Philanthropy is sometimes seen as the last frontier when it comes to diversity and inclusion. While many public charities and conscious businesses are eager to change with the times, private foundations do not always have the same motivation to appease a target audience. However, when foundations are really committed to funding organizations, communities and leaders that are changing the world, they can start by recognizing that some of the boundaries built into their grantmaking process might be preventing them from funding the innovation and real progress they seek.
Photo by Don Ross III on Unsplash
Reevaluating how your foundation approaches grantmaking is critical to increasing diversity and inclusion among your grantees. It’s important to take a step back and do a deep dive into your grantmaking process with a strategist that can guide you along the way. An in-house expert or outside consultant can help create and drive the process. Here are 5 simple things you can do now, with or without a professional, to make your grantmaking process more inclusive.
Include people with disabilities or different abilities in your grant opportunities by simply providing easily accessible contact information for those who need assistance with filling out a grant application. You will be surprised by the things you uncover in your grantmaking process which are barriers to some, but can easily be changed to increase access.
Avoid nonprofit/philanthropy jargon throughout the grantmaking process. Ensure that the instructional language you are using is easy to understand for folks who are not schooled in nonprofit jargon, or for whom English is a second language.
Do not leave behind older generations or people that are not tech savvy. Instead, offer alternative formats for people to submit application proposals that are more in-line with their own technological proficiency. This might include the ability to email, fax, or mail in an application upon request.
Offer translation help, especially if your target audience might have another native tongue. Allow them to submit applications in their native tongue, which your foundation will assume responsibility for translating, in order to ensure they are able to express their project objectives in the language they master most.
When grantmaking internationally, use Facebook Messenger or Whatsapp as modes of international communication because many countries offer free data plans for these two applications.
While the 5 items listed above are just the tip of the iceberg, nothing tops communicating with your applicants. Offer easy channels of communication for them to ask questions or offer suggestions. Let your stakeholders be your teachers.
For more details on this topic or the opportunity to consult with Julie or another team member, please contact: clientsupport@benevolentvision.com
We are here to walk through this process with you, every step of the way.