How Can Funders Close the Gap between Intention and Impact in Funding for Racial Equity?

This report analyzes the troubling discrepancy between large-scale philanthropic pledges and the actual, sustained deployment of capital toward racial equity. Drawing on interviews with over 34 movement leaders and funders, as well as data analysis from Candid, the report identifies a recurring pattern: efforts rooted in systems-change and long-term structural reform remain systematically underfunded. It highlights how funders often prioritize short-term, easily measurable interventions, sidelining deeper root-cause initiatives. The report provides actionable strategies to close this gap and ensure impactful, long-term support. It warns against treating the racial equity funding surge of 2020 as a temporary or exceptional moment.