Integrating representative people and perspectives

Over the last decade, organizations have grown increasingly concerned with “diversity.” Along with high-profile corporate statements of commitment, some states have passed or proposed laws enshrining diversity requirements for boards and executive leadership, and the number of jobs dedicated to diversity in the workforce has grown almost three-fold since 2014.[1] In the midst of this push, though, nonprofits have been relatively inactive in pursuing diversity. One recent study, for example, showed that nonprofit chief executives and board members are overwhelmingly white, with disproportionately low representation from all other racial and ethnic groups. While nonprofit leaders say they recognize and aren’t satisfied with the lack of diversity across the sector, however, there are few signs of movement.[2]

In a 2021 Board Assessment conducted by Snowflake and the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (VAFCC), nearly half of respondents indicated their boards do not adequately reflect community and client demographics.[3] There are many potential reasons, including but not limited to complacency, failure to understand the population and recruit with purpose, lack of diversity in local candidate pools for sought-after professions or skill sets, and challenges reaching certain groups. Many boards don’t fully appreciate the benefits of diverse representation, and don’t understand what meaningful diversity actually looks like. It isn’t about “checking the box” for self-satisfaction and reputation. Rather, it’s to recognize the population’s needs, barriers, etc. and enable more informed governance decisions.

It’s easy for boards to be self-contained “bubbles” focused on what the collective membership thinks is important based on their own individual experiences (especially when they don’t proactively seek out external input, which doesn't happen as often as it should).[4] When Boards are “out of touch” with current and prospective clients and stakeholders, they risk misunderstanding community priorities, challenges, concerns, etc., and can't accurately convey them to others outside of the organization or respond to them effectively in governance and strategic decision-making. Frequent public surveys are possible, but often infeasible. Instead, integrating the voices of those who are regularly interacting with a nonprofit—or aren’t, but should be—requires better ways to give them a seat at the table.

The idea isn’t to seek demographic diversity for diversity's sake, rather to pursue the “representative perspectives” of current patient and prospective client populations as well as the broader community. Integrating their viewpoints in deliberations and decision-making by seeking out individuals who can speak to the needs of those most affected by the nonprofit’s services, outcomes, future direction, etc.—whether they’re from different racial, ethnic, economic, social, and/or other groups—can greatly enhance board effectiveness. In fact, it’s been clearly demonstrated that boards incorporating the people most connected to their nonprofits are able to have richer discussions, make better choices among governance options, and gain access to more community resources, including new donor pools.[5]

If you’re one of the 50% of nonprofits that feels your board isn’t diverse enough,[6] don’t panic and go try to find someone from every racial and ethnic group out there. You don’t have to diversify just because everyone’s doing it. Diversity is at its best when it embodies your key stakeholders—clients, donors, and the community. Be purposeful about it. Take the time to understand the people who are, or who should be, engaging with your nonprofit in different ways, and consider different options to involve them. You can, for example:

• Establish a seat or two for a current or former client(s) and perhaps a typical individual donor. Ensure recruiting reaches and encourages potential candidates to participate.

• Set up an Advisory Board comprising existing and prospective clients, donors, and stakeholders. Hold regular meetings with Advisors for their opinions and guidance.

• Solicit perspectives from clients, representatives of the donor base, community members, and key stakeholders. Set aside a dedicated time in every board meeting to hear them.

• Assign a board “ambassador” role (e.g., a committee) that will interact with a broad cross-section of the local community. Set up a schedule for reporting back to the board.

These are just some of the ways boards can involve diverse demographics and roles interacting with their nonprofits in governance and strategy, either by allowing for direct representation on the Board of Directors or establishing listening mechanisms that can be continuously leveraged (not just “once in a while”). Whatever approach you choose, make it a top priority—a critical component of discussions and decisions (and even enshrine it in a diversity policy). If you get it right, you’ll have a better board and a more impactful nonprofit.

[1] Estrada, S. “D&I roles more than doubled since 2015, report says,” HRDive, https://bit.ly/3z1oiQc (Jul. 2020, ret. Dec. 27, 2021).

[2] “Leading with Intent: 2017 National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices,” BoardSource (2017), pp. 9 – 10. 

[3] “Summary Report on Board Governance Survey,” Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Nonprofits (2021).

[4] Ibid.

[5] “Ten Things to Know About Board Diversity – Lessons from ‘Building a Diverse Board of Directors: Turning Intention into Results,’” Maryland Nonprofits, https://bit.ly/3JmNk0V (Dec. 2019, ret. Dec. 27, 2021).

[6] VAFCC (2021).

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Tom Morley - Managing Director, Snowflake Consulting

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