Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), are top priorities among the nonprofits with whom we work. 

Taking a stand and espousing DEI values isn’t enough; you have to live them in your day-to-day operations. Studies suggest that nonprofits are still behind, particularly regarding diversity. Seventy-nine percent of board chairs and executive directors are non-Latinx white, compared to sixty percent in the general population.

DEI can follow a few different formats for nonprofits, and some have done a great job embracing these initiatives. Here, we’re highlighting nonprofits that provide an excellent example in the DEI space, following the framework of an action plan as provided by the National Council of Nonprofits. 

Organizational Values

From the National Council of Nonprofits: “Are organizational values published on the nonprofit’s website or otherwise shared publicly? Does it make sense for your DEI commitments to be inward-facing, outward-facing or a combination of both?”

Publishing your DEI values can be a great form of accountability to stakeholders and the general public. What commitments are you making toward DEI? You can expect that people will look, and many might offer feedback. 

It’s not just about accountability; many people will actively look for your organizational values. Donors want to know that the organizations they support have strong values, similar to their own.

In the nonprofit space, we can find multiple examples of organizations that publish their DEI commitments. The United Way has a published equity framework outlining their shared definition of vision and equity, along with six “levers” for success. 

The National Geographic Society tackles its commitment to DEI directly on its website. One thing that makes this public commitment stand out is the acknowledgment of troubling aspects of the Society’s past, particularly regarding DEI. Historically, National Geographic often published stories that didn’t dignify or respect the communities they explored. “These parts of our own history are incredibly painful, but we recognize that fully accepting and acknowledging the mistakes of our past allows us to build our diverse, inclusive and equitable future.”

Opportunities to Listen to Community Voices

From the National Council of Nonprofits: “Does your nonprofit create opportunities to listen to the voices directly from community, grassroots, or young leaders in low-income, under-served and/or marginalized populations within its community?”

These are the voices often missing from meaningful conversations, yet those conversations often directly impact their futures. 

We Conserve PA is an example of a nonprofit that gets it. This DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice) community for conservationists has over 90 staff, board members and volunteers from 75 different organizations throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C., New Jersey and Delaware. National organizations also participate.

The organization provides a forum to share experiences, learn about and advance effective practices and identify opportunities to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in conservation work. They specifically seek out and highlight community voices and have formed several “pods” to address specific goals.

Expecting Partners to Uphold the Organization’s Values

From the National Council of Nonprofits: “Does your organization expect its collaborative and community partners to uphold its own values?”

Partner organizations play a pivotal role for nonprofits, which would reflect poorly on the nonprofit to “buddy-up” to anyone with antithetical values. It’s also worth considering if the partner organization espouses common values. Do they actually live them? It’s one thing to have values published on their website, but often another to follow through.

The American Cancer Society is one example of a nonprofit that highlights its partnerships with organizations that promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. They highlight this among their values here.

Diverse Board Recruitment and Staff Hiring

From the National Council for Nonprofits: “How can your nonprofit open its board recruitment and staff hiring pipeline to talented candidates from among underrepresented groups?”

You can’t live DEI without deliberate actions to ensure diversity among your board and staff. As we highlighted earlier, this still tends to be a weakness among nonprofits, particularly if you look at senior roles. There can be multiple barriers to DEI, which nonprofits should analyze concerning their own initiatives. Informal mentoring, bullying and insensitivity can prevent otherwise-competent people of diverse backgrounds from advancing.

Mercy Corps is an example of a nonprofit that is transparent about how its hiring process helps them to achieve its DEI goals. "We believe that only by bringing together a diverse range of identities, experiences and perspectives can we tackle complex crises and create a future where everyone can prosper." They also have published their vision for diversity among their global leadership.

Tracking Progress Towards DEI Goals

From the National Council of Nonprofits: “How will your nonprofit assess the progress you are making towards your goals of diversity, inclusion and equity?  What will success look like? Feel like?”

If you’re not setting very specific DEI goals and tracking progress, how will you know whether you’re achieving and living your DEI values? Measuring progress is essential to determine if you’re doing the right things or need to make a new strategy.

Tracking and assessing your progress can be another form of transparency and accountability, as shown by NPR. They have an “Ongoing Work” page on their website describing diversity as core work, not just a special project. For further transparency, they also post their strategic plan priority for DEI.

Conclusion

Nonprofits must ask the questions highlighted by the National Council of Nonprofits and check-in to examine any internal biases or barriers to DEI within their organization.

Critically, it’s about walking the talk, taking the proper action steps and being accountable for results. This is the main reason we encourage nonprofits to include DEI in their strategic plan.

DEI components should be aligned to work with an organization's overall strategy. When developing a strategic plan, consider how your nonprofit will promote diversity, equity and inclusion in your work, employment practices, boardroom, communications and more.

The National Council of Nonprofits provides a list of great resources you can use. Check them out here.