Casting a Wider Net: Over a Decade of Diversity Commitment at EGA

by Rachel Goldstein, Environmental Grantmakers Association

For over 10 years now, thanks to a dedicated board, staff and membership, EGA has been taking a lead on promoting diversity in the environmental grantmaking community. Many of you have commented on the improvements you’ve seen in terms of the diversity of faces and voices at EGA events, as well as the speakers and topics on the Retreat program and in our other materials.

In working toward our mission of expanding environmental philanthropy, here are some of the things that EGA has done, and continues to do, to improve diversity:

• Maintaining the Inclusive Practices Project (IPC) as a core EGA activity, mission and value.
• Requiring all new EGA board and staff members to participate in anti-racism trainings.
• Building program committees and management boards that reflect the diversity of the EGA membership; including gender, ethnicity, foundation size, funding areas, political views, geography, age, experience and so forth.
• Promoting diversity in hiring at EGA staff and our member foundations.
• Requiring program committees to examine the diversity of speakers and facilitators at EGA programs, in terms of gender, race/ethnicity and nationality as well as exposure-level.
• Encouraging program committees to weave diversity throughout the program to illustrate connections with the environment, politics, social change, health, justice, class and other issues.
• Offering anti-racism trainings to members at the Fall Retreat; the initial introductory session has been expanded to a full-day workshop. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and attendance has increased.
• Offering resources on our website, www.ega.org, both on the Links Page and in the Member Area. We urge you to add to these pages any links and resources that you find useful.

Looking forward, EGA is committed to keeping diversity and inclusive practices on the agenda and your input plays a big role in that. Here’s what we need from you:

WE NEED YOUR SUGGESTIONS! In early January, the EGA Management Board meets to create a strategic plan that will help shape EGA in the coming years. We urge you to submit your suggestions on EGA and diversity, and ways for the Inclusive Practices Committee to support this work. Suggestions do not have to be fully formed... consider it a brainstorm!  Please email your ideas to Rachel Goldstein at rgoldstein@ega.org by January 5.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE We frequently hear from members who, for example, are now expanding their definitions of environmental funding, offering anti-racism trainings within their foundations, and getting their board and trustees to think more critically about how these issues connect with the environment—as a direct result of the diversity work at EGA. If you’ve taken advantage of the diversity offerings at EGA and it has helped shift your grantmaking or your foundation/organization, we’d love to hear your story. Likewise, if you have any questions, concerns or feedback about EGA’s commitment to diversity we’d love to hear from you, too. Please contact Rachel Goldstein at 212.812.4260 or rgoldstein@ega.org or any member of the IPC.

JOIN THE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES COMMITTEE! The IPC consists of EGA members and staff dedicated to diversity within EGA, the environmental funding community and what we fund, as well as the environmental movement and philanthropic communities in general. We're continually working on ways to 'keep up the drumbeat' of diversity and inclusive practices at EGA. We welcome EGA members to join the committee. This commitment includes participating in conference calls, taking on a few tasks as needed, and helping to promote the IPC among colleagues and within your foundation. Please let us know if you are interested in joining the committee or if you have any questions.

When surveyed, 75% of EGA members responded that “‘increasing diversity in the field of environmental philanthropy’ [is] either extremely important or somewhat important.” We look forward to continuing to work with the entire membership on these goals. Thank you for your continued support and interest in keeping us committed and challenged in this arena.

Calling all EGA members!

Have you participated in an anti-racism or diversity training? If so, we would love to hear from you. EGA is always looking to expand our list of recommended trainers on this topic. Please contact Rachel Goldstein at 212.812.4260 or rgoldstein@ega.org to share your recommendations (or warnings). Also, post your experience in the Service Providers section of the Member Area of our website, www.ega.org.