BLM Transparency Center
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Welcome
Welcome to the BLM Transparency Center.
We are embracing this moment as an opportunity for celebration, accountability, healing, truth-telling, and transparency. We aim to move forward into this next chapter with the lessons learned, achievements underscored, and a renewed commitment to justice and powerbuilding in service to our community.
We understand our responsibility, and we are here to continue intentionally building trust so we can forge a path that sustains Black people for generations. BLMGNF is in the midst of a powerful transition down a path never charted before.
The misinformation from the right wing about our finances is very much about what happens when Black people are financially autonomous from white supremacists structures like the non-profit industrial complex. There is a longstanding legacy of mistrust and doubt about how Black people spend their money, like Ronald Reagan’s “welfare queen” moniker, a racist trope he peddled to gain the power of the presidency.
The right has taken up this cause, hoping to sow mistrust in our work via their media outlets. They have spread misinformation and have taken what is really an important conversation for our community, trashed it, and used their coverage as some sort of validation of their racist allegations. We hope that this is the beginning of a real conversation for our people about the dynamics of our power and our relationship to money.
We will continue to unveil new initiatives to increase transparency and accountability, and will continue to disrupt what philanthropy looks like in service of Black people. BLMGNF is working diligently to increase operations transparency, including tightening compliance operations and growing the board to help steer the organization to its next evolution.
Latest Updates
September 5, 2022 Update: Response from BLMGNF’s Lawyer to Melina Abdullah and BLM Grassroots Lawsuit
September 5, 2022 Update: Independent External Audit (Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021; PDF)
September 1, 2022 Update: The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Board of Directors’ Response Statement to Melina Abdullah and BLM Grassroots’ Press Conference
On May 13, 2022, Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation submitted its 990 with the Internal Revenue Service ahead of the federal deadline. BLMGNF also submitted state charitable solicitation renewals to become compliant in all 50 states, positioning the organization to continue raising funds to support Black frontline organizations across the U.S. and around the world.
3 Big Takeaways from the 990
- We are the largest Black, abolitionist, philanthropic organization to have ever existed in this nation’s history. What we are doing has never been done before.
- Despite assertions otherwise, an independent audit has revealed that Black Lives Matter’s finances are strong, the organization is financially sound, and its leaders have been good stewards of the people’s donations.
- We are continuing to evolve from an organization that was boxed into Black death, to what it means to celebrate the fullness of Black life. The things that we live for, and that keep us safe.
Mission
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is working inside and outside of the system to heal the past, re-imagine the present, and invest in the future of Black lives through policy change, investment in our communities, and a commitment to arts and culture.
Vision
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation imagines a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles. By achieving liberation, we envision a future that is fully divested from police, prisons, and all punishment paradigms to be replaced with investment into justice, joy, and culture.
Meet Our Growing Board of Directors
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is pleased to announce Cicley Gay, D’Zhane Parker, and Shalomyah Bowers to the BLM GNF Board of Directors…
FAQs
Who is leading BLMGNF?
We currently have three board members with an extensive background in racial justice work. We will be expanding the board over the next few months and we will announce future plans regarding building organizational infrastructure.
How much money does BLMGNF currently have?
You will be able to see BLMGNF’s current assets on our 990 form, linked below.
What is a 990 form?
A 990 form, often referred to simply as “a 990,” is a document that some organizations are required to submit to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a part of their annual reporting. It is a document that provides the public with financial information about an organization and helps organizations stay in compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
When can we expect BLMGNF to release their 990 form?
You can see BLMGNF’s current assets on our 990 form, linked below.
What measures is BLMGNF taking to increase transparency and accountability?
Despite past efforts, BLMGNF recognizes that there is more work to do to increase transparency and ensure transitions in leadership are clear. We are working overtime to increase operations transparency, tightening compliance operations, and building out a formal leadership infrastructure. This Transparency Center is an example of our efforts to increase transparency.
In the meantime, we also want to ensure the public is able to easily access important documents. You can see two below:
- 2020-2021 990 Form
- Tides Foundation Financial Statement: Balance Sheet (Fund)
Has the Foundation been reimbursed for the private events held at the Creator’s House?
Yes, all reimbursements to the organization have been paid.
Why was the Creator’s House purchased?
Black creativity is necessary and vital to Black survival. BLM has always held that tradition sacred, partnering with artists of every kind since our founding. The Creator’s House was purchased as a space of our own, with the intention of providing housing and studio space for recipients of the Black Joy Creators Fellowship in service of Black culture and the movement.
The fellowship provides a space for Black folks to share their gifts with the world and hone their craft as they see fit, under the conditions that work best for them and outside systems of oppression in creative industries. Black artists are often underfunded and under-resourced impeding their ability to create without the constraints of white supremacist structures. Particularly during the height of the pandemic, numerous art spaces closed and financial programs were cut leaving a void in the artist community. Having a physical space for Black artists to collaborate, imagine, and experiment is an investment in the culture.
What are the plans for the Creator’s House moving forward?
We will have more concrete plans for the Creator’s House once we have further built out internal infrastructure and staff, but the plan remains to use the space for recipients of the Black Joy Creators Fellowship to share their gifts with the world and hone their craft as they see fit, under the conditions that work best for them and outside systems of oppression in creative industries.
What are BLMGNF’s plans to further support victims of police brutality and their families?
Overall, BLMGNF had spent less than 10 percent on overhead costs (which comes in stark contrast to 30 percent in overhead costs from orgs that get an “A” rating from Guidestar, a leading non-profit watchdog organization).
Over $25 million reinvested into the Black community:
- Over $10 million in grants to Black-led frontline organizations
- Over $13 million in grants to BLM Chapters
- Nearly $3 million in grants to Impacted Family Foundations
- $3 million of “stimi” COVID relief funding given directly to Black people
In addition to direct financial support for families, we will continue focusing on creating change at a systemic level through mobilization, advocacy, and policy work, such as the continued fight to end qualified immunity, as well as building support among policymakers for federal legislation like the BREATHE Act + the People’s Response Act.
Can BLMGNF fundraise in all 50 states?
Yes! Although we briefly shut down our online fundraising to ensure we were meeting all compliance requirements, we have turned our fundraising operations back on. The organization has fulfilled all of its fundraising registration obligations. As of July 13, the 9th Anniversary of the movement, BLMGNF resumed fundraising efforts in all 50 states.
Can BLMGNF receive funds through AmazonSmile?
Over the last few months, we have worked with representatives at AmazonSmile to reinstate BLMGNF on the platform. Through our continued effort to increase transparency, we have taken the steps necessary to get the foundation back on AmazonSmile as of August 2022.
Is Black Lives Matter Foundation associated with Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation?
No. As detailed in this Mashable article from 2020, Black Lives Matter Foundation is not associated with Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation in any way. We recommend that anyone wishing to donate to Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation do so by going through the blacklivesmatter.com website and our official social media and email channels.