Driven in part by a perception that many community foundations and other funders were not adequately incorporating women, communities of color, and other identity-based constituencies into the philanthropic process (as donors, recipients, trustees, and staff), a range of philanthropic funds are emerging to serve diverse communities defined by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other identity-based distinctions.
Examples include:
- The Greater Kansas City Hispanic Development Fund, housed at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, supports projects by Kansas City-area nonprofits that foster cultural expression or improve the physical, economic and educational conditions of local Hispanics.
- The Horizons Foundation in San Francisco serves the area’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by making grants, strengthening local organizations and leadership, and increasing philanthropic giving.
- The National Black United Fund was created to help black and other Americans to make charitable contributions to organizations engaged in social change, development, and human services in black communities.
 These types of population-focused funders have grown significantly in number and size over the last few decades. In 1980, there were only about four women’s foundations in the U.S. Today, the Women’s Funding Network, an international umbrella organization, has more than 100 institutional members.
A November/December 2004 Foundation News and Commentary article entitled, "Democracy in Action" highlights the growth of a range of identity-based “focus" funds.
|
