Race to Lead Revisited: Obstacles and Opportunities in Addressing the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap

This report presents findings from BMP’s 2019 survey of more than 5,000 nonprofit staff on their experiences of race and leadership in nonprofit settings. The survey included many of the same questions asked in the 2016 survey, which informed the original Race to Lead report, and new questions exploring the financial circumstances of respondents and their experiences of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the workplace.

Race to Lead Revisited confirms findings in the original report that people of color have similar leadership qualifications as white respondents, and more people of color aspire to become nonprofit leaders than their white counterparts. The report also shows that despite the growing attention paid to diversity, equity, and inclusion in nonprofit organizations, there are entrenched disparities that privilege white people and white-led organizations in the nonprofit sector. The third major finding from the report shows that extensive DEI efforts across the sector appear to have increased awareness of race and racism, but have not yet translated into significant change or more equity in how people of color experience their organizations or the nonprofit sector.

Based on survey and focus group findings, Race to Lead Revisited offers recommendations for how the nonprofit sector and individual organizations can think differently and change behavior to make more significant progress toward racial equity.