How to Change the Giver-Taker Narrative in Philanthropy

Community impact is built around narratives. 

In philanthropy, there is a common narrative about who is the Giver and who is the Taker in charitable exchanges. The Giver is wealthy, educated, charming, and social. They attend galas. They are white and likely a woman. In contrast, the Taker is low-income or even poor, uneducated, persistent, and good-willed. They don't attend galas. They are Black or Brown and possibly a woman.

In this post, we'll use the term Taker, instead of Receiver/Recipient because of the negative associations society has with poverty and people living in poverty. Taker isn't used to condemn those living in poverty. Instead, its use is to amplify the harmful impact this narrative has inside and outside philanthropic circles.

The images we have of the Giver and Taker have been retold to us repeatedly in different formats. In the nineties and early 2000s, charitable infomercials featuring a Black child with flies hovering around them and resting near their eyes, while a white man or woman spoke into the camera, explaining how "a single donation can save the child," were standard on television. Sometimes the child was standing in what appeared to be a landfill, or attempting to collect muddy water in half of a plastic jug. During the late 2000s and into the 2010s, the visuals and phrasing changed. The children were still Black or Brown, but instead of wearing tattered clothes, they wore baggy jeans, backward caps, and chains. Terms like "impoverished" or "troubled kids" had been replaced with descriptors like "inner-city youth."

The imagery and wording shifted, but the foundations of this narrative have remained the same. Because progress is continuous, progress cannot only be in how we present ourselves, but how we present others, especially if we're partially in control of telling their stories. So, how do we change the narrative?

1. Take a Look at Your Board

Your board should reflect the community you serve. Placing people from the community in leadership positions flips the expected story we've been told about melanated folks, people living in poverty, and other oppressed groups. There isn't a single way a Giver looks, and a board reflective of the community shows that there are many ways leadership—impact—can appear. These board members can be former recipients of the organization's services or residents of the area where the nonprofit operates. What matters most is placing people with similar backgrounds to those you serve in leadership roles so community members understand the potential they inherently hold.

2. Consent Matters

Consent is forever changing. If a community member consented to have their photos taken and used at the end-of-year event, that consent may not apply to the spring open house. This is partially due to life circumstances changing. People get jobs, they end relationships, they move, and/or their mental health status changes. The point is to ensure consent is still in place. You can check by verbally asking, offering opt-in waivers, or sending a general opt-out form to event attendees in advance. Because we live in a media-heavy world, most people are indifferent about their images being used, and collecting a list of people who aren't is relatively easy.

3. Show People at Their Best

As more citizens use their phones to document ICE detainments, there have been conversations around how and what to record. Many people default to recording the person being detained for easy identification. While this is done with good intentions, we have to remember we're capturing people in their most traumatic moments, moments that don’t need to be put on display. Instead, organizations like CASA suggest focusing on the ICE agents, the perpetrators. A similar logic should be applied to the community you serve, even if they're not immigrants. When you're recording video or shooting images, are you capturing community members at their best? Is the photo of them a moment they'd want others to see?

These are a few factors to question as you consider the story your organization is telling its community.

If you want to learn more about crafting nonprofit narratives, send us an email and schedule a free thirty-minute consultation. We look forward to seeing you thrive!

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