Black Lives Matter’s Funding Fiasco: Why Donations Are Drying Up

Things just keep getting worse for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLM), which has been rocked by numerous scandals involving how it used the millions of dollars in donations it received after the murder of George Floyd. A recent report revealed that the organization’s donations have declined severely.

This development is a positive one because it means people have woken up to the reality that the organization’s leadership is more concerned about enriching themselves and their friends than dealing with the issue of police brutality. According to a tax return obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Black Lives Matter (BLM) experienced financial difficulties and significant investment losses in 2022.

From the report:

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation ran an $8.5 million deficit and saw the value of its investment accounts plummet by nearly $10 million in the most recent tax year, financial disclosures show. The group logged a $961,000 loss on a securities sale of $172,000, suggesting the charity weathered a staggering 85 percent loss on the transaction. These troubles didn’t stop BLM from doling out seven-figure contracts to friends and family of its former executive director Patrisse Cullors, who once said charity financial disclosures were “triggering” and “deeply unsafe.”

BLM has faced setbacks and controversies throughout the year, with a steep decline in fundraising, raising only $9.3 million in the 2022 fiscal year, an 88 percent decrease from the previous year. Compliance and transparency issues led to the suspension of online fundraising streams in February 2022. Furthermore, BLM’s excessive spending continued, with over $10.5 million allocated to contractors, many of which had connections to Cullors’s friends and family.

Cullors’s brother, Paul Cullors, received $1.6 million for providing “professional security services” and was one of only two paid employees at BLM, earning a $126,000 salary as head of security in addition to consulting fees. The financial disclosures also revealed substantial payments to other individuals connected to Cullors, including BLM board member Shalomyah Bowers and former board member Danielle Edwards.

What was even more galling to the group’s supporters was the revelation that it was giving very little of the donations it received to local chapters that are doing the work on the ground in their communities. Many Americans donated to the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, believing they were helping the black community. But after a myriad of scandals, it is clear this was not the case.

Darvio Morrow, podcaster and director of the documentary “BLM Aftermath,” told RedState:

The actions of the Black Lives Matter Global Foundation have raised concerns about its commitment to addressing these critical issues. Reports of financial mismanagement, nepotism, and questionable expenditures have tarnished the organization’s reputation and undermined its ability to effectively fight against police brutality. As a result, the decline in donations to BLM signals a growing understanding among the public that this organization is not genuinely dedicated to tackling the problem at its core.

The controversies surrounding BLM’s financial practices have fueled skepticism about the organization’s true priorities and commitment to combating police brutality. The reported decline in donations to BLM indicates a growing public awareness that the foundation’s focus may not align with its stated mission. Instead of directing funds towards meaningful initiatives, BLM has been criticized for using a significant portion of its resources to purchase luxury properties and provide lucrative contracts to individuals connected to its leadership.