Opinion Page: Pluralistic Philanthropy?

From the Chronicle of Philanthropy, April 20, 2023

Last week, six influential philanthropic leaders released a joint statement in the Chronicle of Philanthropy calling for the protection of pluralism and diverse perspectives in the field. The guest essay has generated a lot of strong feelings.

Since I know and respect half of the authors, I am offering my response in the constructive spirit of the third principle they lay out in the piece: “When we challenge another’s views or activities, we focus on substantive arguments and invite response.”

In my view, the essay’s message that all philanthropy is equally valid and good was the philanthropic equivalent of “all lives matter.” According to the authors, “philanthropy provides the greatest value when donors enable and encourage pluralism by supporting and investing in a wide and diverse range of values, missions, and interests.” The problem is that philanthropy is not some sort of sport or brand of ice cream, where it doesn’t matter if you root for the Patriots or the Seahawks, or if you choose mint chocolate chip or rocky road. Philanthropy’s actions often mean life or death.

So, no, not all philanthropy is good. There are donors and foundations that fund anti-trans hate groups, who back white supremacist movements, who support efforts to suppress votes and ban abortions. Their actions cause pain and death to countless people. These philanthropists and foundations should never receive the same respect as donors who work to advance trans people’s rights, protect voting access, fight white supremacy, and restore abortion rights. To insist that all philanthropic values, missions, and activities are equally valid is at best naïve and at worst harmful.

To support its erroneous premise, the article glosses over and even distorts history with statements such as this: “The history of philanthropy is a history of using private capital to supplement, not replace, other approaches to investing in and supporting a prosperous and just society.” 

Philanthropy’s roots are stained with inequity and injustice. Much of the wealth in this country was built on a legacy of slavery, stolen Indigenous land, worker exploitation, environmental degradation, and tax avoidance. It is a history of white people and white-led corporations creating the very injustices that they are then lauded for trying to solve by giving fractions of their hoarded wealth.

darryll jones