About Us
Self-determined. Black-led.
Built to last.
We are not a professional association. We are not a program inside a larger institution. We are a collective of independent Black-led philanthropic institutions accountable to Black communities, committed to building wealth and power that outlasts any single political moment.
Anchor Organization
POISE Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA
Founded
Advisory Group formed Spring 2024, with W.K. Kellogg Foundation support
Structure
Fiscal sponsorship at POISE, with planned 501(c)(3) formation in 3 to 4 years
Primary Founder
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Our History
Where We Came From
Black-led philanthropic institutions have existed for generations. What changed after 2020 was scale and urgency.
Pre-2020
The foundation
Three independent Black community foundations operated nationally.
Dozens of Black-led funds existed within larger community foundations.
The field was fragmented and largely invisible to major funders.
2020
The surge
George Floyd's murder and COVID-19's disproportionate toll on Black communities prompted hundreds of millions in philanthropic pledges.
Several new independent Black foundations and funds were established.
By 2024, seven independent Black community foundations operated nationally, more than double the pre-2020 count.
2024
The network begins
With support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, an Advisory Group of five leaders formed to map the national landscape of Black Foundations and Funds.
35 organizational leaders convened in New Orleans in September 2024 for the first national gathering.
2025
Building infrastructure
The Advisory Group met regularly to establish governance, hire a Project Manager, and develop a collective fundraising strategy.
The network identified 55+ organizations nationally.
A field report, the Black Funds Impact and Learning Brief, was published with Frontline Solutions.
2026+
The road ahead
Active fundraising, public communications, and planning toward independent incorporation.
The goal is a permanent, self-funded national body governed by and for Black communities.
The five leaders steering this work
Advisory Group
The Advisory Group is the governing body of the Network during its formation phase. Each member leads an independent Black foundation or fund.
Mark Lewis
Co-Chair
POISE Foundation,
Pittsburgh PA
Mark Lewis has spent over three decades in leadership as a CEO, Trustee and Board member in philanthropy. He has co-founded several philanthropic entities both locally and nationally, including the National Network of Black Funds and Foundations.
LaDawn Sullivan
Co-Chair
Black Resilience in Colorado Fund
(BRIC), Denver CO
LaDawn Sullivan is a longtime Colorado philanthropy and community leader committed to advancing Black leadership, equity and community-driven change. Her work centers moving resources, building power and strengthening communities across Colorado.
Lulete Mola
Advisory Member
Black Collective Foundation MN,
Minneapolis MN
Lulete Mola is a social change strategist and the CEO & Co-Founder of Black Collective Foundation MN, Minnesota’s first Black community foundation. Her work sits at the intersection of philanthropy, community power, culture, and systems change. For nearly two decades, she has built initiatives that advance racial and gender justice, shift resources and power to communities, and strengthen Black-led change. Lulete is an Aspen Institute Fellow, a Harvard Business School Young American Leaders Fellow, and a proud mother.
Ernest Bynum
Advisory Member
African American Community Fund,
Nelsonville OH
Ernie Bynum has been building on the legacy that African Americans have always been Philanthropic. Drawing on a history rooted in resilience, community and cultural pride to create a network of support and champions committed to African American philanthropy.
Marc Philpart
Advisory Member
Black Freedom Fund,
California
President & CEO of the Black Freedom Fund, one of the nation’s largest Black community foundations, driving sustained investment in Black communities to advance racial justice and systems change across Californi
Collective Leadership
This Network is bigger than any one organization or leader. Together, Black-led foundations and funds are building the relationships, infrastructure, and collective power needed to strengthen Black philanthropy for generations.
Building the Future of Black Philanthropy
Two tiers, one mission
We are building the connections, infrastructure, and collective power Black-led foundations and funds need to grow, endure, and shape the future of philanthropy.
Core Network
Independent Black-led institutions
Governance, mission, and grantmaking centered on Black communities. Black-led and Black-accountable. Active grantmaking with operational capacity. These organizations hold voting and governing authority within the Network.
What We Are Building
The Road Ahead
Active fundraising, public communications, and planning toward independent incorporation. The goal is a permanent, self-funded national body governed by and for Black communities.
