As economic inequality and police brutality persist, this February is the time to redouble our centuries-long struggle for racial equality. 

Introduction

This February, we are celebrating Black History Month by highlighting nonprofits that advocate for Black communities in the United States and around the world. 

Black History Month* was first conceived by African American historian Carter G. Woodson in 1915. While it has been expanded upon by many Black figures in history, Black History Month reminds us to set aside each year to recognize the contributions of the Black community. 

In 2008, on the precipice of becoming the 44th President of the United States and first Black person to hold the office, Barack Obama declared to the American people, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” 

These words endure today because they are not the expression of any party agenda, but a poignant observation about the power of people and organizations to bring about racial equality. Celebrating Black achievements means ensuring that systemic issues are swiftly redressed and all Black people are allowed to flourish. 

Here’s what your organization can do to help. 

How organizations can support Black History Month

At Deed, we believe that we can become the change we seek by doing good deeds. We invite our community of partners to celebrate Black culture directly by engaging their employees in giving and volunteering, listening and learning. And the way we help you do that is our “Cause of the Month” initiative. 

What is Deed’s “Cause of the Month” initiative?

Deed launched our “Cause of the Month” initiative in response to the important moments we see happening in the world around us. With concise, specific 20+ page toolkits, we aim to inspire our partners and rally all employee volunteers, donors, and leaders to support causes they really care about. 

With “Cause of the Month,” we aim to bring greater context to periods of observance—from Pride Month to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Black History Month—such that anyone who reads our toolkit will have a clear plan of action for how to maintain their support today, tomorrow, for the rest of the month, and throughout the year. 

What will I get in every “Cause of the Month” toolkit? 

While every “Cause of the Month” toolkit has unique insights and engagement opportunities relevant to each particular cause, you can always expect us to cover certain areas. For a better idea of what you’ll be getting, here’s what’s included in our “Black History Month” toolkit: 

• Volunteer and giving opportunities in the U.S. and around the world.
• In-depth look at specific cause areas, including: social justice, economic opportunity, health, and more.
• A calendar of awareness days in February.
• Employee and employee resource group (ERG) engagement ideas, as well as a walkthrough of how to craft a social impact campaign around Black History Month.
• Recommendations of worthwhile books, podcasts, and films on Black history

Preview: “Cause of the Month: Black History Month”

How to engage employees during Black History Month

The latest CECP data for 2022 shows a continued decline across all industries in employee engagement in social impact. But organizations who use Deed aren’t just exceptions to that trend, they’re creating a new trend of their own. Namely, in times of crisis—from the COVID-19 pandemic to boiling-point social tension—employees are willing and able to make a difference. What they need now is a platform that is as easy to use as it is powerful. 

The more light that is shed on the systemic hurdles the Black community faces in the U.S. and around the world, the more necessary it becomes for every organization to empower its employees to act. Whether that means making it easier for them to volunteer for a nonprofit that helps the victims of yesterday’s socioeconomic system, or to donate to a nonprofit that is actively building the more equitable system of tomorrow, Deed makes doing the right thing easier.

Deed is a workplace giving and volunteering platform that puts people first, because user experience shouldn’t stand between you and doing good. We help social impact and DEIB teams foster genuine human connection by empowering employees to support causes they care about together in-person and online. Backed by PayPal and a solid infrastructure of trusted payment processors, our Fortune 500 partners support +2 million nonprofits with ease. And together, our community is doing more good deeds everyday at work, at home, in our neighborhoods, and all over the world.

To claim your copy of our full “Cause of the Month: Black History Month” toolkit, reach out now. 

*Black History Month is observed in February by both the United States—where it is also known as African American History Month—and Canada. Some countries celebrate Black history at different points throughout the year, (e.g., the U.K. observes in October). Though we usually provide expansive geographic diversity, this month we tried to pay special attention to organizations and opportunities in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.