Overcoming skepticism is crucial in reaching black donors.

By Paul Barbagallo

A desirable constituency
Some 52 percent of African Americans surveyed by national nonprofit coalition Independent Sector in the late 1990s gave to a charity, and 47 percent volunteered. According to the 2001 study, “Giving and Volunteering in the United States,” blacks are more likely to contribute to an organization than Hispanics (80.6 percent versus 77.6 percent, respectively). Based on nonprofit consulting firm Wirthlin Worldwide’s 2002 year-end study of donor behavior, African-American respondents are significantly more likely than others to be first-time donors, and they gave more in 2002 than in 2001.