Join us in advancing diversity

Nationally-recognized diversity consultant Verna Myers says that diversity “is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance” and we’re throwing a “party” we hope Ohio philanthropy will not only attend but also dance.

The “party” is our program, Advancing Diversity & Inclusion in Ohio Philanthropy, on May 29 here in Columbus, which we are sponsoring along with The Dayton Foundation, KeyBank Foundation and Saint Luke’s Foundation as well as the national D5 organization.

Philanthropy Ohio has been working on diversity and inclusion for the past several years, demonstrating the importance of this work through our adoption of Diversity Principles, programming and networking events.

Kicking off our event is an address by Henry Ramos, who served as the director/lead consultant for the Diversity in Philanthropy Project, a three year initiative of leading U.S. private foundation CEOs and trustees designed to increase philanthropic sector effectiveness through expanded diversity in foundation governance, staffing, programming and contracting. Henry is also founder and principal of Mauer Kunst Consulting, a California- and New York-based private consulting group that specializes in strategic planning, project management, program development, organizational assessment/TA and research services targeted to businesses, foundations and nonprofit institutions.

If you’re engaged in philanthropy and want to join us on May 29^th, you can find out more details and register here.

“If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human possibilities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place.”  -Margaret Mead

Foundation leadership doesn’t reflect nation’s diversity

Foundation leadership doesn’t reflect nation’s diversity.

That’s the conclusion stated in a recent report from D5, a national coalition to grow philanthropy’s diversity, equity and inclusion.

The coalition is a group of 18 philanthropic infrastructure organizations – including Ohio Grantmakers Forum – that formed two years ago.

OGF began its focus on diversity and inclusion in Ohio’s foundation community in 2007, at a dinner at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center with keynote speaker Julian Bond.  Over the next five years, OGF:

• Formed a Diversity Task Force to explore how we could define and plan efforts to increase diversity and inclusion;
• Created a standing committee of the board, the Committee on Inclusion;
• Adopted the Diversity in Philanthropy Project’s Diversity Principles and encouraged our members to do likewise;
• Initiated a series of newsletter articles introducing the principles and their application to foundation operations;
• Formed a CEO Leadership Circle, a forum for foundation leaders to share learnings and experiences with their Ohio peers; and
• Gathered information on how the diversity principles are being implemented in Ohio foundations.

This June, we are continuing our work with the launch of a first effort to gather data so we can form our own conclusions about the diversity of the foundations in the Buckeye State. We’ll release our own “state of the work” early in the fall, with data and highlights of current activities, then follow up with a session at our annual conference, Ohio Philanthropy Forward ’12, on November 15 in Cleveland. Stay tuned for more on the report and workshop and contact us if you’re an Ohio foundation interested in the topic.