Celebrating Black Women Trailblazers in Philanthropy and Fundraising in Order to Build a Pipeline of a New Era
By: Angelique Grant, Ph.D., WOC Advisory Committee Member and Senior Consultant and Vice President at Aspen Leadership Group
Black History Month offers a chance for us to reflect on key milestones in our profession. This year, we celebrate the first woman of color to be Vice President in our country’s history, and as Vice President Kamala Harris said, “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last.”
Whether in your pearls and chucks or a purple power suit, Black women organizers, philanthropic leaders and philanthropists propelled themselves into leadership roles that have transformed the way that we raise and provide gifts globally. And while Black professionals have been upholding excellence in our sector for years, the past year was the first time that many of them held center stage in the national discourse. Against a backdrop marred by tragedy with the murder of George Floyd, organizations raised hundreds of millions of dollars for racial justice, as well as social policy, medical research, and pandemic relief, from local community organizations to higher education.
To these ladies and many more who are working their magic, though often going unnoticed: we see you and we need you.
As we think about where we go from here, it is important to reflect on the road that has been traveled to get here. That road has not always been easy. Highlighting the notable Black women who have been unsung heroes and trailblazers in our field is apropos during a month that honors and recognizes the Black community’s many accomplishments.
• Highlighting Black Philanthropy •
Jacqueline Bouvier Copeland founded Black Philanthropy Month in 2011. She is the co-founder of Pan-African Women’s Philanthropy Network (PAWPNet), a global association of African-descent and allied women leaders, donors and activists of all backgrounds.
• Global Thought Leader •
Over 25 years ago, Karen Osborne established The Osborne Group, which provides fundraising, management and training services. Karen is one of the most sought-after seminar presenters globally and was the only Black woman in the consulting industry for decades, having also spent time as a fundraiser executing successful campaigns. Her reputation is unmatched.
• Leading Black Philanthropy Executives •
Susan Taylor Batten is President and CEO of the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE). Since 2009, she has led ABFE’s philanthropic advising and programming on responsive philanthropy in Black communities for foundation leaders, donors and partners. Her infectious energy and tenacity have led ABFE to become a leading organization that supports and mentors hundreds of Black program officers nationally— and is tackling the topic of anti-racist grantmaking.
• Notable Philanthropic Research •
Una Osili, Ph.D. is an Associate Dean for Research and International Programs and Professor of Economics and Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy. She is also a Dean’s Fellow at Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy. Una is an internationally recognized expert on economic development and philanthropy and speaks globally on these issues. This unsung leader heads global research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Her diverse team of exceptional researchers has provided the industry with a roadmap of longitudinal data that has shaped our strategies and policies in the field.
• Convening Black Professionals •
Birgit Burton is the Founding Chair of the African American Development Officers (AADO) Network, the first Black woman to be chair-elect of the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and Executive Director of Foundation Relations at Georgia Tech University. In 1999, Birgit was determined to bring together Black development officers from all nonprofit sectors. Her tireless leadership since then has focused on —and succeeded in— growing and supporting fundraisers and diverse philanthropy.
• Powerful Foundation Leader •
La June Montgomery Tabron is President and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Prior to becoming the first Black woman to lead the foundation, La June served in a variety of positions during her 30-year career at the Foundation. In order to advance her personal and professional commitment to issues that prevent children from thriving, she also had to address racial bias in systems, structures and people. For fiscal year 2019, the foundation provided 446 new grants totaling over $213 million to nonprofits globally.
• Dynamic Visionary •
Yolanda F. Johnson, President of YFJ Consulting, is Founder of Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC), Allies in Action Membership Network and President of Women In Development (WID), NY, the NYC area’s premier professional organization for women in fundraising and philanthropy. Yolanda is the first Black President in WID’s 40-year history, having played an instrumental role in its DEI initiatives. This trailblazing leader then envisioned a platform that now serves as the “hub” and “heart” for women of color in fundraising and philanthropic communities around the world in addition to launching a retail line celebrating fundraising and philanthropy, Philanthrotees.
This is just a very small group of SHEroes in our industry who have worked tirelessly for many decades and bore the struggle for us all. To these ladies and many more who are working their magic, though often going unnoticed: we see you and we need you. We need you to continue to be unapologetically bold in order to build a pipeline of the next generations of Black talent.
Using my awareness-to-action lens, how can we build on this momentum to first highlight and support the iconic Black women leaders who have lifted us up for many years? From there, how do we then accelerate and multiply the number of “firsts” in our profession? By pooling our magic, the WOC community can be a powerful force to break down organizational barriers and reach beyond concentric circles and traditional ideas. Here are three actionable ways that we can create a future designed by Black professionals to continue to change the face of philanthropy and fundraising and usher in a new era of emerging leaders:
This is a rewarding and even lucrative career; let’s talk about it that way.
