Established in 2002, The Black Philanthropic Alliance (BPA) is a network of professionals in philanthropy and nonprofits who identify, manage and influence investments and resources to strengthen and connect the Black community in the Washington, DC region.
BPA’s leaders and members are committed to:
- Providing quality professional and leadership development opportunities for Black professionals working in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector
- Raising issues that directly impact the Black community and creating opportunities for increased discourse and action
- Sharing and using knowledge to increase our members’ skills and expertise in addressing issues affecting the Black community in the region
- Increasing Black representation on the boards and staffs of nonprofits and philanthropic institutions
- Increasing Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits’ access to local and national funding opportunities
- Facilitating strategic relationships between professionals from various sectors and Black-led nonprofit organizations in an effort to build their board capacity
- Increasing individual giving to Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations
- Providing a “safe space” for confidential peer support
BPA offers:
- Networking and Community Building: We know that working in nonprofits and philanthropy can be both difficult and lonely. That’s why BPA strives to maintain a supportive community of “safe space” where Black professionals can meet regularly to network and discuss issues that impact them in their work.
- Communications: At least once a month, BPA sends out newsletters with timely and relevant information and resources to help strengthen and connect the Black community in the Washington, DC region. Both our newsletter and website highlight upcoming events, activities and research of interest to Black professionals in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. We also provide online social networking opportunities for our members to connect with one another.
- Educational Programs and Special Events: From annual meetings to skill-building workshops to candid conversations with some of the region’s most reputable leaders, BPA helps its members enhance their personal and professional development.
- Career News: BPA is an important source of local and national career opportunities. Each month, we share job postings in our newsletter as well as on our website.
- A Vehicle for Giving: BPA has partnered with a local Black philanthropist to launch Black Benefactors, a social investment club comprised of individual members, local businesses and organizations that are dedicated to addressing issues facing the African American community. Also known as a giving circle, member donations are pooled with the donations of other members to significantly contribute to the causes we care about. The Black Benefactors provide grants to organizations serving African American children, youth and families in the Washington, DC region. BPA encourages our members to join the giving circle as a direct way of supporting the Black community in the Washington, DC region.
BPA’s work is guided by a core set of values:
- Integrity. Acting in line with your beliefs
- Knowledge. Seeking intellectual stimulation, new ideas, truth and understanding
- Teamwork. Cooperating with others toward a common goal
- Creativity. Finding new, innovative ways to do things
I am surprised that I am the first person to leave a response, but honored to contribute a few comments at this time. I was born in Virginia and my youngest daughter is a graduate of perhaps the most important university in the world, Howard University in Washington, DC. My wife is a graduate of George Washington U. I mention these three points as east coast markers for an African-American (moi) now on the west coast (California) still 100% committed to BPA’s charge of: “raising issues that directly impact the Black community and creating opportunities for increased discourse and action.” It seems that much of the fine work done by BPA and its members remain under the radar, but that is slowly changing as your website continues to be discovered. On this side of the country, and as a journalist and CEO of an African-American media, education and leadership consortium, I will continue to do my part to spread your message and remain true to your core set of values. Continued success. KOH, PhD
Just stopping by to support this website. It was referred to me through http://www.fusedc.org. I am a young social entrepreneur who just started my own nonprofit organization called The Urban Reform Network (TURN). I am excited about what BPA is doing and will support personally through establishing a membership and spreading the word. I am looking forward to upcoming networking events and opportunities to build relationships with other like-minded professionals.
I just learned about this organization on Facebook. I just moved to Seattle from Atlanta. I miss the energy of blacks who undertsand the bigger picture adn who are engaged in doing something to move us towards progress.
I am glad this is happening in Washington. There is a need for independent infrastructure in our community. Communities that are respected are those with strong independent infrastructure. Having our own philantropists invest saves our non-profits and institutions from having to choose between being insignificant and fading out or selling out their purpose to outside forces who hold the purse strings. Right now I am interested in starting a non-profit. I have a Masters Degree in education and an A+ in technology and have extensive experience teaching all grades interdisciplinary from K-12 and GED as well as offering crisis intervention services in New York and Newark. However, I need a little guidance in the first steps of opening a nonprofit organization.
I also wanted to add that this is the solution to deteriorating services in our community. Investors and philanthropists from our communities and backgrounds can assist us in getting quality service and respect by helping us to create independent institutions that meet our needs. Other institutions take our money and build mansiojns in other communities while our communities are forced to pay for substandard service. Therefore, I commend not only those who are philanthropists and investors from our community. I applaud those who are promoting it so that it becomes a well known and well accepted practice to give back.