In September, the Saint Luke’s Foundation staff recently hosted a workshop at the Philanthropy Ohio’s Philanthropy Forward Conference, focusing on operationalizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within philanthropic organizations. The purpose of our workshop was designed to help foundations and nonprofits explore ways to integrate DEI principles into every aspect of their work—from event programming to grantmaking and internal policies and practices.
The Purpose of the Workshop 
The workshop aimed to achieve three key objectives:
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusion: Identifying practical strategies to infuse equity and inclusion into every layer of an organization, from programming to policy.
- Implementing Best Practices: Offering actionable steps that staff at any level of the organization can use to foster inclusivity.
- Operationalizing Equitable Practices: Learning how to revise and create organizational policies that promote fairness and ensure inclusivity.
Insights and Recommendations for Operationalizing DEI
Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in meaningful discussions facilitated by the Saint Luke’s staff. In these group discussions, Saint Luke’s staff shared how they are implementing DEI from their respective positions and responded to questions and insights of each group for collective learning. A few key themes emerged, along with recommendations for other foundations and nonprofits looking to advance their DEI efforts:
- Empower Staff and Board to Elevate DEI: Encourage staff across all departments and your board to take ownership of DEI initiatives. DEI is a collective action that requires everyone within an organization to have agency in fostering an inclusive culture, practices, and policies. We encourage everyone to create safe spaces for open, vulnerable, and productive dialogue about inclusivity to help foster a more equitable workplace culture.
- Prioritize Diversity in Leadership: When building boards and staff, seek individuals whose diverse perspectives, shared values, and experiences reflect the communities you serve. A diverse leadership team strengthens the organization’s ability to identify their blind spots and to make equitable decisions.
- Streamline Equitable Grantmaking: Explore ways to ease the burden of the grant application process by making it accessible for all applicants, especially those from marginalized groups. For us accessibility means not only constant reviewing of our grant application, but also making ourselves readily available to support applicants along the way. For example, over the past seven years at Saint Luke’s, the time applicants spend on our application has decreased by approximately 35%. This reduction demonstrates our commitment to streamlining the grant application process and ensuring that organizations can spend their time effectively on their mission. Our streamlining effort are ongoing, as we’re seeking further reduction.
- Support BIPOC and Women-Led Businesses: Grantmaking extends beyond DEI practices within grantmaking and in to general operations. Tailor support for businesses led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and women in your annual meetings, events, programs, and marketing efforts. Foundations can provide not only funding but also resources to strengthen their long-term sustainability.
- Shift Power to the Communities You Serve: Redistribute decision-making authority by empowering the communities you serve to take an active role in shaping your organization’s work. Explore community-led committees, like resident grantmaking bodies, to give them control over funding decisions that directly affect their neighborhoods. For example, Saint Luke’s formed the Resident Advancement Committee (RAC). This resident-led body, composed of 10 members, independently reviews and awards grants to resident-driven projects within their own neighborhoods and manages a grant pool of $140,000 annually. We believe this approach not only strengthens community ownership but also fosters deeper and long-term sustainability in your partnerships.
The Journey to Operationalizing DEI
Operationalizing DEI work is a continuous journey that requires time, courage, and a shared vision. It takes a collective willingness to learn, ask difficult questions, and share both successes and challenges. We believe that we, along with other foundations and nonprofits, must be open to cross-pollinating best practices, identifying growth opportunities, and acknowledging areas for improvement.
At the Saint Luke’s Foundation, we remain committed to centering the communities we serve in all aspects of our work. We strive to ensure that our organizational culture reflects the diversity of those communities and that we continue learning, adapting, and sharing our insights to strengthen the philanthropic sector.
Moving Forward: Learning and Sharing Together
The key takeaway from our workshop is that operationalizing DEI is not a checklist but a culture and ongoing commitment that requires consistent reminders as to why we do this work. As we move forward, we encourage other organizations to embrace the patience, openness, and dedication required to meaningfully embed DEI into their practices.
The Saint Luke’s Foundation is committed to leading and collaborating with others to ensure our practices reflect the values of equity and inclusion, while uplifting individuals within our communities to live healthy, dignified, and prosperous lives.