The panel will feature case examples of community foundation strategies to increase capacity and meet the needs of communities of color. Strategies of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the San Francisco Foundation will be addressed during this discussion.
Community foundations are poised to help donors of color create funds that benefit their communities. For example, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo created the Cultures of Giving Legacy Initiative in 2008 to convene civic leaders of color to promote endowment building and encourage philanthropy in their cultural communities. Their philanthropy promotes positive change for low-income youth and supports nonprofits improving the well-being of minority communities.
An important dimension of engaging diverse donors and connecting to communities of color is building staff reflective of existing demographics. The San Francisco Foundation’s Multicultural Fellowship Program has been cultivating a next generation of diverse foundation staff and leadership for decades. The program gives young professionals of color hands on experience working in the foundation. Alumni of this program have become executive directors of nonprofit organizations, program officers in foundations, government officials, and other public service leaders.
These two examples demonstrate approaches community foundations have explored to increase their capacity to engage communities of color. Continually shifting demographics will shape how all community foundations fulfill their missions and remain relevant to their target populations.
David Maurrasse is president & founder of Marga Incorporated
