Philanthropy’s Commitment to Democracy and Racial Justice: Upholding Promises Through Action

More than 20 million people took to the streets after George Floyd’s death in the summer of 2020, calling for an end to police violence and mass incarceration. Many in the U.S., including leaders at philanthropic institutions, shared public statements condemning police violence and affirmed the fact that Black lives do indeed matter, affirming philanthropy's commitment to democracy and racial justice.

But in the months since, it seems the energy and enthusiasm for Black lives inside the philanthropic community has all but blacked out. Americans are decidedly less free than we were a couple of years ago: In state after state, people do not have the freedom to choose the gender pronouns they inhabit, they do not have the freedom to access an abortion, and they do not have the freedom to easily participate in the voting process. Many are even being punished for seeking to access the rights and protections once promised to us. It doesn’t sound very democratic, does it? That’s because the seeds of authoritarianism planted in mid-century America took root during the Trump administration, and their tendrils are creeping across the country like morning glory, threatening philanthropy's commitment to democracy and racial equity.

Our country’s backsliding democracy coincides with what seems like a gap between what many philanthropic leaders said they would do, and what they actually did, to support people on the frontlines of defending democracy. For the most part, philanthropy kept its institutional voices—and the power, privilege, and impact that comes with them—behind the scenes. We’ve chosen politeness over accountability, corroding philanthropy's commitment to democracy. We’ve reinforced the notion that “after the fact” benevolence justifies anything-goes white supremacy.

As philanthropic leaders, we must renew philanthropy's commitment to democracy, investing in efforts to protect our democracy. We must invest, and we must leverage our influence and unfettered access to powerful people and in high places.

First, we should heed the call of activists and movement leaders. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, protesters sought not only justice for him, but also wide-ranging reforms, including reallocating money from law enforcement to mental health, harm reduction, and housing. Few communities have embraced the bold changes demonstrators were seeking, which means we can and must do more as philanthropists to push for change. That’s why we at the Marguerite Casey Foundation have increased total giving by 5% toward ending police violence, exploitation, and harassment.