Needing More Than a Fresh Coat of Paint
For more than 25 years, I worked with nonprofits providing affordable housing. We were always on the hunt for a house or an available apartment building. I learned to love the smell of fresh paint but also knew to bring an experienced inspector with me. New paint looks good but frequently covers a myriad of structural issues. Only by looking beneath the veneer of fresh paint could we know the integrity of the house’s foundation and framing.
On the surface, Maddox has made progress living into our racial equity imperative. Our 2021 grant analysis reveals that we are supporting partners with more diverse boards and more organizations led by and for BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). We have added partners committed to the movement building essential to systemic change. Even our Opportunity (out-of-cycle) Grants have grown to be more responsive to the unique challenges faced by Black and diverse leaders. Our 2021 Young Professional Scholarships at CNM will focus on BIPOC leadership development.
But upon deeper inspection, the Maddox Fund’s policies and practices have perpetuated racial inequity. Examining our most recent 5-year comparison, we found that:
- The 5 organizations that have received the largest cumulative levels of funding since inception are all white-led organizations
- Out of the 9 organizations receiving more than $200,000 in total funding, none are BIPOC-led*
- Out of the 33 organizations receiving more than $100,000 in total funding, only 3 of them are BIPOC-led
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