A few weeks ago, The New Philanthropists, in partnership with I lLive Here I Give Here convened a discussion on how we, as leaders in organizations can address the current anti-DEI sentiment. We hosted a couple of community discussions. The first one focused on your leadership influence and how you can stand up and really play a role within your sphere of influence to address the backlash that we are seeing in communities. With the second discussion, we brought together organization leaders from nonprofits and funders and what they’re doing to navigate this issue within their organizations, and provide real life case studies of how they have addressed the current landscape.
The Takeaway was clear; it’s how we “all” can come together in unity and address the anti-DEI backlash that we’re seeing that is a ripple effect from SB-17. When we come together as community and nonprofit leaders, we can engage in dialogue with our communities, board members and funders around addressing this issue. Some of the key takeaways that we learned included the following.
— We need to have trust with our leaders and board members to have open dialogue and conversations around this issue
— When we hold true to our values, we can find ways to navigate and have honest discussions with funders
— When we can showcase how the work we do, the services we provide benefits the whole community; we can continue to do this work without fear of losing funding or support
— When we include “all” of us in the community, we mean bringing in resources for the most vulnerable in our communities.
— Using data to reinforce the work that we do in communities is a key strategy that we must utilize
Of course, we’d like to thank our courageous community and speakers for their insights and leadership.
— Elisha Smith Arrillaga – Center for Effective Philanthropy
— Estevan Delgado – TNP Board Triad Chair
— Sharon Vigil – Communities in Schools
— Jenny Achilles – Trellis Foundation
— Johanna Moya Fábregas – Con Mi Madre
We’ve been here before and by supporting and learning from each other, we can navigate these challenging times. Of course, TNP is here for you. We help organizations work with their boards and leadership by bringing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a sustainable practice. Let’s work together, send us an email!
Resources: Here’s a list of resources to help you navigate the anti-DEI landscape.
Key Studies and Sources Supporting DEI in Nonprofits
- McKinsey & Company (2020): Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters – Highlights the correlation between diversity and financial performance.
- Harvard Business Review (2018): How Diverse Teams Are Smarter – Explores the link between diversity and team innovation.
- Nonprofit Finance Fund (2021): The State of the Nonprofit Sector – Discusses the impact of diversity on fundraising and donor engagement.
- Blackbaud (2022): The State of Donor Engagement – Examines donor preferences regarding organizational diversity.
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM, 2021): Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement – Connects DEI efforts with employee satisfaction.
- Deloitte (2020): Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace – Analyzes retention rates in inclusive environments.
- Urban Institute (2019): The Role of Nonprofits in Community Development – Discusses the importance of nonprofits reflecting their communities.
- Pew Research Center (2021): Public Perceptions of Nonprofit Organizations – Investigates trust in inclusive organizations.
- National Council of Nonprofits (2023): Funding and Partnership Opportunities – Details the advantages of DEI in securing funding.
- Annie E. Casey Foundation (2022): Building Stronger Communities Through Inclusive Programs – Highlights the effectiveness of DEI-focused programs.