Campaign for Black Male Achievement

Campaign for Black Male Achievement
Name	Campaign for Black Male Achievement
Formation	2010
Founder	MacArthur Foundation
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois
Region served	United States
Leader title	President

Campaign for Black Male Achievement is a philanthropic initiative launched to improve outcomes for black men and boys across the United States by supporting community organizations, research centers, and policy efforts. It operates at the intersection of philanthropy, civil rights advocacy, and social services, connecting funders such as the Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Annie E. Casey Foundation with grassroots groups including the NAACP, National Urban League, and community-based organizations. The initiative has engaged state and municipal actors such as the City of Chicago and federal actors such as the United States Department of Justice through collaborations with universities like Howard University, University of Chicago, and Spelman College.

History

The initiative was announced amid broader philanthropic conversations involving the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and dialogues with leaders associated with the Black Lives Matter movement, the King Center, and historians from Howard University and Morehouse College. Early convenings brought together activists linked to Al Sharpton, scholars from Cornell University and Columbia University, and nonprofit executives from organizations such as Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and PolicyLink. Initial grantmaking paralleled efforts by entities like the Annenberg Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to address disparities highlighted by reports from the Pew Research Center, the Sentencing Project, and legal analyses produced by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Mission and Goals

The mission emphasizes strengthening leadership pipelines through fellowships like those modeled on programs at Harvard University's Harvard Kennedy School, expanding evidence-based practice used by groups such as Johns Hopkins University's research centers, and reducing disparities highlighted by data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Goals include improving civic engagement comparable to initiatives led by Southern Christian Leadership Conference alumni, increasing employment comparable to workforce programs at Year Up and JVS, and addressing justice system involvement through partnerships inspired by reform efforts from the Sentencing Project and advocacy by the ACLU and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs supported span leadership development, direct service, research, and policy advocacy. Leadership tracks mirror models used by Echoing Green and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation fellowships and collaborate with training programs at Teach For America and the Aspen Institute. Service programs draw on approaches pioneered by United Way Worldwide affiliates and employment initiatives similar to Jobs for the Future and ManpowerGroup pilots. Research initiatives have involved centers at Princeton University, Yale University, and University of Michigan producing analyses in formats used by the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution. Policy-focused efforts have engaged coalitions akin to the Campaign for Youth Justice and reform campaigns led by figures such as Van Jones and organizations like Color of Change.

Funding and Partnerships

Funders include major foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and Annie E. Casey Foundation, with philanthropic coordination modeled on consortia like the Clinton Global Initiative and collaborative funding platforms such as those employed by the Gates Foundation for education. Partnerships extend to academic institutions including Howard University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and public research centers such as Urban Institute and RAND Corporation. Strategic alliances have been formed with civil rights organizations including NAACP, National Urban League, and advocacy groups like Color of Change and Black Youth Project.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluations draw on methodologies used by the What Works Clearinghouse and metrics similar to those published by the National Bureau of Economic Research and Rand Corporation. Reported impacts include strengthened capacity for recipient organizations modeled after outcomes reported by Nonprofit Finance Fund and improved participant outcomes paralleling results from YouthBuild USA and Year Up evaluations. Independent assessments have been commissioned from researchers at Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton University, and University of Chicago to analyze effects on employment, educational attainment, and justice system contact, using data sources akin to the U.S. Census Bureau and reports from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques mirror debates that have surrounded philanthropic initiatives such as those involving the Rockefeller Foundation or Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: concerns about top-down grantmaking, accountability, and measurable outcomes. Critics from community organizers aligned with the Black Lives Matter network and commentators at outlets like The Atlantic and The New York Times have questioned whether philanthropic coalitions can adequately center grassroots leadership represented by groups such as Black Voters Matter and Black Youth Project. Debates also echo tensions seen in evaluations of large-scale efforts by the Annenberg Foundation and Ford Foundation about sustainability versus short-term project funding.

Notable Leaders and Affiliates

Key figures associated with the initiative and allied efforts include philanthropic leaders from the MacArthur Foundation and Ford Foundation, activists and scholars such as Van Jones, civil rights leaders with ties to the NAACP and National Urban League, and academic partners from institutions like Howard University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Affiliates span nonprofit executives who have led organizations such as Color of Change, PolicyLink, Urban Institute, and community organizers from networks including Black Lives Matter, Black Voters Matter, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Category:African-American organizations