B.L.A.C.C. Giving Circle Encourages Collective Philanthropy & Voter Engagement
The belief in the collective power of individuals to come together to create change is a cornerstone of our work at Liberty Hill and it extends to our dedicated Donor Activists who form the core of our philanthropic support. Our Giving Circles are groups of individuals, corporate representatives and philanthropic partners who come together to pool their donations to make a greater impact on the social justice issues they care about. Liberty Hill's Giving Circles provide members with an opportunity for hands-on community activism and collective strategic philanthropy.
As the pandemic hit and the racial justice uprisings spread across the country, the members of the Building Leaders and Cultivating Change (B.L.A.C.C.) Giving Circle sprang into action and began planning ways they could get involved.
Their mission is to transform the African American community in Los Angeles and harness the collective giving power of professionals to support organizations working on the front lines of social justice in L.A. The group awards grants to organizations that work to empower the African American community in the areas of education, economic, and leadership development. This year B.L.A.C.C. has focused on Black women, maternal health, and policy change.
“To be a philanthropist literally means to love humanity. We can all be philanthropists because we can all love humanity,” said B.L.A.C.C. Member and Donor Activist Kaci Patterson. “I think what has inspired me is the way LHF has channeled that love through social justice.”
B.L.A.C.C. officially launched in 2014 with more than 50 professionals and has raised thousands of dollars in critical contributions since its founding. The group, along with Black-led Giving Circle Angelenos for L.A., also originated the concept of the “Prop Party” as a form of voter engagement during election seasons. They kicked off these series of events in 2016 for their members and inspired a movement within Liberty Hill that continues to this day. They also awarded the first joint grant by two Giving Circles to SCOPE (Strategic Concepts in Organizing & Policy Education) to support their voter engagement efforts. With the relaunch of our Liberty Vote initiative, we are also committing to support critical voter outreach and engagement in communities of color.
Our Giving Circles welcome members at varying levels of income, wealth and philanthropic experience. If you would like to learn more about ways you can participate in collective philanthropy, please contact our Advancement Team for further information on how you can get involved.
Giving Circles provide donor activists with the opportunity to:
- Collaborate with others to target opportunities for grantmaking
- Leverage gifts for greater impact
- Learn to be effective, strategic philanthropists
- Connect with other donors in a broader community
- Become a part of Liberty Hill's social justice network