D5 Coalition Webinar: Career Paths of People of Color in Philanthropy

Once in a Blue Moon Lunch & Learn Series

The D5 Coalition and Public Interest Projects co-sponsored a webinar series, "Advancing Issues at the Core of Philanthropy: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion."

In the final webinar, “Career Trajectories of People of Color in Philanthropy," researchers from Forward Change discuss their interviews with people of color to identify what got them in, what kept them in, and what influenced their careers in philanthropy.

Two key findings of the report were:

• Multiple pathways of professional advancement. There were three primary career pathways by which they advanced within the sector: 1) Moving up across foundations with relatively few instances of internal promotion; 2) Experiencing the majority of their advancement into more senior roles within a single foundation; and 3) Rising exclusively within one foundation.


• Upward trajectories within the sector. Of the 18 CEOs and Executive Team Members (i.e., Vice Presidents and Senior Vice Presidents) who held at least one prior, less senior position in philanthropy, 14 began their careers at the Program Officer level or below, and five of these leaders entered the field as Program Support staff.

Download the slides from the webinar here.