Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Commitment
Diversity is a core value at The Community’s Foundation. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment for all staff, board, committee members, volunteers, donors, fund advisors, scholars, and grant recipients. We believe every TCF stakeholder enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions in our community.
Diversity
Diversity is achieved by welcoming all people and embracing all the ways that they are different and the same at the individual and group level.
Equity
Equity is achieved by ensuring the fair and just treatment of all members of a community.
Inclusion
Inclusion is achieved by ensuring that all individuals feel that they are treated fairly and respectfully, have equal access to opportunities and resources, and that they are an important part of the whole.
Access
Access is achieved by eliminating barriers and thereby allowing any person or group to use resources regardless of their ability status.
Our Strategy:
To fulfill our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, we have developed a strategic approach focused on the following areas:
1. Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees and volunteers are valued, respected, and supported in reaching their full potential.
2. Capacity Building: We support the capacity building of organizations under our umbrella, empowering them to embrace and promote DEIA principles in their work and communities.
3. Grant Funding Alignment: We strive to align our grant funding with diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) goals, prioritizing initiatives that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all. Additionally, we embrace Trust-Based Philanthropy, which focuses on building relationships, reducing power imbalances, and ensuring that those closest to the issues are driving the solutions.
4. Scholarship Alignment: We strive to align our scholarship funding with diversity, equity, inclusion, and access goals, prioritizing initiatives that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all scholars.
Our Approach:
To achieve our vision, we are committed to the following actions:
1. Community Engagement: We actively listen to and engage with our community to understand their needs, assets, and priorities, ensuring that our efforts are responsive and impactful.
2. Donor Partnership: We inspire, connect, and partner with donors to amplify the impact of their giving, advocating for investments that advance equity, inclusion, and access.
3. Grantmaking: We provide grants and scholarships to support organizations, individuals, and ideas that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in our community.
4. Nonprofit Support: We enhance the organizational effectiveness of nonprofits, equipping them with the tools and resources to champion DEIA principles in their work.
5. Internal Capacity Building: We strengthen our own Foundation systems and invest in our people, building the financial and organizational resilience needed to advance our vision for the future.
DEIA Committee, Action Plan, and Goals Review
To uphold and enhance The Community’s Foundation’s dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, TCF commits to the following actions:
1. Conduct meetings of our internal DEIA committee at least twice a year to assess our progress and recommend future initiatives.
2. Annually evaluate the previous year’s advancements and outline specific, active, and relevant steps for the upcoming year to fortify our DEIA strategy.
3. Offer ongoing staff and board training aligned with our DEIA values.
4. Regularly review and update our official DEIA statement and goals, seeking Board approval at least every two years.
5. Share diversity information from grant applicants with fund advisers to promote transparency and informed decision-making.