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DEVELOPING A NONPROFIT BOARD FORDIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSIONA TOOL FOR EFFECTIVELY MEASURING BOARDREADINESS, VULNERABILITIES, AND INTEGRITYAlexa Davidson

622 Nonprofit Data Analysis - Capstone

Spring, 2019

Dr. Marco Tavanti

MASTER OF NONPROFIT ADMINISTRATION

MNA MASTER OF NONPROFIT ADMINISTRATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was made possible by, Dr. Jane Pak, JoAnne Speers, Dr. CioHernandez, Dr. Richard Waters, Dr. Marco Tavanti, and the San Geronimo

Valley Community Center.

Thank you for contributing your expertise to this important research topic!


INTRODUCTION

Even well-meaning Boards often fall short in the areas of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Many lack an adequate understanding of how to effectively asses, educate, and implement policies and practices that will make a difference. Most nonprofits are perpetually under resourced and taking an active approach to DEI can feel like an overwhelming task with no clear starting place. This research aims to change this.


WHY AM I DOING THIS WORK?

1. My values2. My career3. My beliefs around how the

nonprofit should function and serve


KEY TERMS AND VALUES

S • Socioeconomic status and education

C • Culture, race, ethnicity, national origin

A • Age, developmental stage

G • Gender, sexual orientation

S • Spirituality, religion

O • Other - disability, occupation, housing

California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) Definition of Diversity


KEY TERMS AND VALUES

• Respecting individual differencesDiversity

• Creating equal access to opportunitiesEquity

• Experiencing a sense of belonging and feeling valuedInclusion


RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• What are the indicators of DEI readiness, vulnerability, and integrity?

• How can boards effectively identify and assess their vulnerabilities, integrity, and readiness to implement diversity and inclusion practices?

• What are the benefits to identifying gaps between diversity and equity and inclusion?


METHODS AND APPROACHES

Literature Review

• Peer-reviewed articles• Blogs, podcasts, webinars on current DEI trends• Books

Expert Interviews

• Nonprofit Board leaders/members• Nonprofit Executives• Diversity, equity, and inclusion subject matter experts

Case Study

• 5-1 Likert scale survey (Definitely-Definitely Not)• Participants (11 Board members and 14 staff at nonprofit organization)• Post survey interviews


EXPERT INTERVIEWSJane Pak • Board Chair, Refugee Transitions (2016-Present)

• Director of Strategy and Development, Refugee Transitions (2012-2016)

• Adjunct Professor in Nonprofit Strategic Governance (University of San Francisco)

• Doctorate in Human Rights Education, Stanford University

Joanne Speers • Executive Director, Institute for Local Government (1998-2014)

• General Counsel, League of California Cities• Adjunct Professor in Nonprofit Strategic Governance

(University of San Francisco and University of the Pacific.

Dr. Cio Hernandez • Founder, Equity and Space (Present)• Institutional Review Board Member, Kaiser Research

Institute (2004-Present)• Board of Supervisors Health Equity Staff, Marin County

Health and Human Services (1995-2018)• PhD, Health Care Leadership (UC Davis)


Readiness• Champion(s) for DEI• Ability to embrace

ambiguity and discomfort• Understanding and

agreement of shared values

• A learning and growth mindset

• An understanding of variance in privilege

• A shared understanding of DEI and an agreed upon framework for discussing and evaluating.

• An ability to uncover personal biases.

• Empathy, curiosity, respect

Vulnerabilities• Division between Board

and Staff• Fear of “messing with a

good thing”• Worry that DEI measures

will decrease existing boards privilege

• Thinking that DEI solutions are one-size-fits-all

• When checklists, matrices, etc. are used in isolation

• Using lack of resources as an excuse for not implementing inclusion practices

• Lack of Board involvement in program

Integrity• Frequent opportunities

for Board/Staff shared contexts

• Willingness to adapt when needs of the Board change

• Creating personalized plans for DEI with each person (what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another).

