Through its grantmaking work and conversations with leaders in Denver's nonprofit sector, The Denver Foundation discovered a widespread community interest in developing a deeper understanding of how inclusiveness of diverse voices and experiences enhances and expands the work of nonprofits.
In 2001, The Denver Foundation Board of Trustees established the Expanding Nonprofit Inclusiveness Initiative as a vehicle to help the community benefit from an increased knowledge of commitment to inclusiveness, and voted in 2004 to extend ENII's work through at least 2008. ENII was developed and led by a steering committee of volunteer leaders from the Metro Denver area.
In the fall of 2002, ENII surveyed 210 nonprofits with budgets over $500,000 about their inclusiveness practices, and performed in-depth case studies of 11 organizations. The results of this research formed the basis for the development of numerous tools to help nonprofits become more inclusive. The tools include a speakers' bureau that has reached nearly 2,000 people, a workbook titled Inclusiveness at Work which outlines the process for creating a tailored "inclusiveness blueprint," and a limited number of grants to help nonprofits on the journey to becoming more inclusive.
Over the course of the Initiative's history, numerous local and national funders have joined The Denver Foundation in supporting its work.
In July 2007, The Denver Foundation's Board of Trustees voted to make the work of ENII an ongoing program of The Denver Foundation and approved the creation of the Inclusiveness Project.
While the Inclusiveness Project committee and The Denver Foundation recognize that all forms of inclusiveness are essential, the focus of this initiative is on issues of race and ethnicity. |
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.
–Maya Angelou
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