Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential elements of mission-driven and philanthropic work. Development Guild DDI recognizes that diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences are required for the greatest impact, and we are committed to supporting and strengthening DEI initiatives industry-wide – through our work as nonprofit consultants, and internally as a firm.

Our Commitment as a Company

As we work to improve our ability to address diversity, equity, and inclusion through our client services, we are also looking inwards. In 2020, we created a DEI Task Force to assess, strengthen, and measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The Task Force made great strides in:

• Understanding our staff’s perspectives regarding our DEI successes and opportunities for growth – and crafting an ongoing strategy to address these opportunities.
• Reviewing and revising our hiring and recruiting processes to increase the diversity of staff.
• Developing a shared language around DEI to ensure all staff feel recognized, comfortable, and respected as we navigate potentially sensitive topics.
• Providing learning and training opportunities for staff as it relates to DEI, including online courses, reading challenges, and a library of resources.
• Providing support and resources for all staff to successfully address DEI in their respective roles and projects.
• Assessing our existing network, and intentionally broadening the vendors, membership organizations, and candidate pools we partner with to diversify our network.
• Updating both internally and externally-facing materials to use more inclusive, intentional, and specific language.

In 2022, on the recommendation of our DEI Task Force, we engaged consultants to provide perspectives and suggestions on increasing diversity and inclusion. With their guidance, we mapped a path to ensure robust measures are put in place to further advance along the journey of diversity, equity, and inclusion. One important measure was an internal promotion to the position of Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion made in early 2023.

DEI is a continuous process of improving, and we recognize that we are always learning – and supporting our clients as they do the same.

Our Commitment to DEI as Consultants

Our staff believe deeply in the ability of the nonprofit sector to positively change the world. As trusted partners to nonprofit leaders nationwide, we embrace the opportunity to positively impact and shape mission-driven organizations.

Through our executive search services, we are dedicated to helping to build a thriving, diverse community of nonprofit leaders. In recent years, the diversity of our candidate pools has increased substantially, and we are continuously evaluating and improving on our processes with an eye to best practices. We are committed to partnering with organizations to engage and recruit leaders whose varied perspectives and experiences can bring an organization to a new level.

Through our fundraising and campaign services, our strategic counsel aligns with and furthers our clients’ goals of Board, volunteer, and donor diversity and inclusion.