The Phases of a DEI Journey

Every organization may find itself on a different place in their DEI journey. We have designed this website to provide information based on three phases of the DEI journey.

DEI Foundations

Awareness & Knowledge-Building 

Are you finding common language and making a case for DEI within your organization?

The initial stage of the DEI journey is about building a foundation. Look for resources to:

  • Help establish common language
  • Affirm the importance of DEI for nonprofits
  • Develop a shared understanding of DEI issues 

DEI Capacity-Building

Capacity Building & Action

Are you ready for Capacity Building & Action?

In the next phase of the journey, you begin to really address DEI issues. Look for resources to help determine pathways for:

  • Internal changes
  • External changes
  • And other considerations nonprofits might want to consider along the DEI journey

DEI Sustaining

Celebrating & Giving Back 

Would you like to Celebrate & Give Back? 

While DEI is a continuous journey, there is a point where you have implemented your goals and are looking to maintain the capacity to manage DEI issues. At this stage you may also wish to reach out and  and assist others. Resources and tools to support this include:

  • Identifying issues that organizations will need to address over time
  • Integrating DEI across all facets of an organization’s internal structure
  • Considering the external impact of its actions
  • Ways for nonprofits to continue to grow, learn, and adapt
  • Opportunities for nonprofits to assist other organizations by sharing their experiences and lessons

DEI Resources

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Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Matter for Nonprofits

This article from the National Council of Nonprofits addresses the importance of DEI and offers a collection of online resources, questions to...

Locating Ourselves: Complexities in Assessing Organizational Equity

This article by Jeanne Bell for the Nonprofit Quarterly explores 3 tensions that arise when organizations try to assess their progress on DEI related...

Getting to the "Heart" of Racial Equity

In this BoardSource blog post, Jim Taylor shares his a story of bringing an equity view to a board that he served on and reflects on lessons learned.