Nonprofits operating in Wilmington, a predominantly Black city and the largest in the state, have racial gaps in leadership, especially when it comes to reflecting the communities they serve.
The finding is one of many from the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement’s 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report, which aimed to explore racial disparities in the makeup of Delaware nonprofit boards.
The study, which was released last week and included responses from more than 100 nonprofit leaders, analyzes the diversity characteristics in senior leadership at Delaware nonprofits, such as age, gender and even whether board members live in the communities in which their organization operates.
The survey, conducted at the beginning of 2022, asked respondents if they believe their boards are “reflective” of their communities, how Delaware’s leadership diversity compares to national data and what diversity, equity and inclusion steps nonprofits can take to improve diversity efforts.
In a prepared statement, DANA President and CEO Sheila Bravo said her nonprofit “often” receives requests on how to address board diversity.
Here are a few takeaways from the report:
Racial gaps remain in Wilmington nonprofit leadership
In a city with 55% of residents who are Black, only 37% of this city’s nonprofits have board directors who are Black and 26% of executive directors who identify as Black.
Leaders at Delaware nonprofits are predominately white
In DANA’s 2014 DEI study, 14% of board directors and 10% of board leadership identified as Black, according to the report. In 2022, the numbers increased to 17% and 12%, respectively.
While senior leadership boards are more racially diverse, the 2022 study shows that 69% of current executives are predominantly white.
Most Wilmington board members do not live in the city
Only 38% of nonprofit board members who serve Wilmington live in the city, according to the report.
In comparison, nonprofit boards in New Castle (72%), Kent (70%), and Sussex (83%) counties significantly have more members that reside in the communities directly impacted by their work.
The Hispanic population is vastly underrepresented
About 11% of Delaware’s population over the age of 18 is Hispanic, however, only 2% of nonprofit boardrooms include the group, according to the report.
Sussex County nonprofits had the highest representation of Hispanic board members at 5%, which is still lower than the national average.
Women leaders are increasing
According to the report, 50% of board members and 49% of board officers at Delaware nonprofits identified as females. This is an increase from 2014 when only 42% of board leadership were females.
Read the full report:
Have a tip or story ideas? Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.
