Diversity and Inclusiveness
The Fry Foundation has been a long-standing member of the Forefront’s (formerly known as the Donors Forum) Diversity and Inclusiveness Committee. Fry Foundation trustee, Graham C. Grady, founded the Forefront’s Trustee Subcommittee which seeks to engage foundation trustees in promoting diversity and inclusiveness. The Fry Foundation also organized Chicago’s first reception for trustees of color in the Chicago area. This reception, now co-hosted by Forefront, has become an annual event.
The Fry Foundation was an early supporter during the formation of the D5 Coalition, a national coalition of foundations to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in philanthropy. The Fry Foundation also has been active in seeking out vendors and financial managers which have diversity represented in their senior management and ownership.
Below are some articles and links to resources on this topic:
Diverse Trustee Reception: A History of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Historically, diversity and inclusiveness has not been properly prioritized within the philanthropic landscape, and at the Fry Foundation we wanted to actively show that diversity and inclusiveness is a main priority in the work we do. The Diverse Trustee Reception was established to highlight the work and ongoing efforts of diverse trustees in partnership with the Fry Foundation. Learn more about the history of the Diverse Trustee Reception here. more >
Fry Foundation Investment Case Study by CAPTRUST
In 2014, the Board of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation began formally discussing ways to align the Foundation’s investment program with its mission. The Board engaged its investment consultant, CAPTRUST, to assist in this effort. In 2015, the Board made a decision to increase the diversity of investment managers across its investment portfolio in order to better reflect the racial diversity of the communities served by the Foundation. Click here to read CAPTRUST's case study of the Fry Foundation's change in investment strategies. more >
If Your Board Looked Like Your Community
Moving Board Diversity from a 'Problem to Solve' to 'Something to Practice.' Staff and Board Members Weigh in on Common Hurdles and How to Overcome Them. more >
D5 Webinar - Vision and Voice: the Role of Leadership and Dialogue in Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Presented by:
Susan Anderson, The CIRI Foundation
Kris Hermanns, Pride Foundation
Sindhu Knotz, Philanthropy Northwest
Kelly Brown, D5
Mike Litz, Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers
In this webinar, Sindhu Knotz of Philanthropy Northwest discusses the Vision and Voice report on the role of foundation leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. more >
A Foundation President Shares Her Views on the Value of Diversity in the Boardroom
D5 asked Unmi Song, President of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, two key questions: Why is it critical to have diverse perspectives in a foundation’s leadership? And what can CEOs do to successfully nurture and facilitate trustee engagement in these issues? Here are her insights. more >
Philanthropic Paths: An Exploratory Study of the Career Pathways of Professionals of Color in Philanthropy
Presented by Arnold Chandler, Lisa Quay, and Tia Elena Martinez of Forward Change
This study, commissioned by the D5 Coalition, provides a nuanced picture of the career experiences of
43 philanthropic professionals of color ranging from Program Officers to CEOs working in an array of
foundations. more >
Ditch Your Board Composition Matrix
By Jan Masaoka of Blue Avocado. Published June 2011
You know the board matrix: it has a list of skills and competencies that are "supposed" to be on the board, such as legal, marketing, HR, fundraising, finance. more >
Blue Ribbon Nominating Committee for Your Board
By Jan Masaoka of Blue Avocado. Published April 2011
"Who do we know?" When board nominations comes up on the meeting agenda, this plaintive question is usually not far behind. more >
Recruiting for Board Diversity: Part 3 in Diversity Series
By Jan Masaoka of Blue Avocado. Published December 2009
Here in Part 3 we offer specific, practical tips for recruiting people "unlike ourselves" for nonprofit boards. more >
A Fresh Look at Diversity and Boards
By Jan Masaoka of Blue Avocado. Published November 2009
Part One in a series of three on nonprofits and diversity: more >