April 9, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
NEW BOOKS
A Philanthropic Covenant With Black America
edited by Rodney M. Jackson
This collection of essays encourages the involvement of grant makers, community and religious organizations, and individuals to improve black communities. It is intended to be a complement to Tavis Smiley’s best-selling The Covenant With Black America. It features contributions by black philanthropic leaders and scholars and is edited by Rodney M. Jackson, founder and chief executive of the National Center for Black Philanthropy.
Wishing to dispel the notion that philanthropy is primarily an endeavor of the wealthy few, the book encourages efforts that get lots of citizens involved in helping others, and is critical of grant makers.
In the first chapter, titled “Empowering the African American Community Through Strategic Grantmaking,” Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and chief executive of PolicyLink, writes, “Foundations have not generally done a good job of identifying organizations rooted in the black community and other communities of color and providing support at the levels required to achieve significant, sustainable impact
Ms. Blackwell lists things foundations can to do to focus on the issue, including diversifying boards, staffs, and consultants, nurturing minority leaders, providing grants that support organizational development, introducing organizations led by minorities to other grant makers, and evaluating program officers based on whether they carry out goals that support diversity.
Mr. Jackson proposes the creation of a $100-million “Covenant Fund” to generate new sources of revenue and support organizational development. It would also allow donors to make direct contributions or donate to any charity, school, giving circle, or donor-advised fund that invests in black communities.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 111 River Street, Fourth Floor, Hoboken, N.J. 07030; (201) 748-6000; fax (201) 748-6088; http://www.wiley.com; 238 pages; $24.95; ISBN 978-0-470-39792-3.
