The staff and board members of Legacy Foundation, plus four local nonprofits, will participate in an 11-month training series to build equity and inclusion into their programs, service delivery, and operations. The four additional organizations include Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, Crossroads YMCA, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, and South Shore Arts.
Shirley Heinze is committed to furthering our conservation work in a way that elevates our communities and improves quality of life for all residents in our region,” said Andrea Huntington, development director for Shirley Heinze Land Trust.
Legacy Foundation has hired California-based consulting firm, Thrivance Group, to meet virtually with nonprofit executives and frontline staff as they develop equity-based values and action steps to apply those values within their organizations. Thrivance Group developed the Dignity Infused Community Engagement (DICE) model, which includes accessibility strategy development, leadership development for impacted people, a power analysis, institutional assessments, and systems that ensure transparency and social justice values are embedded into every aspect of a project.
"When Legacy asked organizations to join us in the work of advancing equity in the communities we serve, they answered the call. We all want to be intentional about promoting leaders that are reflective of the community, and delivering programs that are inclusive and accessible,” said Legacy Foundation Vice President Kelly Anoe.
One goal Legacy Foundation hopes to accomplish is to remove any unconscious bias in its programs and marketing so that it can reach more diverse pools of scholarship and grant applicants and donors.