how funders Can help grassroots and nonprofitsindigenous-led thrive using technology

BY SEVETRI WILSON

Small, grassroots nonprofits have long been the heartbeat of communities. Many of these organizations are BIPOC-led — meaning the leadership identifies as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. Unfortunately, BIPOC-led organizations often receive the least support.

The statistics tell a stark story.

Despite accounting for 3.5 percent of Canada’s population, Black-led and Black-serving community organizations have been severely underfunded by the nation’s foundations, according to Unfunded: Black Communities Overlooked by Canadian Philanthropy, a report published by the Network for the Advancement of Black Communities and Carleton University’s Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership program.

Black-led groups received only 0.03 percent of funds in the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, and Black-serving organizations received only 0.15 percent of funds in the same timeframe.

Also among underfunded nonprofits are Indigenous-led organizations which play critical roles in bolstering Indigenous communities. In Canada, charities serving Indigenous peoples receive only 1 percent of overall donations, although Indigenous peoples comprise 4.9 percent of the population, according to Alliance.