• Board limits that allow for regular changes and reassessment of Board DEI

• Regular generative thinking/conversations around DEI

Readiness Vulnerabilities Integrity


KEY INDICATORS

Readiness Vulnerabilities Integrity

Identify your Champion(s) for DEI

Using lack of resources as an excuse for not implementing inclusion practices

Creating personalized plans for DEI with each person (what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another).


INSTRUMENT FORMAT • Survey-based self assessment tool• 18 questions for the

Board, 23 questions for staff

• Each question related to the indicator categories of readiness, vulnerabilities, integrity, and/or personal biases.• Some questions included

caveats/clarifications to go deeper than explicit biases and explore a more complex version of DEI.


SAMPLE QUESTIONSCategory Indicator QuestionReadiness Champion(s) for DEI I am willing to be a voice of diversity for the

organization/community, even if it is contrary to the majority opinion.

Vulnerabilities Using lack of resources as an excuse for not implementing inclusion practices.

I am open to expanding positions, placements, programs, and decision-making power to those of lower socioeconomic status,

A…even if my organization has to provide transportation.

Integrity Making DEI personal I am willing to consider opportunities that may not benefit us equally.

Personal Biases Education level. I value voices of those who have lower educational experiences to the highest levels of education.

Staff (Vulnerabilities) Division between Board and Staff

The Board of Directors understands my experience as a staff member.


CASE-STUDY POST INTERVIEWS

Post Survey Interview Questions1. Did the survey spark conversation or action on the

Board (Staff)? Please describe.2. Was the survey accessible to you? (i.e. was the

language understandable, was the survey format easy enough to understand).

3. Were there any survey questions or part of the survey process that made you feel uncomfortable?


IMPLICATIONS

1. An effective assessment tool for Boards and staff to begin their DEI process.

2. A comprehensive list of indicators that provide a starting place for Boards.

3. A better understanding of the organizational benefits to taking a more intentional approach to DEI.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Organizational Recs1. Readiness:• Find your champions• Educate your people• Talk about privilege and make it safe to share

2. Vulnerabilities:• Remove donation requirements.• Ask hard questions consistently.• Even small steps are progress.

3. Integrity:• Create Board and staff shared contexts.• Personalize DEI!• Enforce term limits

Tool Recs1. Define DEI jargon and terminology• Privilege, preferred pronouns, DEI

2. Create alternative ways to collect data• Focus groups, hearing assisted

3. Add questions that challenges the idea of “messing with a good thing.”• Adding differing perspectives to the Board

will create conflict and decrease the Boards effectiveness in making decisions for the organization.

• The Board is as effective as it could be.4. Create strategy guide for after assessment

completion.


REFERENCES Alliance for Board Diversity. (2013). Missing Pieces: Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards. Retrieved from http://theabd.org/2012_ABD%20Missing_Pieces_Final_8_15_13.pdf

Boardsource. (2010). The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance. John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=cat00548a&AN=iusf.b2999786&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=s3818721

Buse, K., Bernstein, R., & Bilimoria, D. (2016). The Influence of Board Diversity, Board Diversity Policies and Practices, and Board Inclusion Behaviors on Nonprofit Governance Practices. Journal of Business Ethics (Vol. 133, pp. 179–191). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2352-z

Chait, R., Ryan, W. P., BoardSource (Organization), & Taylor, B. E. (2005). Governance As Leadership : Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=nlebk&AN=121144&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=s3818721

Daley, J. M. (2002). An Action Guide for Nonprofit Board Diversity. Journal of Community Practice, 10(1), 33–54. https://doi.org/10.1300/J125v10n01_03

Treuhaft, S., Blackwell, A. G. and Pastor, M. (2011). America’s tomorrow: Equity is the superior growth model. Policy Link. Prepared with the University of Southern California’s Program for Environmental and Regional Equity.

Williams, K. Y., & O’Reilly, C. A. (1998). Demography and Diversity in Organizations: A Review of 40 Years of Research. RESEARCH IN ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, 77. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=edsbl&AN=RN042348727&site=eds-live&scope=site

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=cat00548a&AN=iusf.b2999786&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=s3818721

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2352-z

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=nlebk&AN=121144&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=s3818721

https://doi.org/10.1300/J125v10n01_03


THANK YOU!

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