What iF Black people were paid the debt they are owed?

How should iF engage in its redress and repair to Black people?

Cracks in the Foundation: Philanthropy’s Role in Reparations for Black People in the DMV

Commissioned and funded by iF and developed by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), Cracks in the Foundation: Philanthropy’s Role in Reparations for Black People in the DMV harnesses both quantitative and qualitative research from publicly available information to illuminate the ways in which Black people have been exploited to build philanthropic wealth.

This initiative seeks to form collaborations, influence and, when needed, compel sector stakeholders to engage in redress and repair. The report establishes a Reparative Framework for Philanthropy, focusing on four specific sectors that have caused past harm to local Black people and their communities — the media, housing, employment, and healthcare. It includes case studies of eight foundations in the DC region with Wealth History Reports: specific harm statements of wealth generation and foundation timelines as well as data on current grantmaking to Black communities. Our goal is that this project will be replicated by other foundations. We are attempting to hold up a mirror and address the “cracks in our foundation,” both individually and as a sector.

First World Collaborative Study

In partnership with First World Collaborative, iF is funding a study that documents the history of enslavement in the District of Columbia, its aftermath, and current institutions that benefited from the enslavement of Black people.

Let’s GO (Guarantee Opportunity) DMV! is funded privately by grants and donations. The pilot centers workers and includes a strong narrative component to help make the case for permanent, government-supported GI. We do this in partnership with The DC Guaranteed Income Coalition and other pilots and coalitions throughout the region and across the country.

A number of others have joined if, A Foundation for Radical Possibility to provide grant funding, including: Amalgamated Foundation, BMC Cares, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, England Family Foundation, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Hill-Snowdon Foundation, Horning Family Foundation, Meyer Foundation, Open Horizon, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

We are actively seeking funders to commit additional grants and make multi-year commitments to Let's GO DMV! Donate directly , contact Hanh Le at partnerships@iffdn.org, or complete the form below for more information.