Place-Based Stigma and Community Foundation Grant Making

Public concerns about the uneven geographic distribution of philanthropic grants have prompted scholarly interest in how place influences funding outcomes. This study adopts the concept of place-based stigma to examine how the racial and socioeconomic characteristics of location may disadvantage organizations seeking funding from community foundations. Using quantitative methods, findings indicate that differences in the place-based racial and class characteristics of grant makers and recipients intensify the negative effect of place-based stigma on funding outcomes. Unexpectedly, these stigmatizing effects are strongest when recipients were located within the same community as the grant maker. These findings highlight the important role of place, and the social meanings attached to it, in shaping philanthropic behavior. These findings enhance understanding of persistent disparities in philanthropic support to marginalized communities and provide insights into promoting more equitable distribution of philanthropic resources.