Tapping Into the Power of Multicultural Philanthropy

Here are some strategies to help nonprofits learn about and better connect with racially and ethnically diverse audiences:

• Understand the complexity of the ethnic markets: African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American audiences respond to different kinds of cultural messages and have different kinds of language concerns. For example, Asian audiences comprise several subsets including Cambodian,Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese. Latinos include, among others, Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. African-American subsets include the Caribbean community; African immigrants such as Somalians and Nigerians; Cape Verdeans; and Haitians. Further, as in the mainstream market, there are class, age, gender and economic differences within these groups.