Layla Zulfa
In the summer of 2020, the United States witnessed a rare moment of national reckoning. Following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, the veil of systemic inequality was pulled back, forcing institutions across the country to confront their complicity in racial injustice. Corporations, in particular, responded with a flurry of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives, public pledges of solidarity, and promises of multi-billion-dollar investments into Black-owned businesses and communities.
However, five years later, the landscape of corporate social responsibility has undergone a dramatic, often regressive, transformation. The Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE), a membership-based organization with a half-century history of advocating for racial equity, has released a sobering new report titled Equity Under Review: Black Voices in Corporate Grantmaking at a Crossroads. The document serves as a stark reminder that while the performative fervor of 2020 may have faded, the systemic barriers to equitable funding have only become more entrenched.
A Chronology of Retreat: From 2020 to 2024
The trajectory of corporate philanthropy over the last half-decade is a study in shifting political winds. To understand the current climate, one must look at the timeline of promise and subsequent withdrawal.
2020–2021: The Era of Pledges
The immediate aftermath of the 2020 uprisings saw a historic surge in corporate interest regarding Black equity. Foundations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) departments rushed to fund initiatives focused on racial justice, criminal justice reform, and economic empowerment for Black communities. For ABFE members—who have been fighting for institutional change since 1971—this was not a new "awakening," but rather a moment where the resources finally began to align with the needs they had articulated for decades.
2023: The Legal Backlash
The momentum began to stall in 2023, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision to end affirmative action in higher education. The ruling sent a chilling effect through the corporate sector. Legal departments, fearing litigation from conservative activist groups, began to audit their DEI portfolios. According to ABFE’s data, 57 percent of respondents indicated that the Supreme Court decision directly curtailed their organization’s ability to execute racial equity programming.
2024: The Political Pivot
The election of Donald Trump to a second term in November 2024 served as the final catalyst for a widespread retreat. As the political climate shifted toward overt hostility regarding "woke" capital and DEI, many corporations began dismantling the very databases and initiatives they had touted just years earlier. Access to information became restricted; internal censorship grew rampant. The data ABFE hoped to collect—which would have quantified the exact scale of corporate giving since 2020—literally vanished as databases were wiped and internal policies were rewritten to avoid political scrutiny.
The Data of Disillusionment
The ABFE report does not merely offer anecdotal evidence; it presents a grim snapshot of a sector in retreat. The survey findings reveal a landscape where the "bottom-up" efforts to fund Black communities are being systematically throttled.
Key data points from the report include:
- Lack of Dedicated Funding: 75 percent of participating organizations reported that they do not have a dedicated fund or specific portfolio aimed at addressing the unique needs of Black communities.
- Systemic Resistance: There has been a measurable increase in internal organizational resistance to racial equity-based grantmaking.
- The "Blocker" Phenomenon: A significant portion of respondents identified the presence of "Blockers"—internal stakeholders, often outside of the DEI team, who actively dilute, slow down, or divert funds away from Black-focused initiatives to avoid perceived political controversy.
These statistics paint a picture of a sector that prioritized image-building over genuine, long-term structural investment. When the political cost of supporting Black communities became too high, the support was the first item to be cut from the ledger.
The Human Cost: Black Leaders at the Crossroads
Perhaps the most poignant aspect of Equity Under Review is its focus on the human experience of Black professionals within corporate philanthropy. These leaders are tasked with navigating a dual reality: they are the stewards of their organizations’ racial equity promises, yet they are often the most isolated individuals within those same organizations.
Tahira Christmon, vice president of external affairs at ABFE, emphasized in an interview with NPQ that the report was forced to pivot away from a purely quantitative analysis to a qualitative, human-centered narrative. "We couldn’t tell the story we initially wanted to tell, which was about how much corporate philanthropy has given the Black community since 2020," Christmon noted. "Instead, we created a report that centered Black leaders… This story tells the human side."
The human side is one of profound exhaustion. Black leaders describe a environment where their ideas are blocked, their funding is reallocated to causes deemed "safer" or "more valuable" by leadership, and they are left to "take the shots" from colleagues who oppose equity initiatives. The report details a culture where "Blockers" act not out of a lack of understanding, but out of a desire to dilute impact to ensure their own political survival within the firm.
Advocates: The "Dream Makers" Amidst the Resistance
Despite the bleak outlook, the report identifies a group of allies within the system, referred to as "Advocates." These individuals, often described as "dream makers," act as a counterweight to the Blockers. They provide the necessary political cover and internal support to ensure that some racial equity work continues despite the hostile climate.
The existence of these Advocates is critical, according to the report. Because Black leaders in philanthropy often report feelings of deep isolation—whether due to a lack of demographic diversity in their executive suites or the nature of their advocacy—maintaining a network with these allies is essential for the survival of the work. The resilience of these professionals is a testament to their commitment to the cause, even when the institutions they serve have abandoned their own stated values.
Implications for the Future of Equity
The findings of the ABFE report suggest that the "racial reckoning" of 2020 was, for many corporations, a passing trend rather than a commitment to fundamental change. The implications of this retreat are severe:
- Stunted Economic Mobility: Without consistent, targeted investment, the progress made by Black-owned businesses and community organizations since 2020 faces the risk of total erasure.
- Institutional Credibility Gap: Corporations that made grand promises of equity and failed to deliver them will face a long-term deficit in trust among Black consumers, employees, and community partners.
- The Need for New Strategies: As the political environment becomes more hostile, philanthropy must move beyond simple grants. The report suggests a shift toward more radical forms of collaboration and long-term, multi-year commitments that are harder to reverse in the face of temporary political shifts.
A Path Forward: Seven Strategies for Success
Rather than ending on a note of defeat, Equity Under Review provides a roadmap for how Black philanthropic efforts can be sustained in an era of backlash. ABFE outlines seven key strategies for success:
- Making the Case: Utilizing data and storytelling to maintain the urgency of the mission.
- Shifting the Narrative: Reframing equity not as a "political" act, but as a moral and economic necessity.
- Investing Boldly: Prioritizing high-impact, long-term funding over short-term, low-risk grants.
- Building a Pipeline: Ensuring that the next generation of Black philanthropic leaders is supported and mentored.
- Strengthening Allyship: Deepening the connections between Black leaders and their internal "Advocates."
- Fostering Collaboration: Creating cross-organizational networks to share resources and political intelligence.
- Committing to the Long Term: Moving away from the cycle of reactionary funding toward sustainable, legacy-building investments.
Conclusion: Accountability in a Changing Climate
The history of ABFE itself is a testament to the necessity of persistence. Founded in 1971 after the Council on Foundations rejected Black representation, the organization has always operated in a space of necessity and resistance. By documenting the current erosion of corporate support, ABFE is once again holding the mirror up to the philanthropic sector.
As Christmon stated, the report serves as a tool for accountability. It shines a light on what happens when the political climate shifts and the "interest" of corporate power dissipates. It asks a fundamental question: When the cameras turn away and the political winds shift, who will be left to hold the line? The answer, according to ABFE, lies in the resilience of Black leaders and the unwavering commitment of the allies who continue to advocate for a more equitable future. The promise of 2020 may be fractured, but the work—and the demand for justice—remains, as it always has, non-negotiable.
Pevita Pearce
Jia Lissa
