Initiating Equity Work for Small and Volunteer-Led Organizations

A capacity building program presented in partnership with Rhode Island Foundation and RISCA.

Does your organization value equity, but is unsure how to make your principles a reality at your organization with limited time and few people? Are you interested in diversifying your board or audiences, but aren’t sure where to start as a small, volunteer-led organization? 

Many existing resources are designed with large budget organizations in mind, assuming an organization has the staff to accomplish the work or a budget to hire consultants. The Initiating Equity Work program was designed with small and volunteer-led organizations in mind, and will help organizations create and sustain diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments for board, staff, and program participants through the development of work plans tailored to their unique circumstances, goals, and communities.

Led by Dr. Brea Heidelberg of ISO Arts Consulting, specific consideration will be given to the unique organizational context of volunteer-led and run organizations, with guidance on engaging in equity work that is sensitive to the resource limitations they often face. At the end of the program, participants will have the foundations for equity work plans and will have done preliminary internal and external work to make those work plans a reality.

This program is free and open to all nonprofit organizations. For moderate and deep engagement levels (see below), priority in registration will be given to the following organization types in the order listed: volunteer-led organizations, organizations with annual budgets under $100,000, and arts and culture organizations.

The program will consist of three components. Organizations register for some or all the program’s components:

• Viewing a recording of the “Initiating Equity Work” workshop (1 hour). Available to registrants between Jan. 1 – Feb. 2, 2024. Open to all. No registration limit.
• Attending two Guided Work sessions (2 hours each). At these Guided Work sessions, participants will receive worksheets consisting of reflection prompts, and other written materials that will guide participants through thought exercises, conversations, and tasks associated with building, strengthening, and maintaining equity centered practices at small organizations, particularly volunteer-led and run. Requires a completed commitment form at time of registration. Registration capped at 30 organizations per session.
  • Session #1: Internal Work. Jan. 31, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. At this Guided Work session, Dr. Heidelberg will provide attendees with worksheets focused on internal equity work for organization members to complete.
  • Session #2: External Work. May 29, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. At this Guided Work session, Dr. Heidelberg will provide attendees with worksheets focused on external equity work for organization members to complete.
• Participating in two Technical Assistance (T.A.) Sessions (1 hour each). Occurring in the weeks following each Guided Work session, participating organizations will receive an hour of one-on-one with Dr. Heidelberg after having completed a worksheet set and done the required associated work. Limited to 30 organizations. Requires a completed commitment form at time of registration. Requires completed worksheets to be submitted one week prior to scheduled session.
  • Session #1: Internal Work. The Session will be scheduled to occur between March and May 2024. More than one person from an organization may attend the session.
  • Session #2: External Work. T.A. Session will be scheduled to occur between June and August 2024. More than one person from an organization may attend the session.

Recognizing that organizations might be early in their equity work journey and/or might not have the time or capacity to commit to the full program, participants can choose the depth of participation that matches their time and resources.

• Introductory engagement: participants who register at this level will have access to the recorded Initiating Equity Work workshop between Jan. 1 – Feb. 2, 2024.
• Moderate Engagement: in addition to having access to the recorded Initiating Equity Work recording, participants who register at this level will attend the Guided Work Sessions and receive the worksheets. A commitment form must be completed during registration, identifying at least two people from the organization who will lead the organization’s participation in this work. At least one of those individuals must be the organization’s board chair. Only one person from an organization is required to attend each Guided Work session.
• Deep Engagement: In addition to viewing the recording and participating in the Guided Work sessions, participants will receive two hours of T.A. with Dr. Heidelberg. Similar to moderate engagement, participants will complete a commitment form during registration and indicate their interest in deep engagement when they register. Organizations will be notified if they have been accepted at the deep engagement level or if they have been placed on a wait list. After the Guided Work sessions, Dr. Heidelberg will reach out to schedule T.A. sessions. Completed worksheets must be submitted one week prior the scheduled session. If organizations fail to do so, their participation in the deep engagement level will be canceled and an organization on the wait list will be contacted.

Registration will be open until Dec. 21. Only one registration per organization please. Registrants at the moderate and deep engagement levels will be notified of their acceptance or if they have been placed on the wait list by Dec. 23.

Registration.

Questions? Email, Todd Trebour, deputy director.