Foundations have a First Amendment right to make grants that align with their values—including support for historically marginalized communities. The Council on Foundations and Independent Sector have filed an amicus brief defending this right in support of the Fearless Foundation, which is led by Black women with the goal to address funding inequality by providing grants, tools, and mentorship to Black women business owners. Fearless Foundation is facing a lawsuit filed by the American Alliance for Equal Rights, claiming the program is racially discriminatory.
MacArthur has signed onto the statement We Stand for the Right to Give According to Our Values, organized by grantees the Council on Foundations and independent Sector. The statement is clear that philanthropic institutions have a duty to ensure charitable dollars are never used to support hate, extremism, and violence. While the funders who have signed onto the statement have a diversity of views, priorities, and values, we agree that charitable giving is an expression of values and has a positive impact for communities.
