Today, D5 joined GuideStar—an organization that collects data on the programs, finances and impact of more than 1.8 million IRS-recognized nonprofits—in launching a new program to help set standards for how data about diversity within the nonprofit sector is collected.
D5 developed the standards with a wide range of partners to advance transparent and uniform data collection about staff, board, and volunteer demographics in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, enabling more informed decisions about philanthropy.
Without sector-wide standards for how data on diversity is collected, nonprofits and foundations have had difficulty identifying trends, gaps, overlaps, and opportunities. Better diversity information across the sector will help foundations better understand the constituencies they are working to help. Nonprofits will be better able to evaluate of the impact of their work and hold themselves accountable to their goals. The social sector at large will better be able to measure progress and make informed decisions about philanthropy.
“For too long, a lack of reliable data has left foundations and nonprofits in the dark about the true impact of their work,” said Kelly Brown, Director of the D5 Coalition. “These voluntary standards for reporting data can help organizations measure progress toward the goals they set, evaluate their impact on the constituencies they serve and, at the end of the day, be more effective.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with D5 to finally offer a standard way for nonprofits to report information about their organization’s demographics. A nonprofit sector that reflects the diversity of the human community it serves is far more likely to achieve its goals,” said Jacob Harold, President and CEO of GuideStar.
Green 2.0, a working group made up of mainstream environmental nongovernmental organizations, foundations and government agencies, is leading an initiative within the environmental sector to get organizations to participate in the program. Their participation comes in the wake of a report that documented a problematic “green ceiling”—the mainstream environmental movement’s failure to keep up with the changing face of America.
The new program has been praised by foundation and nonprofit leaders including:
Tags: data, diversity data, Green 2.0, GuideStar
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Michelle
What is the name of this new program/standards and where can we find more information? Thanks!
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