Based on the responses of nearly 3,000 faith leaders and people of faith, this report uncovers key insights into the motivations and community needs driving religious giving and an outlook on future giving.
Philanthropy and the Black Church
Special Collection
This special collection focuses on resources from philanthropy and Black religious organizations, with attention to past and current efforts to strengthen connections between the two sectors.
Artwork by Shaunt'e Lewis, Multidisciplinary Artist
The Philanthropy and the Black Church Project is a multi-decade initiative to explore the rich history of philanthropy in Black Churches, illuminate how Black faith communities have used their collective resources for social impact, and support Black churches and philanthropic organizations in creating ongoing collaborative partnerships that empower communities, seek social justice, and improve community health.
The Philanthropy and the Black Church project began as a collaborative effort in the late twentieth century to increase mutual understanding and collaboration between Black Churches and philanthropic organizations. Today, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving and the Center for the Church and the Black Experience at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary continue this mission by convening leaders in philanthropy and the Black church, conducting research, developing resources for mutual understanding, and building relationships.
This special collections brings together research and insight from past and current efforts to encourage informed learning and action by leaders today. It offers:
- An archive of materials from the earlier project
- A dynamic repository for current and future resources
Philanthropic leaders and Black Church leaders alike are invited to explore this new resource library and use the materials to build deeper, trust-based partnerships that will transform communities for generations to come.
Featured Resource
February 26, 2024
In this exploratory report by Rev. Jennifer Watley Maxell, she identifies some keys to mapping the landscape of philanthropy and the Black Church.
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Conversations among church and community members lead to thriving neighborhood program that provides job training, an after-school program for children, low-cost clothing, a weekly lunch, food pantry, and more.
An AME church and a Latino congregation united their congregations and community outreach efforts.
Bishop Charley Hames, Jr. shares his perspective on giving trends and challenges in Black faith communities.
Read the report from the 2023 Symposium on Philanthropy and the Black Church. This special event, co-hosted by the Center for the Church and the Black Experience at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, brought together 70 key leaders in philanthropy and faith to start a conversation about the “necessary collaborative” between philanthropy and Black religious institutions.
This case study from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity examines the work of faith-inspired leaders at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. It shows how even small churches can play a role in holistic community flourishing that includes, but is not limited to, the “spiritual.”
Reflections on the many gifts and giving traditions of the Black Church and its historic legacy in the freedom movement by Tyrone McKinley Freeman, PhD.
Reggie Blount and Elizabeth Lynn share the history of philanthropy and the Black church, and where we are now.
Alfred Street Baptist Church donated $1 million to Jackson State University during a water crisis to help students who had incurred related expenses and to help the university respond to the crisis.
A monthlong fast led a church to donate $150,000 to students at HBCUs who needed financial assistance in order to graduate.
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