The Public Space: Episode 6 - The Race to Lead in the Nonprofit Sector

The nonprofit sector has a racial gap in its leadership. Sean Thomas-Breitfeld shares empirical data collected from surveys, focus groups, and interviews conducted across the U.S. He discusses how 2020 events have galvanized people and movements into action, and have started a whole set of changes that should be continued in 2021. He offers tangible actions that we can take to address the racial gap in nonprofit leadership.

In this episode:

• The Building Movement Project (3:25)
• Organizations vs. Movements (6:22)
• What the Race to Lead survey data told us (7:52)
• What 2021 will look like for nonprofits (15:00)
• Affecting and influencing change in 2021 (16:07)
• Ways foundations can invest in nonprofits (16:57)
• Ways organizations can support movements (18:19)
• Tangible ways to address the racial gap in nonprofit leadership (21.43)

Additional resources:

• Building Movement Project(link is external)
• Race to Lead Series(link is external)
• Race to Lead Surveys(link is external)
• Let’s Talk About the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap and White Advantage(link is external) – Independent Sector
• Why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matters for Nonprofits(link is external) – National Council of Nonprofits
• Equity and Inclusion Lens Guide – Nonprofit Association of Oregon
• Navigating Race and New Leadership in a Time of Upheaval(link is external) – Stanford Social Innovation Review
• Nonprofit Resources to Support Racial Equity(link is external) – Nonprofit Leadership Center
• The Social Sector Has an Internal Racism Problem(link is external) – SOJOURNERS
• How Can Philanthropy Redistribute Power(link is external) – Trust-Based Philanthrophy Project