February 03, 2023 Here’s What We're Learning About Donors of Color February 03, 2023/ Ade Adeniji As the ranks and fortunes of American philanthropists of color grow, so does their influence over the giving landscape. These are a few of the trends we’re seeing as philanthropy’s demographics shift.Read More
November 28, 2022 Eight Top Black Philanthropists on Wall Street November 28, 2022/ Ade Adeniji While the upper ranks of finance remain predominantly white and male, a growing number of women and people of color are making inroads, including as donors. Here are eight Black philanthropists on Wall Street to watch.Read More
May 31, 2022 How This Star-Studded Justice Reform Outfit Rakes in Big-Donor Support May 31, 2022/ Ade Adeniji REFORM Alliance and its all-star board have notched a number of big wins on the ground. We catch up with donors Michael Novogratz and Laura Arnold about why they back the justice reform organization.Read More
May 18, 2022 Philanthropists Make a Splash Paying off Student Loans, but Few Are Pushing for Debt Cancellation May 18, 2022/ Philip Rojc Students are naturally euphoric when a big donor steps in and pays off their debt. But even as the federal government mulls cancellations that might help millions, philanthropic support for advocacy around the issue is paltry at best.Read More
June 01, 2021 An Untapped Well: In Search of the Black Environmental Donor June 01, 2021/ Ade Adeniji The list of major Black environmental donors is short, even though Black communities are uniquely vulnerable. While white philanthropists can and should do more, we unpack how more Black donors might also enter this space.Read More
March 24, 2021 How Giving to Historically Black Colleges and Universities Finally Went Mainstream March 24, 2021/ Mike Scutari When Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin made a big HBCU gift last June, it was just the beginning. We dig into the conditions that sparked an astonishing giving surge and consider whether HBCU giving has, at long last, gone mainstream.Read More
February 24, 2021 “Moving Forward.” Robert F. Smith Talks About the Future of His Philanthropy February 24, 2021/ Ade Adeniji In a rare interview, we talk with African American finance billionaire Robert F. Smith about the extensive giving he’s done so far, where he sees it all headed, and how he hopes to move forward after a high-profile tax scandal.Read More
December 08, 2020 Robert F. Smith’s Latest Move Supports Black CPAs as a Path to Building Generational Wealth December 08, 2020/ Ade Adeniji Wall Street billionaire Robert F. Smith’s philanthropic footprint continues to expand, with a common theme of tackling systemic inequities. This time around, he seeks to increase the number of Black certified public accountants.Read More
October 21, 2020 Building on Past Work, Billionaire Robert F. Smith Gives Big Again for HBCU Student Debt October 21, 2020/ Ade Adeniji Billionaire Robert F. Smith recently made a $50 million gift to the Student Freedom Initiative, aimed at tackling the sky-high debt of HBCU graduates. Inside Philanthropy breaks the exclusive news.Read More
July 28, 2020 How Leading Black Philanthropist Robert F. Smith is Taking on Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer July 28, 2020/ Ade Adeniji African American Wall Street billionaire Robert F. Smith is best known for his education giving. But his philanthropy has also focused on ending health disparities for Black men and women, including giving millions for prostate cancer detection.Read More
May 28, 2020 Three Things to Know About the Donor Behind the Latest Big Gift to HBCU Graduates May 28, 2020/ Ade Adeniji A year after black billionaire Robert F. Smith made a big gift to the Morehouse class of 2019, black businessman Frank Baker and family did something similar for Spelman College. Here’s what we know about the latest couple to take up the cause.Read More
October 03, 2019 In a Higher Ed Landscape Flush with Cash, Are More Big Gifts Starting to Reach HBCUs? October 03, 2019/ Mike Scutari Despite a growing focus on issues of equity and an avalanche of campus donations, historically black schools continue to struggle. But several big recent gifts, plus demographic trends, provide grounds for cautious optimism. Read More