Leaders of Color Believe Identity Plays a Significant Role in Funding Decisions
The Equity Lab Elevates Voices of Underrepresented Grant Seekers in Ground-Breaking New Research On Equity in Grantmaking
The Equity Lab today released the findings of an unprecedented research project that gives voice to the challenges and opportunities of leaders of color — in their own words — as they navigate the funding world.
The Equitable Giving Project was created to better understand how education philanthropy can be more equitable through elevating the voices of underrepresented grant-seekers. The project offers a critical — and before-now unseen — perspective and helps to create a vivid picture of the experience of nonprofit leaders of color seeking funding from organizations that offer grants, fellowships and other funding opportunities to those looking to transform education today. Project partners The University of Delaware’s Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP), The Equity Lab (TEL), and Goodbets Group designed and administered a comprehensive anonymous survey to learn more about the experiences of these grant-seekers. Over 200 individuals responded to the survey, with nearly 90% identifying as people of color, over two-thirds as women and nearly 20% as LGBTQ+.
“Often when awarded grants, there is still a lack of confidence in our ability to implement the proposed project although we have 23 years of experience and positive outcomes. There appears to be an unspoken concern about a Black male running and managing an organization of our size.”
Whereas previous research has focused on the funder perspective, this project is the first of its kind to elevate the voices of underrepresented grant-seekers in order to form a complete and unfiltered picture of the state of equity in philanthropy and to surface recommendations to create a more equitable funding process.
“If philanthropic leaders start taking these steps and adhering to the recommendations in the report, then we can finally start to see a shift in the power imbalance found in philanthropy,” said Michelle Molitor, Executive Director of The Equity Lab. “And with that shift in power will come a greater ability for us all to solve the systemic issues that we seek to address.”
Key findings from the project highlight both the role of identity and the need for changes in the grant-making process itself to better align with the needs of today’s emerging leaders:
80% of respondents believed that their personal identity played a significant role in funding decisions, with racial and ethinic identity most often named as the defining characteristic.
Leaders of color noted a perceived bias from funders against non-normative leadership styles and small, minority-run organizations.
Relationships with funders — often a challenge for leaders of color without deep networks or connections — were named as crucial to funding success.
The process of applying for funding is time-consuming and often confusing, leading some to stop seeking funds and abandon growth and scale.
“If philanthropic leaders start taking these steps and adhering to the recommendations in the report, then we can finally start to see a shift in the power imbalance found in philanthropy. And with that shift in power will come a greater ability for us all to solve the systemic issues that we seek to address.”
“Often when awarded grants, there is still a lack of confidence in our ability to implement the proposed project although we have 23 years of experience and positive outcomes,” one respondent shared. “There appears to be an unspoken concern about a Black male running and managing an organization of our size.”
Respondents to the survey were all education nonprofit leaders, who self-identify as underrepresented, and who applied for grant funding or a paid fellowship opportunity in the past 3 years. The survey was sent to those who had applied for funding at Camelback Ventures, Teach For America’s Reinvention Lab, and 4.0 Schools, as well as to leaders on The Equity Lab’s mailing list.
The project also surfaced several early recommendations for funders, including providing feedback throughout the process to grantseekers and providing opportunities for leaders of color to showcase their work outside of the grant-making cycle in order to build the relationships critical to funding success.