What We Do

The Black Funders Network of the Bay Area strengthens regional infrastructure, dismantles the isolation of Black grantmakers, and shifts power and capital directly to Black-led organizations and movement work.

Mission

BFN’s mission is to ensure that philanthropy professionals can connect, grow, re-energize, and align to best support Black communities and advance equitable grantmaking practices.

Vision

BFN’s vision is to serve as the connective backbone that ensures Black professionals in philanthropy are supported, strategically connected, and positioned to influence grantmaking practices at scale. This includes strengthening our membership ecosystem, cultivating leadership advancement pathways, deepening partnerships across sectors, and building more coordinated approaches to data and impact measurement.

Values

We are intentional, progressive, and unapologetically dedicated to serving and advocating for multifaceted Black communities in the Bay Area. We are committed to our core values, which guide our work and decision-making as an organization.

Love of Black People

We love and value Black people, Black culture, and Black history.

Safety and Inclusion

We create inclusive environments in our Network activities so that all participants feel welcomed, validated, comfortable, and able to enjoy their authentic selfhood.

Thinking Big

We are bold in our approach by holding space for radical imagination and possibility both within and outside the limits of our current systems and institutions.

To serve as strong advocates for Black communities, we must be active, accountable, and collaborative partners who work to understand the needs articulated by our communities.

Connection to Community

Courage

We act with foresight, strategy, and boldness, even amid headwinds.

Human Dignity

We believe that all people deserve to be valued and have access to the resources needed to reach self-actualization.

Learning

We are committed to learning and evolving to best fulfill our mission.

The Black Funders Network - Our Community

Our Values

We are intentional, progressive, and unapologetically dedicated to serving and advocating for multifaceted Black communities in the Bay Area. We are committed to our core values, which guide our work and decision-making as an organization.

Love of Black People

We love and value Black people, Black culture, and Black history.

Safety and Inclusion

We create inclusive environments in our Network activities so that all participants feel welcomed, validated, comfortable, and able to enjoy their authentic selfhood.

Thinking Big

We are bold in our approach by holding space for radical imagination and possibility both within and outside the limits of our current systems and institutions.

To serve as strong advocates for Black communities, we must be active, accountable, and collaborative partners who work to understand the needs articulated by our communities.

Connection to Community

Courage

We act with foresight, strategy, and boldness, even amid headwinds.

Human Dignity

We believe that all people deserve to be valued and have access to the resources needed to reach self-actualization.

Learning

We are committed to learning and evolving to best fulfill our mission.

Values

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"I serve because I believe in the truth of our connectedness as a community, when one of us is harmed, all of us are harmed. I also know I cannot confront the challenges we face alone; I need to walk, run, push, and pull along with others for the victory we seek. To quote an *African Proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. And, I would add celebrate together when you arrive!"

Paula Ambrose

BOARD MEMBER

What We Do

Mission

Vision

Values

Love of Black People

Safety and Inclusion

Thinking Big

Connection to Community

Courage

Human Dignity

Learning

Our Values

Love of Black People

Safety and Inclusion

Thinking Big

Connection to Community

Courage

Human Dignity

Learning

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Black Funders Network of the Bay Area is a fiscally-sponsored project of Community Initiatives (EIN 94-3255070).

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