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.”
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.
Philanthropy and the Black Church: A Digital Resource Library
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
In this exploratory report by Rev. Jennifer Watley Maxell, she identifies some keys to mapping the landscape of philanthropy and the Black Church.
Browse More Resources:
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.
This report, authored by Robert M. Franklin and published by the Southern Education Foundation in 2005, offers a retrospective on the Philanthropy and the Black Church Project of the late twentieth century.
Philanthropy and the Black Church, Volume 2: Partnering to Serve Community is a handbook that continues the forum for communications between grantmakers and black church leaders
This volume presents key insights and information from a special Conference on Grantmakers and Black Churches that took place at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC in May 1989.