The Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) has committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within Bay County both internally and externally with community partners to bring positive change.

BACF began its internal equity journey shortly after the murder of George Floyd and the national reckoning for racial justice.

“We recognized that inaction would only perpetuate the systemic nature of the inequities our community faces. The first step in this process was to examine ourselves and our organization to uncover any potential biases,” Erin Kreutzberg, program officer at BACF said.

Kreutzberg shared more on the internal steps BACF staff has taken, including self and organizational assessments with YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region (YWCA GLBR), a local organization that is dedicated to “eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.”

Through YWCA GLBR’s InterACT program, each BACF staff member completes the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessment annually to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

“This has provided us with a valuable opportunity to examine any potential unconscious beliefs and behaviors.  After the completion of this assessment, we work one-on-one with an IDI Qualified Administrator,” Kreutzberg said.

According to Kreutzberg, BACF provides an open space for staff to share what they have discovered along their own internal journeys to ensure they foster a work environment of inclusivity.

BACF recently partnered with YWCA GLBR again to launch the Building Nonprofit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awareness program to support nonprofit staff in implementing the same DEI learning and planning.

“This program has the capacity to serve up to 80 individuals in nonprofit organizations and is designed to confront unconscious beliefs and behaviors. Using the IDI as a tool to guide conversation and discovery, each organization will leave with individualized plans for growth,” Kreutzberg said.

Kreutzberg encourages CMF members to partner with community organizations that are already leading DEI work.

“As internal work transfers into community work, find partners that share your vision in creating equitable and inclusive communities. If there are organizations or individuals already doing this work, consider how your organization may play a role in supporting them. We must lift this work up to bring everyone to the table,” Kreutzberg said.

In addition to individual staff journeys, BACF has taken steps to build diversity and inclusion within its own structures by reviewing its Board and committee membership composition.  

“This has shown us areas where improvement is needed in order to reflect the community we serve,” Kreutzberg said.

As CMF recently reported, BACF got an inside look into the lived experiences of the community it serves through the 2023 Bay County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report. The intention of the report was to assess experiences with DEI in the community.

“This report is integral to our internal equity journey. To build a community where all people feel welcome and have equal opportunities to thrive, we first need to be a community where all voices are not only heard but valued,” Kreutzberg said.

The report analyzed Bay County demographics, racial and ethnic relations, housing, socioeconomics, education and policing and criminal justice using data from sources such as the U.S. Census, federal, state and local agencies and professional/academic publications.

“Change within our community must come from the community. It is our hope that organizations, neighbors and leaders within Bay County will use this report as a tool to best serve our community,” Kreutzberg said.

Kreutzberg shared that the report uncovered that there are groups who are not currently “at the table.” In response to these findings, BACF is working to build relationships and invite the community to join the community foundation’s work.

“An audit of our policies and procedures is an ongoing effort to uncover systemic biases. By incorporating inclusive practices into our decision-making processes, staff hiring, volunteer outreach and contracts with vendors, we are continually growing toward a more diverse and inclusive organization,” Kreutzberg said.

The data collection for the report also revealed that BACF was not reaching households with an annual income of less than $50,000, individuals with disabilities or individuals whose primary language is Spanish.

“This discovery has led to intentional outreach to these underrepresented groups so that their input and perceptions can be taken into consideration as we look to enhance our programs to be inclusive to all members of our community,” Kreutzberg said.

Kreutzberg shared that solving systemic inequities cannot happen overnight, and it’s the responsibility of the organization to go out into the communities identified throughout this process and welcome their perceptions and input.

“There is no point in which this work is complete. As our community evolves, we must examine ourselves and adapt to ensure we are a community organization that is truly serving the entire community. Sharing what we learn along the way not only communicates our commitment to this journey but also shares the message that through successes and setbacks, we are constantly striving to build a community where each person can say, ‘I belong here,’” Kreutzberg said.

Want more?

Read more about the 2023 Bay County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report.

Explore stories featuring shared learnings from your CMF member peers’ equity journeys. We also invite you to connect with our team to share what you have learned through your own organizational equity journey.