Develop and Resource Your DEI Strategy

You need this if you want to: Incorporate DEI into the foundation’s grantmaking as a dedicated and/or cross-cutting funding priority.

Key activities conducted by the DEI specialist may include:

Gather and analyze data, including perspectives from multiple internal and external stakeholders, to identify opportunities to apply a greater equity focus to your grantmaking priorities.
Engage with Board, leadership, staff and external stakeholders (e.g., community and grantees), as appropriate, to identify clear DEI-related grantmaking goals, including priority areas and levels of investment.
Articulate key strategic choices and trade-offs. Facilitate inclusive discussion and debate to identify aligned strategies (including investment criteria), develop a roadmap for action, and generate broad buy-in.
Develop an implementation plan that prioritizes and sequences actions based on needs. Define structures to further DEI work within the organization.
Identify and allocate budgets necessary to ensure adequate resources to support DEI work. Identify metrics to measure progress.

Does this look similar to what you’re looking for? If yes, fill the form below, and we will be in touch with you shortly.

Diversify Your Grantee Portfolio

You need this if you want to: Identify ways to diversify your grantee pipeline to achieve your foundation’s goals.

Key activities conducted by the DEI specialist may include:

Collect and analyze data to understand how much of your funding goes to different organization types, communities and leaders.
Facilitate trainings and conversations with board, leadership and staff on unconscious bias and how it affects grantmaking decisions by coloring perceptions of who is a good leader and what kinds of organizations are safe bets.
Conduct research (e.g., prospective grantee interviews), if needed, to identify motivators and barriers to participation.
Diversify channels through which grant applicants are recruited and expand outreach to leaders and organizations representing and serving underserved communities.
Simplify, clarify and demystify grant-making criteria, process and timeline to reduce barriers for application.
Develop and implement systems and processes to track progress.

Does this look similar to what you’re looking for? If yes, fill the form below, and we will be in touch with you shortly.

You need this if you want to: Hold grantees accountable to advancing DEI within their organizations.

Key activities conducted by the DEI specialist may include:

Define DEI-related metrics that will be tracked across the foundation’s grantmaking priorities and grantees
Work with grantees to determine how they can advance DEI within their organizations. Ask them to define DEI goals and hold them accountable to achieving them.
Provide support (e.g., funds, resources, connections) to deepen their capability to advance DEI.

Does this look similar to what you’re looking for? If yes, fill the form below, and we will be in touch with you.

You need this if you want to: Communicate and engage with diverse families and community members as partners in the work.

Key activities conducted by the DEI specialist may include:

Identify and implement strategies to communicate and engage with diverse families and community members as partners in the work
Develop norms and processes to gather perspectives of students, families and community members on key decisions
Raise awareness about DEI issues and facilitate conversations to raise family and community commitment to DEI.

Does this look similar to what you’re looking for? If yes, fill the form below, and we will be in touch with you.