Pay Black Women Like Democracy Depends on It - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

"The nonprofit sector is undergoing an equity awakening. Over the last five years, organizations have adopted racial equity statements; created DEI positions; and reimagined their missions through a justice-oriented lens. In the wake of federal attacks on the very idea of racial justice, many nonprofits and funders have rightly fought back and recommitted to the cause. Yet there is one neglected equity arena: how we pay Black women leaders, especially those in democracy-focused organizations."

"Late last month, we marked Women's Equality Day, the anniversary of women winning the right to vote. It's an ideal time to remember that voter suppression laws kept Black women from widespread voting until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. It's also a necessary moment to uplift the need to fairly compensate the Black women fighting to protect democracy in this extremely challenging political moment."

"Nonprofits and the Wealth-Proximate Problem Despite leading organizations through tumultuous political times, managing budgets under relentless pressure, and producing measurable and meaningful impact, Black women CEOs and executive directors in nonprofits are consistently underpaid. On average, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, Black women in the United States that White men earn. This wage gap widens with increased education, meaning it persists at the top of nonprofit leadership."

Nonprofit organizations have adopted racial equity statements, created DEI roles, and shifted missions toward justice while facing federal attacks on racial justice. One neglected equity issue is compensation for Black women leaders, particularly in democracy-focused organizations. Voter suppression historically prevented Black women from full participation until the 1965 Voting Rights Act, underscoring the need to fairly compensate those protecting democracy now. Black women CEOs and executive directors in nonprofits are consistently underpaid. Funding patterns show Black women-led organizations are more likely to be underfunded, receive smaller grants, and lack access to unrestricted or multiyear support and funder networks.

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