The benefits of a diverse fundraising team
Diversity isn’t a new concept. The UK introduced the Race Relations Act in 1968 and the Equalities Act in 2010.
But the charity sector has only started embracing it in the last decade.
This is largely due to the influence of social justice movements like #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and Time’s Up.
Campaigns like these have exposed the inequalities that exist in society, demanded accountability, and fuelled a drive for change.
As a result, equality, inclusion, and diversity (DEI) have been put firmly under the spotlight.
What is diversity?
Diversity refers to the characteristics, experiences, and other distinctions that make one person different from another. It encompasses everything, from our cognitive skills and personality traits to the things that shape our identity, including race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and cultural background.
Workplace diversity refers to the intentional practice of building a heterogeneous workforce by hiring and promoting people with different characteristics, from a wide range of backgrounds.
Diversity in the third sector
While the charity sector has stepped up efforts to address the diversity gap in recent years, there’s still work to be done. This is evident from a report by NCVO.
Here are a few key takeaways:
The charity sector workforce is mostly (90%) white. At 10%, ethnic diversity is lower than in both the public sector (14%) and private sector (13%).
Women and older people are well-represented. Women make up two-thirds of the workforce. And one in four staff is aged 55 and above.
Just over 1 in 5 (23%) of workers identify as disabled.
Why is a diverse fundraising team important?
It’s the right thing to do. But over and above this, diversity has tangible benefits:
1. Greater understanding of beneficiaries and donors
51% of the UK population is female, 16 million people have a disability or long-term health condition, 24% are aged 60 and over, and nearly 18% are from an ethnic minority.
What does this tell us? Your stakeholders are diverse.
To fully understand the challenges beneficiaries face, and establish meaningful relationships with donors, fundraisers need to reflect that diversity.
2. Increased creativity and innovation
Put a homogeneous group of people together to work on a fundraising campaign, and they’ll generate similar ideas.
As Kenroi Consulting explains, ‘a homogeneous group, by its very nature, is tied together by the similarity of its characteristics’, which limits the scope for creativity and innovative thinking.’
On the flip side, a team composed of people with different upbringings, values, and life experiences will bring fresh perspectives to the table.
As per this Media Frenzy Global article, ‘a unique blend of working styles and ideas allow for more successful brainstorms and insightful feedback. Team members can play off each other’s strengths, and each brings a unique set of skills to the table.’
3. Better retention rates
Embracing a diverse workforce is about building a welcoming, accepting environment and providing equal opportunities for all.
Staff who feel accepted and valued are more likely to stay with their employer. In fact, a Gartner study found that employees at organisations with high levels of diversity are 20% more likely to stick around.
Increasing diversity
Those are just a few of the many reasons to get on board with diversity.
But how can you make your fundraising team more diverse?
Review your hiring practices
A diverse fundraising workforce requires an inclusive recruitment process.
Here are a few tips:
· Make sure your job ads are inclusive
· Add a diversity statement to recruitment materials highlighting your commitment to an inclusive work environment.
· Remove unnecessary obstacles in the recruitment process to improve accessibility.
· Review CVs blind to reduce unconscious bias.
· Seek out qualified candidates from underrepresented backgrounds by advertising on platforms like Evenbreak.
· Offer reasonable adjustments at interviews.
· Make flexible working the default. It’ll open up opportunities to working parents, disabled people, carers, and international candidates.
Prioritise diversity training
Attracting diverse talent is only half the battle. The other half is retaining it. One of the unique challenges of building a diverse team is the potential for conflict.
As this article by Parris Consulting explains, ‘wherever diversity exists, be it a mix of cultures, generations, work styles or personalities, conflict has the potential to arise’.
Whether it’s due to cultural misunderstandings, unconscious bias, stereotyping, or communication barriers, conflict is not conducive to a happy, healthy workforce.
This is where diversity training comes in. An important part of the diversity puzzle, training is a sure-fire way to ensure employees:
are aware of diversity issues in the workplace.
appreciate the differences among co-workers.
understand how unconscious bias can impact their interactions with colleagues and clients.
are equipped with the skills to interact, collaborate, and work together effectively.
However, diversity training isn’t only essential for employees. Diversity starts at the top.
As Gusto says in a blog post, ‘fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requires the active commitment and support of senior leadership’.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion training will ensure your head honchos are:
equipped with the tools and skills to manage diverse teams.
able to prevent and resolve diversity-related conflicts.
implementing best practices when it comes to hiring, managing performance, and providing equal learning opportunities.
nurturing an environment where diverse talent can thrive and grow.
We can help you build a diverse fundraising team. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.