Generosity in the Deep South: How Race and Place Shape Philanthropy
September 4th, 2025
By Dr. Regina Moorer, Senior Policy Analyst
Philanthropy in the Deep South has a unique character. In states like Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, households regularly give, even when income is limited. Households in these regions consistently allocate a higher percentage of their income to charity than Americans in many wealthier areas.[1] This pattern holds especially true for Black households, which research shows donate a higher percentage of their income than White households.[2] This generosity highlights both the resilience of Black households during difficult times and the power of collective care in sustaining communities.
The Roots of Black Philanthropy
Black philanthropy began as an act of survival and self-determination. When excluded from formal institutions and systems in the 18th and 19th centuries, Black communities created their own institutions for social, economic, civic, and religious engagement. For example, the Free African Society, established in 1787 by leaders such as Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, pooled limited resources to provide aid, healthcare, and community support.[3] Mutual aid and benevolent societies emerged throughout the 19th century, offering sick benefits, funeral coverage, and economic protection in a profoundly unequal society.
These early institutions laid the groundwork for generations of giving. They were not simply charitable; they were mechanisms of community stability. That tradition continues. From church fundraisers to digital mutual aid campaigns, the legacy of self-funded community support remains central to Black life in the South.
Anchored in Faith and Community
The Black church has long been the heart of philanthropy in the South.[4] Tithes and offerings have supported more than worship services. They have funded schools, scholarships, clinics, food programs, and civil rights organizing.[5] During the pandemic, half of Black households supported religious organizations, compared to 38 percent of White households[6] (See Figure 1).
Figure 1: Religious Giving Patterns by Race
Black households have Higher Rates of Religious Giving Despite than White Counterparts
Source: Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, 2021
These donations provided food, rental, and utility assistance, as well as health outreach and online worship and counseling services during the pandemic.[7]
Even today, Black households are still more likely than White households to donate through religious institutions, making their giving personal, direct, and deeply rooted in faith. This tradition of faith-based giving also influences broader patterns of generosity. The racial reckoning of 2020 serves as a recent example of how Black communities responded not only through protest but also through giving. This watershed moment refers to the nationwide protests, activism, and public debate that followed the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others. Nearly half (46 percent) of Black donors increased their giving that year, more than any other racial group.[8] Much of this giving happened outside formal philanthropic channels. It flowed through churches, family networks, and local fundraisers.
The Geography of Giving
This tradition of faith-based giving extends beyond religious institutions and shapes broader patterns of generosity. Black households remain heavily concentrated in the South, where nearly 60 percent of the U.S. Black population resides, shaping both the region’s culture of giving and the impact of persistent funding gaps.[9] Southern households lead the nation in charitable donations relative to income. In cities like Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham, and Nashville, households donate 4 to 6 percent of their discretionary income.[10]
Figure 2: Charitable Giving by Region
Southerners Give a Larger Share of Their Income to Charity than other Regions 
Source: Philanthropy Roundtable
Yet, this high level of generosity is not matched by institutional philanthropy. Between 2010 and 2014, parts of the Deep South received just $41 per capita in foundation funding, compared to $451 per capita nationally.[11] Even with a 51 percent increase in Southeast foundation funding between 2014 and 2019, the region remains underfunded. [12]
Figure 3: Foundation Funding per Capita
Per Capita Funding in the Deep South is 11x lower than the national rate, highlighting the significant gap in philanthropic investment.
This disconnect reveals a stark imbalance. Communities that give the most receive the least in return.
A Path Forward
The patterns of generosity across the South tell a powerful story. Still, they also raise a pressing question: what happens when communities that give the most receive the least investment in return? This tension lies at the heart of philanthropy in the South, where deep traditions of giving coexist with chronic underfunding from institutional philanthropy. The picture is complicated but instructive. On the one hand, Black communities and Southern households are among the most generous givers in the nation. On the other hand, these communities remain chronically under-resourced by institutional philanthropy. That disconnect is not just a missed opportunity; it is a barrier to building long-term wealth and stability.
The solution is not to create new systems from scratch. The systems already exist. They are churches, HBCUs, local nonprofits, and community networks with decades of trust. What they need is capital. By aligning philanthropic resources with these trusted community anchors, funders can help translate Southern generosity into lasting infrastructure, economic opportunity, and shared prosperity. Invest where people already give. The return will be measurable, generational, and rooted in place.
[1] Philanthropy Roundtable. n.d. “Statistics on U.S. Generosity.” Philanthropy Roundtable. https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/statistics-on-u-s-generosity/.
[2] Abalo, Trish, and Tory Martin. 2024. “A Wake-up Call for Investing in the South.” Johnson Center for Philanthropy. January 17, 2024. https://johnsoncenter.org/blog/a-wake-up-call-for-investing-in-the-south/.
[3] Rock, Henry. 2024. “Celebrating Black Philanthropy Month: A Living History of Mutual Aid and Triumph – City Startup Labs.” City Startup Labs – Creating a New Class of Entrepreneurs and Innovators. August 27, 2024. https://citystartuplabs.com/celebrating-black-philanthropy-month-a-living-history-of-mutual-aid-and-triumph/.
[4] Barnes, S. L. (2013). Black Church Giving: An Analysis of Ideological, Programmatic, and Denominational Effects. SAGE Open, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013490706
[5] Turner, Jill Foley. 2025. “Generous Roots: What Black Philanthropy Can Teach Us about Resilience – National Christian Foundation.” National Christian Foundation. February 19, 2025. https://www.ncfgiving.com/stories/generous-roots-black-giving.
[6] Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (Lake Institute on Faith & Giving), Everyday Donors of Color: Diverse Philanthropy During Times of Change (2021).
[7] Brumley, Jeff. 2022. “Despite Financial Hardships, Americans Upped Their Giving to Congregations during Pandemic – Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.” Lake Institute on Faith & Giving. August 25, 2022. https://lakeinstitute.org/americans-upped-their-giving-to-congregations/.
[8] Spicer, Tamela. 2022. “Donors of Color Are Mobilizing at the Forefront of Emerging Trends.” Johnson Center for Philanthropy. February 17, 2022. https://johnsoncenter.org/blog/donors-of-color-are-mobilizing-for-their-communities-often-at-the-forefront-of-emerging-trends/.
[9] Martinez, Gracie, and Jeffrey S. Passel. 2025. “Facts about the U.S. Black Population.” Pew Research Center. January 23, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/fact-sheet/facts-about-the-us-black-population/.
[10] Philanthropy Roundtable. n.d. “Who Gives Most to Charity?” Philanthropy Roundtable. https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/who-gives-most-to-charity/.
[11] Schlegel, Ryan, and Stephanie Peng. n.d. “As the as the South Grows South Grows: On Fertile Soil.” Accessed August 28, 2025. https://ncrp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/As-the-South-Grows-On-Fertile-Soil.pdf.
[12] Abalo, Trish, and Tory Martin. 2024. “A Wake-up Call for Investing in the South.” Johnson Center for Philanthropy. January 17, 2024. https://johnsoncenter.org/blog/a-wake-up-call-for-investing-in-the-south/.
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