Philanthropy doesn’t invest enough in Black feminist social movements – and the need to increase funding to these organisations is urgent, reads an open letter from the Black Feminist Fund, signed by major funders including the Ford and MacArthur Foundation.

Black feminist organisations receive less than 0.5 per cent of the $70 billion of global foundation giving in 2018 going towards these causes.

But now is the moment for generational change on ‘the most pressing issues of our time’, the Black Feminist Fund has said.

‘History shows us time and again: When Black feminists win, democracy wins. When Black feminists win, climate justice wins. When Black feminists win, inequality loses, and justice comes closer to our reach’, reads the open letter.

The Black Feminist Fund is aiming to raise $100 million to aid its work of supporting and strengthening grassroots women’s organisations working in Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe and North America. the Fund has raised $35 million so far.

In the open letter, donors and foundations have been invited to join together and raise the remaining $65 million. Support has already been pledged by Ford Foundation President Darren Walker and MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey.

‘We hope the open letter to philanthropy from these leaders will unlock more resources for Black feminist movements globally and that we as a Black Feminist Fund can continue to model how philanthropy itself can take the bold and necessary steps to fund Black feminist movements to win’, said Hakima Abbas, The Black Feminist Fund, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director.

This call to action is not simply a moral call to support Black feminist movements that deserve solidarity, but a practical challenge to raise awareness that many global issues, including democracy, health, climate and education, require investment in Black feminist leadership in order to bring about meaningful change.

The Black Feminist Fund is a growing community of individual donors, institutional leaders and donor advocates who are united by their belief that now is the time to fund Black feminist movements. Launched in 2021, it is the world’s first global women’s fund singularly devoted to Black women and Black feminist agendas.

Simon Hungin is a freelance writer that supports Alliance magazine.