The world of philanthropy offers an exciting and challenging career with real opportunities for growth. In addition, a career in fundraising and philanthropy offers the opportunity to command a high-paying salary, to travel and meet some of the most interesting people in the world, and to rally supporters to advance causes that will shape our future.
We should seek out bold young professionals to enter this profession the same way that corporations and business schools identify and groom emerging leaders. More internships and fellowships are needed. Nonprofits and foundations should connect with local career service hubs and student affinity groups and invite them to interview for key positions and discuss the process with students. Our young people cannot be what they cannot see, so together let’s market ourselves and our industry.
By pooling our magic, the WOC community can be a powerful force to break down organizational barriers and reach beyond concentric circles and traditional ideas.
We can completely reimagine philanthropy roles and create innovative new ones.
As organizations acknowledge that historically marginalized groups control billions of dollars of wealth, they need to engage these communities. Now is an ideal time to flip the script and totally rethink how we do business. As someone who works in nonprofit executive search, I have seen dozens of newly created positions that did not previously exist five years ago because of this shift, from diverse community engagement positions, to talent manager roles that focus on inclusivity.
I have also seen exciting new approaches and goals emerge within existing roles. A recent alumni engagement position specifically mentioned that the work was to be viewed and achieved through a racial equity lens to engage alumni of color and young alumni. This kind of position opens the door to scores of entrepreneurial individuals with unique skill sets to break into the nonprofit profession and improve it.
We need to make good on our promise to hire for transferable skills —and recruit leaders in our community.
The role mentioned above sought someone with skills in community management, external relations, and events. These skills exist in our communities already, even if they are not formatted on a résumé. Natural conveners show up as club leaders, athletes, church volunteers, and community organizers. We need to establish better inroads to these community leaders. We also need to eliminate biases in the recruitment process and make sure that we have strong onboarding and retention programs to ensure their talents are nurtured appropriately.
None of this happens without our organizations making sincere investments in changing behavior and culture; we know that our workplaces are often steeped in historical oppression and persistent bias.
As an Advisory Board member of WOC, AADO, and a leader of the Black Leaders in Philanthropy Pledge, I challenge all of my women of color sisters in success to become unapologetic in your talk and walk, and go beyond what are seen as “best practices” to create “better practices.” As we honor those who are trailblazers in our industry, know that there are others who also are ready to pull up a chair beside you to continue the work, because there is so much to accomplish. Let’s stand together united and make a commitment to build a pipeline of stellar Black fundraising and philanthropy professionals, and serve as mentors to support their journey. We have a moment and a movement behind us to shape the future and for that next generation to reflect on our accomplishments in future Black History Months.
Angelique S. C. Grant, Ph.D., Senior Consultant and Vice President, Aspen Leadership Group
Angelique S.C. Grant, Ph.D. is a senior consultant, vice president and certified diversity recruiter with Aspen Leadership Group. Dr. Grant provides counsel in diversity, equity and inclusion practices, fundraising, and nonprofit strategies. Her services include philanthropic strategic thought partnership, building and leading effective, diverse teams, recruitment and retention strategies, diversity audits and assessment, and cultural awareness trainings. She is a certified unconscious bias trainer and facilitator, has been an active speaker for countless industry associations over the years, and has chaired and served as faculty for several conferences across the country.
Throughout her 25-year career, Dr. Grant has successfully managed teams to meet fundraising goals in several multi-million dollar campaigns, and two separate billion dollar campaigns. Previously, she served as an Assistant Vice President of Development and Assistant Dean of Medical Advancement, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University. Her extensive experience in higher education advancement has also included roles at Princeton University, Washington State University, and the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.
Dr. Grant is a proud Miami, Florida native. She is a Fulbright Scholar who holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration specializing in Institutional Advancement from Washington State University. She has a M.A. in Communication, specializing in Public Relations and Media Management from Washington State University, and a B.S. degree in Journalism from Florida A&M University.
She is the founder of the South Florida Network of Blacks in Philanthropy and serves on numerous boards, including Our Fund (LGBTQ) Community Foundation and the African American Development Officers Network (AADO). She has been recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential and Prominent Black Women in South Florida by Success South Florida Magazine, a Lumina 10 in ICABA Honors South Florida 100 Most Accomplished Blacks Healthcare & Law, and selected as a Top Hat Woman of Achievement Award for Community Empowerment.
During her free time, she enjoys traveling, attending local events and festivals, and spending time with her family in the US and the Bahamas.
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