Photo: Montgomery Advertiser
After Cyber Monday there’s “Giving Tuesday.” Giving Tuesday — often seen as #GivingTuesday — falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and exists as a movement to spur charitable giving, globally. Although it only began in 2011, Giving Tuesday has a huge impact on nonprofits and various charities. In 2018 Facebook alone raised over $125 million for Giving Tuesday. How much are organizations founded and ran by Black people receiving? Only you can answer that question, this year.
Nonprofits are plentiful in the world — some are good, some are trash and many others are in the middle of those two poles. Disproportionately, nonprofits, especially in major cities, target their services towards Black people and other marginalized groups. Also, disproportionately, the heads of those organizations tend not to be Black. One report revealed that of more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders, 82 percent of respondents were white. Another report of nonprofit boards revealed that 89 percent were white. Black people must solve Black problems but not without Black money. This year, for Giving Tuesday, identify a good Black organization to give to.
Schools and Educational Organizations
Education is always a good investment. There are any number of educational organizations that could use a good donation. From tutoring programs to HBCUs, there is no shortage of good targets. If you live in a major metropolitan area, take the time to research local organizations that are founded by and run by Black people, with a strong mission to advance the community. If you care about HBCUs, find the closest one to you and send a donation.
Criminal Justice Reform
No one cares more about how communities are impacted by the criminal justice system like the people who live in them. Black people, obviously, are disproportionately impacted by arrests, incarceration and a host of other injustices — all of which Black people are taxed to support. There are many great organizations doing work in the criminal justice reform space but they need support in order to continue the fight. Research local and national organizations that are led by Black people today.
Black Business Development
Black people need businesses much more than jobs. All across the country, there are organizations leading efforts to train and support Black entrepreneurs. There are also organizations who seek to provide funding for Black entrepreneurs. Take the time to seek these organizations out and support their work.
We’ve mentioned just a few categories of organizations but there certainly are more. Wherever you target your giving, make sure that the organization is run by and targeted to your community. Black organizations can do the work but not without the funding. If we don’t fund our people, who will?
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