Last October, we had the pleasure of hosting a conversation with a group of ten family foundations attending the National Forum on Family Philanthropy in Seattle. The session was focused on how foundation leaders can begin to address the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with your staff and trustees. Through storytelling about successes, and a discussion about mistakes and anxieties related to DEI, the group identified five essential practices any family foundation should consider to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Practice #1: Take the first steps.

Practice #2: Make the effort and take the time to build relationships with the community.

Practice #3: Listen to the experts...and by experts we mean the people who live in the communities you serve and who benefit from your foundation’s investments.

Practice #4:  When diversifying the board, build the relationships prior to the invitation

Practice #5: Acknowledge we are all on a journey.

Read the full article about essential practices at your foundation by Audrey Haberman and Sindhu Knotz.