Study finds systemic bias hindering leadership diversity
Published date | 01 August 2017 |
DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/nba.30342 |
Date | 01 August 2017 |
Also in this issue
Conferences & Events: YNPN National Conference;
ASAE Annual Meeting and Expo; Chicago Nonprot
Conference .................................................................... 4
Financial Management: Many nonprots vulnerable
to uncertainty due to low operating reserves .................5
More sophisticated donors seeking more nancial
data ............................................................................... 5
Industry News: 2016 Giving USA data show record
donations ...................................................................... 6
GuideStar offers new Local Nonprot Directory ..........6
Nonprot Research: San Diego tops list of most
charitable cities .............................................................7
Nonprot email spam rates jumped in 2016,
study shows ...................................................................7
Resources: Foundation Center webinar explores online
donation programs; Charityhowto.com webinar gives
primer on federal grants; Webinar looks at major gift
‘magic’...........................................................................9
Employment Law: Legal cases that impact nonprots ... 10
News: Briefs from around the sector............................12
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(See PITFALLS on page 2)
Study nds systemic bias
hindering leadership diversity
A new report from the Building Movement
Project and the Annie E. Casey Foundation argues
that nonprots must focus on addressing systemic
bias if the sector wants to close the leadership gap,
where just 20 percent of nonprot CEOs are people
of color.
The report, surveyed some 4,400 nonprot em-
ployees and found that whites and people of color
had similar educational backgrounds, qualica-
tions, experience, training and leadership skills. But
people of color were more likely to see themselves
as “visionary,” able to relate to their organization’s
constituents and interested in becoming a nonprot
CEO or executive director.
Considering these ndings—that the two groups
had similar qualications but people of color had
more aspirations for leadership positions—the re-
searchers suggested that the diversity leadership gap
was due to people of color facing unique challenges
and being held to different standards.
People of color reported a perception that they
lacked leadership abilities, had inadequate support
from human resources and/or were excluded from
important social networks.
In addition, many indicated a wariness to work-
ing in white-dominant organizations, said that they
often needed more skills and training than whites
to be considered for leadership positions and noted
that organizations led by people of color have a
harder time fundraising.
To read the study in full, visit http://bit.ly/
2sGyxHr. ■
Beware potential pitfalls of dual roles
for board member attorneys
siderations for board members who are practicing
attorneys and thinking of serving in a legal capacity
for their organizations. They include:
The wealth of knowledge and expertise attorneys
have to offer makes them prized as nonprot board
members. After all, the law is complicated and law-
yers are expensive. Having someone that can offer
pro bono or discounted advice into even simple legal
matters—for example, how to attain a zoning vari-
ance for the construction of a new headquarters—is
of great value to nonprots.
But for board member attorneys and nonprots
alike, such situations present a slew of complica-
tions, and it’s best to understand how they will be
addressed before nonprots avail themselves of this
valuable resource, according to Michele Berger, an
attorney at San Francisco–based NEO Law Group.
In presentations on this topic given in venues such
as the Bar Association of San Francisco, Berger’s
rm has laid out some of the most signicant con-
Vol. 335 August 2017
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