Diverse boards are crucial to ensuring that nonprofit organizations have the broad perspectives necessary to understand the constituents they serve, creatively address emerging problems, plan effectively, and expand donor engagement. Yet national research shows 84% of nonprofit board members are white, with nearly 1 in 3 nonprofits lacking any professionals of color on their boards (BoardSource).
The Nonprofit Leadership Center’s Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship is designed to:
Wondering what it’s like to participate in the Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship? What are the most powerful benefits? A graduate, mentor and nonprofit CEO share their experience.
If your nonprofit organization is interested in being considered as one of the organizations that fellows can work with through the Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship, we invite you to complete our interest form.
If you have questions about the Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship or would like to express your interest in participating in future cohorts, please complete the following form.
Diverse boards are crucial to ensuring that nonprofit organizations have the broad perspectives necessary to understand the constituents they serve, creatively address emerging problems, plan effectively, and expand donor engagement. Yet national research shows 84% of nonprofit board members are white, with nearly 1 in 3 nonprofits lacking any professionals of color on their boards (BoardSource).
In a Nonprofit Leadership Center survey of nonprofit CEOs, leaders said the most significant barrier to building a diverse board is having the knowledge and understanding to identify and recruit professionals of color who are passionate about the mission. Many admitted they didn’t know where to start.
The Nonprofit Leadership Center’s Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship is designed to:
The 2025 fellowship program will take place August 12 through November 6. During this transformative learning and networking experience, fellows participate in the following sessions:
All sessions are 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Session 1 and Session 7 will be held in person. The remaining will be held virtually via Zoom.
In addition, the fellowship includes a robust mentorship component. Fellows meet with their mentors after every other session, providing an opportunity to deepen their learning.
Acceptance into the Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship program is by application only, and you must be a professional of color to apply.
Applications for the program will open again in 2025.
Are you a professional of color who is experienced in nonprofit board service and would like to mentor another professional of color as they gain knowledge and skills to effectively serve our communities? We will pair selected mentors with fellows to meet virtually or in-person with mentees for one to two hours between each of the seven training sessions.
Mentor applications will open again in 2025.
The Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship is made possible with generous support from corporate, foundation, and nonprofit partners.
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