The New York Times: In philanthropy, race is still a factor in who gets what, study shows

Philanthropy often sets out to mitigate inequality. But a research report set to be released next week by two leading philanthropic organizations shows that race remains a defining factor when looking at which organizations get funded and how much they receive.

Nonprofit organizations led by black and Latino executive directors lag behind peer organizations with white leaders, according to the report from Echoing Green, an early-stage funder in social innovation, and the Bridgespan Group, a philanthropic consultancy.

Among organizations focused on improving the outcomes of black boys, for example, groups with black leaders had 45 percent less revenue, and unrestricted assets that were 91 percent lower, than their counterparts with white leaders.

The data is being released to show the philanthropic community how entrenched and persistent unequal funding is, said Cheryl L. Dorsey, president of Echoing Green. “It’s even worse because it’s philanthropy, and we’re supposed to be changing the world,” she said.