Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), today a program of The Women Invested to Save Earth Fund (WISE), culminating in a multinational summit every August, is a global celebration and concerted campaign to elevate African-descent giving and funding equity. Incubated starting in 2001 by its Founder Dr. Jackie Bouvier Copeland, with the support of Reunity, formerly the Pan-African Women's Philanthropy Network, BPM launched in 2011 with its first official global summit to commemorate the United Nations Year and Decade of People of African Descent (see the inaugural Summit program and leaders at http://bit.ly/PAWAS2011).
Over 30 diverse women from multiple countries throughout the global Black Diaspora worked with Dr. Copeland to co-organize BPM Summits and public awareness campaigns over its 20-year history. The longest and most continuously serving BPM leaders are listed chronologically by the length of service below.
Dr. Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome, Professor, City University of New York and Bring Back Our Girls Movement Leader (Nigeria and the US from 2001 through present)
Jean Fountain, Founder, Via Fountain Associates (US from 2001 through present)
Reverend Canon Naomi Tutu, The Episcopal Church (US and South Africa from 2006 through present)
Thelma Ekiyor, Founder and Chairperson, Afrigrants Foundation (Nigeria from 2010 through present and BPM Africa Chair from 2020 through present)
Kula Addy, Former BPM Operations Manager and Summit Producer (Liberia and the US from 2012 through 2022)
Valaida Fullwood, Founder, The Soul of Philanthropy and Co-Founder, New Generation of African American Philanthropists (US from 2013 through 2021)
Tracey Webb, Founder, Black Benefactors, and Black Gives Back (US from 2013 through 2021)
Dr. Una Osili, Associate Dean and Professor, Indiana University’s Lilly School of Philanthropy (US and Nigeria from 2014 through present)
Rebecca Darwant, For Black Communities, (Canada from 2021- present)
Deanna James, St. Croix CF, Caribbean region Co-Chair
Dr. Nelson Colon, Caribbean region Co-Chair (2020 through present)
Selma Moreira, Former Executive Director, Baoba Fund for Racial Equity (Brazil from 2020 through 2022)
Camila Aoli - (Brazil from 2021-present)
Every BPM leader over the years has made unique, vital contributions during their term of service (click here for a complete list of BPM Key Leaders from 2001 through the present).
Together, we have built BPM from its initial 8 million in-person and online participants in 20 countries in 2006 to more than 19 million engaged across 60 countries—more countries than celebrate Black History Month. The collective effort has made Dr. Copeland’s founding vision and designs a reality. BPM is now the world's only global Diasporan community coalition and movement to celebrate and empower Black funding in all its forms, from philanthropy to venture and business investment. We acknowledge and honor the participation of all current, past, and future BPM leaders and our sponsors and advisors, making equity real for our communities today and for generations to come.
The theme for 2024 is “Afro-Futures of Giving.”
Themes for past years are:
2023: Love in Action
2022: Fierce Equity of Now! From Dream to Action
2021: TENacity: Making Equity Real
2020: FORESIGHT 20/20
2019: Let’s Make History
2018: For the Culture, For the Future
2017: Giving Voice to Fuel Change
2016: Elevating A Culture of Giving
2015: A Season of Change
2014: Generosity At Home and Around the Globe
2013: Of Dreams And Mountaintops
2012: Saving Our Future
2011: A United Nations of Giving: The Pan-African Women's Action Summit
2006: Black Women Give: Towards a Global Movement
BPM officially launches on August 1 each year and includes year-round initiatives by its backbone organization; The Women Invested to Save Earth Fund (The WISE Fund), as well as its leaders and various volunteer committee leaders (see committee members here bit.ly/3G4eCYP).
Examples of year-round initiatives include the Global Black Funding Equity Initiative (see bit.ly/BPMPledge to sign the equity pledge and http://bit.ly/3xBitdy to take the funding equity survey and nominate an exemplary equitable funder for your country or continent).
Throughout August, you can follow happenings via social media with the hashtags #BPM2022. For the rest of the year, follow #BPM365.
Dr. Jacqueline Bouvier Copeland founded Black Philanthropy Month in 2011. An award-winning innovator, she bridges diverse disciplines and communities to heal people, society, and the planet. She is founder and chief executive officer of The Women Invested to Save Earth Fund (WISE), the backbone organization for Black Philanthropy Month and Reunity. Her work has reached at least 20 million people, and she is recognized as a History Maker, included in The Congressional Record, for her significant civic contributions.
Educated as a cultural anthropologist, diplomat, impact designer, and creative at Georgetown University and University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Copeland was also trained in social finance at University of Oxford. A certified life coach, she is certified in board governance at Santa Clara University. Her sustainability company, Renewell, is releasing The Blachant Project, a healing arts initiative rooted in her global Black heritage. A songwriter and vocalist using the sobriquet, “Bouvier”, Dr. Copeland’s Blachant Project includes her debut jazz spirituals album, a healing journal, and other products designed to promote personal wellness during these turbulent times for all people.