The Importance of Women as Leaders in the Nonprofit Sector: Promoting Women as Leaders at Your Organization
As Women’s History Month is celebrated throughout March, it’s important to honor the achievements of so many women who are accomplished leaders in our sector, but at the same time we need acknowledge that there remains much more to be done. In the nonprofit sector, there still exists a gender gap in leadership roles. With diversity, equity and inclusion at the top of every for profit and nonprofit organizations' agenda, many are reviewing their diversity at both the Board and C-suite levels. Mindful hiring, recruitment and equitable representation is even more important than ever to make progress in closing the gender gap in nonprofit leadership roles.
While about 70% of nonprofit employees are women, only about 60% of the leaders at nonprofits are women. (The White House Project Report: Benchmarking Women’s Leadership) Donors are more sophisticated than ever, and are asking tougher questions – they want to know they are investing their money in an organization that follows through on the promise of diversity, equity and inclusion.
So, how to build mindful and equitable leadership at your organization? Here are three ideas:
Professional Development - Invest in professional development opportunities for the next generation of women leaders in your organization. This Forbes article outlines the importance of proving to your employees that you care about them. By investing in their future, you’re investing in yours by creating a pipeline of women leaders who will have a positive long-term impact by attracting major donors who use diversity as a criteria for their philanthropic decisions.
Consider Board Composition - …and set Board diversity goals. It can be common for organizations to use a tool to evaluate ideal board composition based off of on professional affiliation, board experience, demographic representation and professional network connections, but then ignore those criteria when it comes time for Board recruitment. Take the time in the identification process to find the right Board member that represents the mindful composition you created.
Appoint a Diverse Search Committee – This study from Northwestern University outlines the findings of hiring practices, and ultimately finds that those in charge of hiring decisions gravitate towards candidates who share similarities with them. When assembling a selection committee for an executive leadership position, consider the composition of the group. Diversity in age, expertise and gender could lead to a more unbiased hiring decision.
When looking to hire an executive leader, expand your Board, Advisory Board/Auxiliary Board or recruit campaign leaders; equitable representation should be a high priority. In addition to gender diversity, it’s also important to consider diversity in age, ethnicity and professional expertise. Closing the gender gap in nonprofit leadership representation will lead to more opportunities for organizations to grow and experience long-term success.
To learn more about closing the gender gap in nonprofit leadership representation, please contact Latz & Company professionals at: 888.949.LATZ (5289) info@latzandco.com.