Skip to main content
Black Equity Collective

Research and Publications

Innovation Hub presentation at Black Equity Collective event

Principles for Black Equity

A Guide for Pursuing Black Equity & Racial Justice in Philanthropic Initiatives and Government Systems

Research, empirical data and anecdotal evidence are clear: racial injustice continues to serve as a destructive force in society, undermining our democratic values of liberty, justice and self-determination for all. Progress on Black equity and racial justice must be part of any forward movement in the United States- and will only be achieved when philanthropic investments, public policies, and institutional practices boldly confront racial injustice. These Black equity principles, which are grounded in the essence of Black joy, community and resilience, were co-created by the Black Equity Initiative grantee organizations to serve as a guide and call to action for any Funder or government body seeking to disrupt racial injustice at scale.

TRUTH

Liberation begins with acknowledgment and honesty about the need to equitably shift the power relationship between black and white populations.

STRENGTH

For success to be sustained, the infrastructure for success must be strong. The history of institutional dis-investment in Black people must be undone if we are to pursue progress toward true equity at scale.

STRATEGIC DISRUPTION

Pursuit of Black equity is not for the shy or faint-of-heart. It requires taking immediate bold action, stepping outside of familiar and traditional comfort zones, and committing to the long haul through the ebbs and flows of change.

LOVE

Black equity must be grounded in love — honoring the inextricability of our shared humanity.

Read the Report
2024
Strengthening California's Economy & Communities Survey report cover

Strengthening California's Economy & Communities Survey

BLOs Are Essential to a Thriving California

California's Black-led and Black-empowering nonprofit organizations (BLOs) are united in their devotion to their communities, their creativity and resilience, and their provision of essential services, often through government contracts. It's less well understood that BLOs also contribute economically to their communities and the state of California.

To capture the impact of the economic, social, and well-being contributions of BLOs, Black Equity Collective partnered with NFF and public opinion research firm EVITARUS to conduct a survey of more than 200 California-based BLOs. The results are captured in a new report: California Black-led Organizations: Strengthening California's Economy & Communities Survey.

Read the Report
2021
Black Equity Initiative Final Learning Report cover

Black Equity Initiative Final Learning Report (August 2021)

Launched in 2017 with a cohort of 15 organizations, the Black Equity Initiative outlined two primary goals:

1. Address conditions that perpetuate institutional racism against Black people.

2. Build a community of learning and practice that strengthens work on the ground and informs the broader philanthropic field of best practices to advance racial justice at scale.

Read the Report
2021
Black Equity Initiative Final Learning Report Executive Summary cover

Black Equity Initiative Final Learning Report Executive Summary (August 2021)

Launched in 2017 with a cohort of 15 organizations, the Black Equity Initiative outlined two primary goals:

1. Address conditions that perpetuate institutional racism against Black people.

2. Build a community of learning and practice that strengthens work on the ground and informs the broader philanthropic field of best practices to advance racial justice at scale.

Read the Report
2021
The Road to Thriving Black Communities report cover

The Road to Thriving Black Communities (January 2021)

A VISION FOR 2030

The Road to Thriving Black Communities: A VISION FOR 2030

Read the Report
2019
A Guide for Pursuing Black Equity & Racial Justice report cover

A Guide for Pursuing Black Equity & Racial Justice in Philanthropy and Government (2019)

Research, empirical data and anecdotal evidence are clear: racial injustice continues to serve as a destructive force in society, undermining our democratic values of liberty, justice and self-determination for all.

Progress on Black equity and racial justice must be part of any forward movement in the United States, and will only be achieved when philanthropic investments, public policies, and institutional practices boldly confront racial injustice.

These principles, which are grounded in the essence of Black joy, community and resilience, were co-created by the Black Equity Initiative grantee organizations to serve as a guide and call to action for any Funder or government body seeking to disrupt racial injustice at scale.

Read the Report