Dwayne Ashley

With over 30 years in the philanthropic industry, Dwayne Ashley has utilized his knowledge of fundraising and passion for social justice to create opportunities for people of color through his founding of Bridge Philanthropic Consulting (BPC), the nation’s only full-service Black-owned fundraising firm. Throughout his career, Dwyane sought to align with organizations that shared his values regarding the betterment of Black-and-Brown people and, through that alignment, has raised over $1 billion to support those communities.

During his early years, the spirit of charity was instilled into Dwayne through witnessing his great-grandmother’s establishing one of the first schools to educate blacks in Heflin, Louisiana, which has now been memorialized as one of the oldest Black churches in the state. The weaving of his greatgrandmother’s legacy into Louisiana’s rich history pushed Dwayne to forge his own path and attend Wiley College and the University of Pennsylvania’s Fel’s School of Government, where he learned how he too could use his knowledge to help the disenfranchised.

Following his time in college, Dwayne joined notable organizations like the African American Development Officers and The Giving Institute—serving on the board of each—as well as serving as a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, where he sat on board positions with Philadelphia and New York City chapters. In addition to professional organizations, Dwayne is also a member of community-based organizations like One Hundred Black Men of New York and a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, where he has been honored with the ‘Bigger Better Business’ award leading to his five-time inclusion in Ebony Magazine’s list for most influential Black Americans.