Grantmakers for Education (GFE) believes that striving for racial justice and equity is essential across philanthropy, education and society. We are committed to holding ourselves accountable on the path to diversity, equity and inclusion by engaging in continual learning, using our platform to feature leaders of color, building a diverse and inclusive team, and challenging systems of oppression with a collective voice.
In embracing justice and equity, GFE endeavors to ensure that all people—including but not limited to those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion—are represented in our work. Furthermore, GFE seeks to serve as a model and leader in addressing the deep inequities that have been threaded into our country's history, and work toward more equitable outcomes for the people and communities we serve.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are key values for Grantmakers for Education. These values allow our board, staff and members to be their best selves and experience the richness of our collective strength. It is through this strength that we increase our individual and organizational capacity to achieve our vision for an inclusive society by supporting an equitable education system.
In service to our members, GFE embraces various styles, modes and ways of learning which help us to be responsive to our members’ needs. We find our strength in diverse perspectives and an inclusive culture that empowers our members to connect and grow.
We can and must continue to do better. At Grantmakers for Education, we hold ourselves accountable in the areas of racial justice and equity through the following actions:
- Engaging in continual learning. We provide learning opportunities that showcase a diversity of opinions, approaches and experience. We challenge our members, the field, and ourselves to be responsible for and engage in personal growth and learning around justice and systemic oppression.
- Challenging our own assumptions about what justice is. We seek to create the spaces where those in philanthropy can hold up a critical lens up to ourselves, our giving practices, and the root causes of injustice in American society. We especially recognize the injustices faced by the Black community.
- Using our platform to uplift diverse voices and perspectives. We take active steps to raise the voices of those who have been historically silenced or marginalized by systems of oppression and are proximal to marginalized communities.
- Building a diverse and inclusive GFE team. We commit to building and supporting staff and board diversity that is reflective of the learners we serve and ensuring an inclusive work environment. We commit to developing cultural competency, and recognizing and challenging our biases and assumptions.
- Challenging systems of oppression with collective action. We stand in solidarity with our members taking action to dismantle systemic racism and all forms of oppression. We commit to convening leaders in education philanthropy so that they can catalyze the systemic change not possible on their own.
This is a living document developed as a collaborative effort of the Grantmakers for Education staff and endorsed by the Grantmakers for Education Board of Directors. Last updated September 23, 2020.