At the very core of D5’s work to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, is a commitment to making more financial resources available to diverse communities. We believe that raising the visibility and building the capacity of diverse donors and population-focused funds can make philanthropy more effective.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently featured an article on engaging Hispanic donors, which focuses on the role of new philanthropists in their communities, especially in keeping up with the demographic change in America. The article points out the various ways people do—or don’t—give back to their communities. In many cultures and communities, the tradition of giving has always existed, but it may not necessarily have been formally defined as philanthropy. On the other hand, some people with the potential to give do not—simply because they have never been asked!
The article featured the Latino Community Foundation in San Francisco and the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado—highlighting how both funds engaged in their community to inspire giving among the Latino community.
Ron Montoya who is a board member of the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado says that one outcome from engaging giving in the Latino community was that they were able to respond to the needs of their community, and ultimately this is what effective and responsive philanthropy is all about. The foundation continues to be committed to be part of the change of demographics among their constituencies.
These donors want to be engaged in causes that appeal to their experiences because they are able to relate to and understand what needs to be done to be truly impactful. At the same time, it is also important to acknowledge that an ethnic group can reflect a vast array of national origins and experiences. Taking time to understand the different variety of experiences that people in the community have can be helpful in engaging more donors.
Across the country, there is evidence that Hispanic giving is increasing. But, with this emerging movement, there is a need for long-term strategic planning so that philanthropic organizations can maximize the impact that they want to have on the communities they are serving.
Read the whole article here.
Tags: communities of color, community foundations, diverse donors, funding, population-focused funds
