Inclusion doesn’t stop at who’s invited to the table—it extends to how decisions are made once everyone is seated.
If you’re a nonprofit leader, board member, or community partner, it’s time to rethink how power is shared in your organization. A recent case study by the Bridgespan Group, Five Ways Nonprofits Are Making Decision-Making More Inclusive, sheds light on actionable strategies that real organizations are using to lead more equitably.
Here’s a breakdown of their five key takeaways—and how you can apply them in your organization:
- Shift Power to People with Lived Experience
Inclusion begins with those most impacted. Organizations like Caminar Latino – Latinos United for Peace and Equity are doing just that by involving program participants in shaping the services they receive. - Be Transparent About How Decisions Are Made
Using frameworks like RAPID (Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide) helps clarify roles. Communities United adopted this model so that every team member understands their part in the process. - Slow Down to Engage Others
BOOM!, a nonprofit focused on equitable play spaces, learned that slowing down their processes helped build authentic collaboration with community members—not just top-down execution. - Invest in Staff Leadership Development
Building equity means building people. TransForm equipped their staff with anti-oppression training and restructured team roles to amplify internal leadership, especially from marginalized voices. - Create Space for Reflection and Feedback
Organizations like Public Allies have embedded regular opportunities for reflection, staff surveys, and transparent dialogue to evolve their decision-making in real time.
Want to Know Where You Stand?
If your organization is ready to take the next step, consider using our Inclusive Workplace Diagnostic at Jebeh Cultural Consulting. It’s an anonymous, leadership-approved tool that captures lived experience and qualitative data to assess how inclusive your communication and workplace culture really are.
📅 Interested in digging into the results and building a more inclusive organization? Book an appointment with Jebeh to get started.
Inclusive leadership isn’t a trend—it’s a transformational shift. Let’s make decision-making more equitable, one intentional choice at a time.
