This publication from Movement Tapestries offers insights and guidance for organizations navigating equity-embedded transformations, and the challenges that can come with embarking on such journeys.
I have a question for you regarding closed RFP processes and how to make them more DEI-aligned.
For GEO conferences, we create an RFP and ask for proposal submissions from our members, nonmembers and others. Our process has been to create a curated list of contacts that are notified when the RFP opens. We want to expand our list and are also considering what it would be like to move away from a closed, curated RFP notification list in order to get a broader range of applicants submitting proposals.
My questions for you are:
• One idea we are considering is posting the RFP link more publicly on our website, in our newsletters, etc. But, what else could we be doing to ensure that our RFP goes to more than our usual suspects? I was thinking of reaching out to nonprofit associations, asking our partners to promote, etc.
• How have you been considering what it means to have a closed/ invite-only RFP alongside values of diversity, inclusion and equity?
I’m interested in what language others have used that we might consider and thoughts on a more inclusive definition of artistic vitality without changing our strategy. Has anyone been engaging in this conversation or exploration?
Who funds poverty-related issues like human services, community health, access to education, workforce, food security etc. around Dallas County?
Related, are there organizations you fund who do good and effective work in these areas, create impact, and could benefit from technical assistance to build fundraising capacity?
Does anyone operate within a region that utilizes an online community platform for local nonprofit organizations to communicate with each other? Think a private social media site – only accessible to local nonprofit organizations – where they can post needs for specific items, program availability, events, grant opportunities, etc. I’m looking for resources, best practices, experiences with a particular platform, as well as anyone who has tried this and run into difficulties with startup or ongoing operation.
What criteria do you use for recommending an early declination? What process do you use? Prior to recommending an early declination OR moving forward for a site visit, do you have some kind of interim step that is conducted to be the deciding factor?
Our question is do other Foundations who have similar fellowship programs have an anonymous review process whereby certain personal/professional information regarding the applicant is unknown to the reviewer? If so, has it made a difference in increasing the diversity (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, academic discipline, institutional affiliation) of the awardees?
We are a small family foundation funding in Dane County, Wisconsin, interested in collaborating more formally with other Dane County funders to elevate the effectiveness of our nonprofit sector. I am looking for examples of other collaborative efforts, namely place-based funders working together to: identify capacity needs, bring and/or develop learning opportunities for nonprofits, and evaluate capacity gains.
The Scranton Area Community Foundation will be hosting a Learning Conference in the Fall, and we are looking for a keynote speaker. In particular, we are looking for someone to speak on "Becoming a Learning Organization" or similarly related topic.
The H. E. Butt Foundation is researching ways rural areas have successfully implemented early childcare centers. We are interested in research data around different methodologies for implementation.
