Meet an Everyday Philanthropist: Layo Philanthropic Partners Founder, Funmilayo Brown

At Layo Philanthropic Partners, we believe that everyone has what it takes to become a philanthropist. Small seeds planted in our early days can lead to big careers where we seek change for all and call upon others to fulfill their social responsibility. For March, we sat down with our very own Funmilayo Brown, Founder and CEO of Layo Philanthropic Partners.

Get to know her story, the inspiration behind Layo Partners, and how she became an everyday philanthropist. 

Getting Started

KG: I helped you build this brand so I’m very familiar with your story but we’re here today to share it with everyone else. Tell me a little bit about when you got the idea? Where were you? Who were you? What was the vision? 

FB: I was exhausted. I was sitting on an island, just off the coast of South Carolina, and contemplating my career thus far. I think it was only when I was quiet that I was able to receive the vision.

I built a career in fundraising and consulting with nonprofits and I knew I wanted to reimagine the image of who a philanthropist is and what they could achieve. As part of this, I  sought to create Layo Philanthropic Partners - a philanthropic advisory group that helps people of color create a joy-based giving strategy and connects them to grassroots organizations that are committed to making an impact. 

The image of philanthropy is money, old money at that. The true meaning of philanthropy is love and generosity. My question for people of color is how can Layo Partners help turn your love and generosity into impact? 

KG: I love that idea. Philanthropy is a practice as old as time but it’s exciting to see it brought forward in this way that encourages people to do something today – not when you’re old and gray – but when you’re ready to make a true impact. 

FB: I was a charitable giver for a long time. If you sent me your envelope, I’d put money in. I grew up in the church and saw my mom, my aunt, and my grandmother tithe consistently. The collection plate came around and you threw 10% in. However, when I got to college and went through my first awakening, I started thinking about not just giving, but who I was giving to? 

Gaining Momentum

KG: What did you direct your first giving to? 

FB: It took me a while to get really cause-specific but my first was in childbirth. While I invested financially, I also chose to become a doula and I’d volunteer my services for prenatal, birth, and postpartum care to families who needed that extra support. I also became an advocate for Black maternal healthcare. While there is so much more work to do in this area, I decided to dedicate my time and talent towards a cause I was passionate about and I could see the impact starting to form. 

KG: That’s so much of what you advise folks on today. Whether it’s through Philanthropy 101 or individual Joy-Based Giving Strategy, it’s picking an intention. 

FB: It is. It’s easy to get caught up in what the world demands of you. There will always be a time and a place for charitable giving when the world is on fire. With a Joy-Based Giving Strategy, we’re really asking you to walk down the street and see who started the fire in the first place. As an individual, family, business, foundation, or trusted financial advisor, you have the opportunity to make an impact by choosing an impact area and then having us partner you with organizations making an impact locally, nationally, or on a global scale. 

Funmilayo at her graduation from Oberlin College

KG: I agree! So you redirected your giving from the church and built a philanthropic strategy where you saw a need and felt a connection. Can you tell me more about someone who has inspired you to do this work? 

Funmilayo pictured with her father.

FB: I went to Oberlin College, just an hour outside of Cleveland, and it was a culture shock. I was from Jamaica Queens, NY. My father is from Trinidad and my mother was raised between Burlington, North Carolina and New York City. 

I was facing my first spiritual crisis and my profession, A.G. Miller and his wife, Brenda, opened their home to me – and really, every Black student at Oberlin. It was my home away from home. I just remember how much they loved us. This couple had their own children, jobs, and responsibilities but they truly taught me how to be philanthropic, how to be in the community, and how to love as an action. 

While we work with all people, our focus is on African Americans because we’ve been told that we’re worthless when our value is astronomical. We built this country and in the echo of late-stage capitalism, it’s easy to get consumed by consumerism. However, if we have the ability to build nations, we have the ability to create impact. Through our collective efforts, we can give our time, talents, and resources to create meaningful change. It doesn’t have to be this way. 

Future Thinking

KG: What do you hope your legacy is? 

Funmilayo with her Mother and Grandmother

FB: It is what I teach to my girls – social responsibility. With an immigrant parent, I had the privilege of traveling internationally a lot as a child. We had family all over the world and we had to go see them. It’s the same thing that I want my girls to experience. 

Around the world,  people of color are watching what African Americans do and we take a lot of our power and influence for granted. It’s in our best interest to consider others before ourselves. 

By becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., I’ve also had the opportunity to reconsider my social impact. 

KG: If you could wave a magic wand and solve one world issue, what would it be? 

FB: I’d make sure that children are brought into this world safely and that they’re loved - not just by their parents but by society as a whole. I’d like to have a world that honors the divinity of a woman. Finally,  I’d like to give everyone the gift of being loved. I’ve had the privilege of being loved and loving my people and it’s an experience that can heal us all. 

KG: That’s beautiful Cheers to love. How can people align with your Joy-Based Giving Strategy?

FB: My impact area is women and children. A few of the organizations in my Joy-Based Giving Strategy are Black Girls Code and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I’ve been fortunate enough to also have many friends with philanthropic efforts that I support. Through my work at Layo Philanthropic Partners, I’m able to discover and connect philanthropists to new causes and initiatives every day. 

KG: You’re off the island now and you’re connecting others to their own true calling in life by establishing their philanthropic legacy. 

If you’re interested in getting started building your Joy-Based Giving Strategy, connect with us today.