Celebrating Black Philanthropy

By Andrea Smith, PVF’s Program and Communications Associate and Cayman Bentley, PVF’s Social Media Manager

August marked Black Philanthropy Month, a time dedicated to recognizing and honoring the profound contributions of Black individuals and communities to philanthropy. Established in 2011 by the Pan African Community Endowment Fund, this month-long celebration shines a spotlight on the rich history of Black giving and its transformative impact on society.

Black Philanthropy Month is more than a commemoration—it’s a call to action. It invites us to acknowledge the innovative and often unsung ways in which Black communities have historically supported one another, driven social change, and fostered progress. From grassroots organizing to large-scale charitable efforts, Black philanthropy is a testament to resilience, resourcefulness, and deep-rooted commitment to justice and equity.

We get to celebrate not only the financial contributions but also the time, talent, and advocacy that Black individuals bring to philanthropy. It opens the space to elevate stories of trailblazers and everyday heroes who have made significant impacts, and to support ongoing initiatives that address the needs and aspirations of Black communities.

In honor of Black Philanthropy month, we’d like to highlight a few of the fiscally-sponsored organizations here at PVF doing important work supporting and uplifting Black communities through various lens.

Oakstop Effect is a charitable initiative that provides workforce development services to help people in Oakland succeed in the workplace and increases economic mobility for local communities by increasing their social capital. On August 9th, we joined Oakstop at their press announcement, where Oakland Native and Professional Basketball Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, and NBA All Star and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown announced the launch of The Oakland XChange, a national initiative to bridge the racial wealth gap by generating $5 billion in net wealth for historically marginalized communities, bringing generational wealth-building solutions to Oakland in partnership with Oakstop, a prominent community anchor organization.

Fifteen Percent Pledge is a call to action organization for major retailers and corporations to join in creating sustainable and supportive ecosystems for Black-owned businesses. Fifteen Percent Pledge recently patnered with Google to help companies comprehensively re-evaluate their org structures, ways of working, funding, and resourcing in order to implement meaningful change and create greater equity for Black businesses.

Isiain Foundation is dedicated to tangible relief when it comes to systemic racism and mental health resources. They believe that when you combine art, information and education with entertainment, technology and visibility there are no limitations to what can be achieved. Read more about Isiain and The Isiain Foundation here.

Yuri Kochiyama’s mission is to carry on her legacy through strengthening BIPOC solidarity; building community through art and activism; and providing learning resources for young people to promote anti-racism and to teach about the history and shared experiences of oppression and resistance by people of color as well as examples of successful multicultural community building efforts in the United States. In this current political environment of deepening racism and class divisions, the work of the Fund is to inspire grassroots activism and education, to connect organizations and communities to each other, and to “build bridges and not walls,” as Yuri often stated.

Giving Gap is the largest free searchable database of high-performing Black-founded nonprofits in the United States. During Black Philanthropy Month, Giving Gap is spotlighting four extraordinary Atlanta Nonprofits — Feeding GA Families, All Abroad, Higher Foundation and Giwayen Mata.

Let’s reflect on the power of collective action and the importance of supporting and amplifying Black voices in the philanthropic space!