African history is deeply rooted in cultural traditions of communal life and mutual advancement. It seems that African-American family foundations share in this tradition of community support, according to a new study from the Aspen Institute Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation, written by a professor at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.
The study, entitled A Growing Tradition? Examining the African-American Family Foundation, reveals these organizations are generally started by professional athletes, followed by musicians and actors. Business people also create a number of philanthropic foundations. The common link, author Marybeth Gasman says, is "the desire to give back and ‘uplift’ those in their communities, to ‘reach back and pull up’ those around them."
It seems that bettering the lives of children is a top priority for many of these foundations. Organization leaders said they were motivated by broad ideals, such as "giving back" and "having an impact," but many also attested to the fact that they had specific intentions to help disadvantaged young people.
African-Americans give almost a quarter of their charitable donations to organizations that serve public need, like after-school programs. An additional 15 percent of funds go to scholarships and education programs, including historically black colleges and universities.
The study also reveals that African-Americans are more inclined to start their own foundations rather than set up donor-advised funds at community foundations.
Gasman speculates this financial self-reliance comes from a sense of mistrust rooted in foundation leaders’ personal experiences with banks and other financial institutions. She hopes the study may help change unfortunate experiences many African-Americans face by shifting public perceptions that are biased against this community.
Gasman told Philanthropy News Digest, "through their family foundations, African Americans will become more visible agents of change and will no longer be viewed, by some, as merely passive recipients of the generosity of others."