Black Philanthropy Month (BPM) begins its annual month of giving from August 1st to 31st. This year, the theme is “Love in Action.” This is a return to the core meaning of philanthropy, the love of humanity, which includes Black people.
“Our hope is to remind our constituents and the world that Black philanthropy and funding equity are not just about money. BPM 2023 will highlight the efficacy and innovation of “Black Love in Action” in these hopeful but crisis times through creative philanthropy, business investment, and racial equity advocacy worldwide.”
The core organizing questions for BPM 2023 are:
- What would philanthropy look like if it were driven by love of all humanity including Black people?
- What would Black-led philanthropy look like if it were driven by self-love?
- Building on our equity principles, how can our movement expand love of Black humanity and equity
Give Black, Give Back’s Recognition of Black Philanthropy Month
| Date | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-01 | Give Black, Give Back Conversation: Black Philanthropy Month Kick-Off with Kia Jarmon & Lisa Swift-Young ( Facebook ) | 10:30am |
| 2023-08-17 | Black Philanthropy Month Celebration | 4:30pm |
| 2023-08-24 | Give Black, Give Back Conversation: BPM Grantees with Antonio Young ( Facebook ) | 10:30am |
| 2023-08-31 | Give Black, Give Back Conversation: Black Philanthropy Month Wrap-Up with Kia Jarmon & Lisa Swift-Young ( Facebook ) | 10:30am |
To View the CFMT Media Resources for BPM 2023, Click the button below.
BPM 2023 ResourcesMore About Give Black, Give Back and Black Philanthropy Month
At the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT), the Give Black, Give Back initiative launched following CFMT’s inaugural celebration of Black Philanthropy Month in 2019. Black Philanthropy Month has been recognized globally since 2011 upon its creation by Jackie Bouvier Copeland, a San Francisco Bay-area social and environmental justice activist.
The focus of Give Black, Give Back is to support Black-led funds established at CFMT. The initiative is dedicated to fostering collaboration between its fundholders and establishing new partnerships among Black philanthropists and nonprofits with similar aspirations.
Give Black, Give Back has planned a host of events for Black Philanthropy Month 2023 under the direction of co-founders and co-chairs Kia Jarmon and Lisa Swift-Young and the initiative’s coordinator Audra Cox. This event series includes conversations to encourage Black philanthropy and inspire generational wealth building within Black communities. Calendar details coming soon.
Learn More: Give Black, Give BackA Look Back at Past Black Philanthropy Months
Give Black, Give Back Conversations: Black Philanthropy Month 2022
Give Black, Give Back Conversations: Establishing and Maintaining the Black Family Legacy
Kia Jarmon & Lisa Swift-Young, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Give Black, Give Back initiative co-chairs and philanthropy advisors, will discuss the topic “Establishing and Maintaining the Black Family Legacy” with guest experts Mitra Sharifi and Jarrett Strickland. The discussion includes real estate investing, children’s retirement accounts, and how to set up your family for financial success.
Give Black, Give Back Conversations: Black Philanthropy Month 2021
(August 12, 2021) Give Black, Give Back Conversations: Honoring Black Philanthropists with Black Philanthropy Month global architect Valaida Fullwood with co-hosts Lisa Swift-Young and Kia Jarmon.
Ms. Fullwood is one of the co-architects for the BPM global celebration, and this year marks a decade since it began.
Described an “idea whisperer,” Valaida Fullwood brings unbridled imagination and a gift for harnessing wild ideas to her work as a writer, public speaker and consultant on various projects and events in the philanthropic sector.
Valaida is the award-winning author of Giving Back, a 400-page hardcover book profiling stories of philanthropy among African Americans that was developed with photographer Charles Thomas. Giving Back, her first book, was named one of the 10 Best Black Books of 2011 and received the prestigious 2012 McAdam Book Award, which recognizes “the most inspirational and useful new book for the nonprofit sector.” In 2020, Valaida earned ABFE’s Trailblazer Award as a part of its 29th James A. Joseph Awards.
Listen to Lightning 100’s Nashville By Nicole interview with our Give Black, Give Back Team to Kick Off Black Philanthropy Month in 2020.
Black Philanthropy Month Conversations 2020 Playlist
Stories
Give Black, Give Back Celebrates Black Philanthropy Month 2021
Inaugural Give Black, Give Back Changemakers Grants Support Nashville’s HBCUs
Black Philanthropy Month
100 Years Later, Tennessee Celebrates Turning Point of Hard Battle for Women’s Right to Vote
New Downtown Park Honors Black Suffragist Frankie Pierce
Ida B. Wells-Barnett and the Fight for Equality and Justice
A Mission for the Matthews is Making a Difference in Their Communities
Celebrating Black Philanthropy | BPM2020
A Family’s Long Legacy of Philanthropy Continues at R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp.
Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Has Been a ‘Steadfast Anchor’ to Black Nashville
About Black Philanthropy Month
Since its establishment in 2011, Black Philanthropy Month has reached roughly 17 million people and become an increasingly year-round, diasporic initiative that illuminates the ingenuity and transformative impact of generosity in Black communities. Primary aims of BPM are informing, involving, inspiring and investing in Black philanthropic leadership to strengthen African-American and African-descent giving in all its forms, for the benefit of our planet, our communities, our organizations and our lives.
