How nonprofit boards can bridge the diversity gap

The best way to combat historical imbalances in nonprofit leadership is with mentor programs and transparent board recruitment processes, per a report to be released Wednesday by an Austin organization.

Why it matters: The findings come as key Texas institutions have shuttered their DEI initiatives and corporations are generally rethinking their diversity strategies , part of a larger backlash to social justice reforms inspired by the reaction to George Floyd's 2020 murder.

Driving the news: The report, "Breaking Barriers: Bridging the Nonprofit Board Representation Gap," examines a cycle in which existing board members tend to recruit individuals similar to themselves.

• It was conducted by Measure , an Austin-based research and data firm, for The New Philanthropists .
• The research team reviewed surveys of participants in a mentorship program organized by The New Philanthropists.

Background: The New Philanthropists was founded by Monica Maldonado-Williams and Mando Rayo to build a leadership pipeline for people of color and cultivate diversity within nonprofit boards.

By the numbers: Since 2019, TNP has had more than 200 mentees and more than 40 mentors participate in its Board Mentors of Color Program, which supports leaders of color in navigating Austin nonprofit boards.

What they found: Program participants said they want their voice, skills and expertise to empower, strengthen and serve their community, per the paper's authors.

• Participants believed that more diverse boards could make more informed, strategic, and inclusive decisions.

What they're saying: "If I had not gone through New Philanthropists, when it came time for someone to say to me, 'It's time to run for city council,' I never would have thought of it," Kimberly Holiday, the first Black woman to serve on Pflugerville's City Council, tells Axios. "They reminded me that my voice mattered at the table, and that it's okay to shake it up and make people uncomfortable."

• Holiday, who serves on the board of NAMI Central Texas and has served on the board of KAZI 88.7 Austin Community Radio and the Pflugerville Education Foundation, says "successful boards are so intentional about making sure the BIPOC community is included, that people who look like me are included in marketing material and that values lived-in experience so I can advocate for brothers and sisters that look like me."

Follow the money: The funding for the paper came from the St. David's Foundation, whose official vision is "a vibrant and inclusive community in which every individual can flourish and reach their full potential."

The bottom line: "Serving on nonprofit boards has historically been about individual benefits," Paulina Artieda, executive director of The New Philanthropists, tells Axios, citing the wealthy networking of wealthy people that goes on in boardrooms. "This new turn in leadership is less about the individual, more about how to better serve the community."

Stop by: The New Philanthropists hosts a discussion about the new paper on Wednesday from 7-8:30pm at Swift Fit Events at 918 Congress Avenue.

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