The households of single women, Black Americans, LGBTQ+ people, and independent young adults demonstrated greater levels of support for the 2020 racial justice protests and were more likely to give money in support of racial justice causes and organizations, a report from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI finds.

Based on a survey conducted online in May 2021 with 2,073 households and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the report, Women Give 2022: Racial Justice, Gender and Generosity (42 pages, PDF), found that 42.0 percent of the population and nearly half of single women (48.2 percent) supported the 2020 racial justice protests, though only 14.2 percent actually donated money in support of racial justice, with single women more likely to give to these causes than single men. According to the survey, grassroots organizations addressing specific issues related to racial equity were most likely to receive this support.

The survey also found that 23.5 percent of households supported racial justice in some form in 2020, including both financial and non-financial measures of generosity. In addition, the survey found that single women were more likely than single men to take action by donating to political candidates who support their views on racial equity issues.

“Despite being disproportionately impacted by the global pandemic, women of all backgrounds have contributed to racial justice movements in countless ways, from participating in marches, to financial support, to contacting elected officials to demand police accountability,” said Una Osili, associate dean for research and international programs at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “While corporate and foundation pledges to racial justice have received significant attention, women have been supporting these efforts all along. As the philanthropic community continues to advance racial justice, it’s critical to consider the multitude of ways that donors show their generosity.”

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