Study finds nonprofit DEI efforts missing on disabilities

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/nba.30623
• Date: 01 July 2019
• Published date: 01 July 2019

NONPROFIT BUSINESS ADVISOR JULY 2019

6© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company • All rights reserved

DOI: 10.1002/nba

Nonprot Research

Study nds nonprot DEI efforts missing on disabilities

Foundations and other funders have taken up

the torch of diversity, equity and inclusion in recent

years, earmarking funding to bolster diversity in the

nonprot organizations they support, and in society

more broadly. They’ve also taken steps to promote

diversity within their own ranks, and support organi-

zations specically dedicated to advancing individuals

from minority groups within certain professionals

and industries—the most notable, perhaps, being the

technology sector’s push to increase the number of

women and people of color in leadership positions.

But new research shows that while efforts to promote

diversity may be advancing in some ways, they are

largely bypassing a major minority group—people

with disabilities, which accounts for nearly 20 percent

of the population.

A new study released by RespectAbility, a nonpar-

tisan group working on inclusion efforts for people

with disabilities, shows that few philanthropic organi-

zations take even the most menial measures to make

their services accessible to the disabled. As outlined

in the group’s report, Disability in Philanthropy &

Nonprots: A Study on the Inclusion and Exclusion

of the 1-in-5 People Who Live with a Disability and

What You Can Do to Make Things Better, grantmak-

ers and nonprots are failing this minority group in

some very basic ways. For example:

• Only 14 percent of charities and foundations

polled say their organizations use video captions to

ensure people who are deaf or hard of hearing can

use the content, even though captioning services are

easy to use and often free.

• Just 30 percent of respondents say their organiza-

tions enable people with disabilities to request accom-

modations like sign language interpreters on event

registration forms. According to RespectAbility, asking

about accommodations sends a clear signal that people

with disabilities are welcome and that inclusion is a

consideration, yet few organizations make this effort.

• In addition, only 59 percent say their events

always are held in physically accessible spaces—add-

ing to the challenges faced by those with disabilities

seeking a nonprot’s services.

(See DISABILITIES on page 8)

No DEI

Policy DEI

Policy DEI Policy That

Includes Disability

People With

Disabilities on Board,

Staff, Leadership

Board includes people with disabilities 17% 26% 34% 45%

Professional leadership includes people

with disabilities

11% 22% 28% 38%

Staff overall includes people with

disabilities

27% 47% 57% 81%

Organization asks members or grantees

to intentionally include people with

disabilities in their work

10% 23% 28% 25%

Organization depicts people with visible

disabilities in marketing materials

28% 41% 50% 53%

Events always are held in physically

accessible spaces

49% 63% 67% 71%

Website is set up properly for screen

readers for people with low vision

9% 19% 24% 24%

All video content has captions 5% 17% –21% 20%

Public events enable people with

disabilities to request accommodations

21% 34% 38% 40%

There is a process for employees, board

or trustees to request and receive

accommodations

20% 49% 56% 58%

Source: RespectAbility. ■