Report shares nonprofit boards are interested in addressing DEI; demographics do not reflect the diversity of NYC
NYC Service, in partnership with the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York (NPCC), released What Lies Beneath: The State of NYC Nonprofit Board Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to identify nonprofit board diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) gaps, strategies, recommendations and resources for NYC’s nonprofit sector.
The report is a result of a six month study conducted with the NYC Nonprofit Board Development Coalition, led by NYC Service, which assessed nonprofit board composition, board policies, as well as procedures. The study discovered that nonprofit leadership demographics do not reflect the diversity of New York City; DEI is valued, but not effectively addressed; representation in leadership matters; board complacency and resistance to change impede DEI; and boards may be perpetuating harmful biases.
“It is critical that nonprofit leaders articulate and embrace DEI values within their organization’s board composition, mission and programs,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Nonprofit leadership has a responsibility to reflect the communities they serve and the city is here to support their efforts.”
“The best long term solutions come from within communities as experts of their own experiences,” said Patricia Eng, NYC Chief Service Officer. “Leadership that reflects the core constituency strengthens the fabric of the community, our city, and our nation. In today’s world, this is a ‘must have’, not just ‘nice to have’ toward a vibrant democracy.”
“Nonprofits work hard to serve their communities effectively, and must be diverse, equitable, and inclusive to do so,” said Sharon Stapel, President of NPCC. “This report encourages a frank conversation about the systemic and individual barriers that we all struggle with, and offers recommendations and strategies to truly center equity in their work.”
The report’s findings are a culmination of 420 online survey respondents and 37 focus group participants, representing nonprofit Chief Executive Officers/Executive Directors (CEOs/EDs) and board members throughout the five boroughs of NYC. The survey asked respondents to provide the composition of their board in terms of age, gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability status; their board policies and procedures; as well as, successes and challenges with regards to addressing DEI on their boards. The focus group interviews assigned NYC nonprofit CEOs/EDs and board members to separate focus groups to encourage open dialogue. Using an open-ended interview method, the participants discussed what they thought it meant to diversify a board; successes and challenges with recruitment and onboarding; reasons for joining a board; and barriers to and recommendations for achieving board diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
