Our Equity Journey

Our Equity Journey

(DEIJ) are core values of MNA. We are firmly committed to influencing change, confronting inequities and racism, and breaking down barriers for marginalized communities throughout Michigan.

Our board and staff are dedicated to realizing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive nonprofit sector promoting DEIJ practices and building stronger communities.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, “We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” And the fight for justice continues. The MNA board and staff are dedicated to realizing its vision of an equitable, diverse, and inclusive nonprofit sector that embraces and promotes DEIJ practices that lead to building stronger communities.

2008

• MNA’s first of several cohorts participates in the Peer Action Learning Network (PALN).

2010

• MNA Board and Staff formalize commitment and leadership role for MNA related to diversity and inclusion in Michigan’s Nonprofit Sector.
• Two committees, one to support the Board and one to support the staff were created.
• Staff complete the Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®).

2011

• With support and endorsement from MNA staff, MNA Board of Director’s approve the first diversity and inclusion framework from MNA which includes a vision, mission, goals, and strategies.

2017

• Launched the 2020 Census. The campaign had an intentional focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• MNA deployed the Michigan Nonprofit Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Toolkit in the spring of 2017. The toolkit includes an assessment and is designed to help nonprofit organizations assess their capacity and progress in demonstrating best practices in diversity, inclusion, and equity.

2019

• Added ‘Justice’ to our core values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion.

We have long prioritized DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) at Michigan Nonprofit Association, but in 2019, prior to the brutal murder of Mr. George Floyd that sparked the largest racial justice protests in history, we added justice to our core values. And little did we know at the time how important it would be for us to solidify that value. Following the deaths of Mr. Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others, we knew that we had to double down on our work to address racial inequality. Today, we are more committed than ever before to confronting ingrained systemic racism with action.

2020

• We worked alongside nonprofits statewide to ensure that Michigan had a fair, accurate and inclusive census for the state’s historically undercounted communities.
• In the fall of 2020, we started our Community Conversations series to be a space where we, as nonprofit leaders, volunteers, and professionals, can discuss how we make our organizations more equitable. The focus of these conversations is to build leadership to support the sector's capacity and action towards the racial justice imperatives facing the sector. These virtual rooms make space for BIPOC leaders to gather, to create communities of practice and healing.
• We worked to increase voter engagement across Michigan.
• Reflection from Kelley Kuhn, president & CEO on MNA's core values

2021

• We kicked off our Redistricting Initiative and mobilized nonprofits to engage the communities they serve in active participation to achieve fair and impartial district maps for Michigan - specifically to promote racial equity so that communities of color have a voice and are not locked out of the decision making that occurs at the local, state, and federal levels.
• We launched the first-ever Nonprofit Leadership Census survey aimed at building a solidarity network among BIPOC-led nonprofits (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) in the city of Detroit and across Michigan. The survey intends to generate the first comprehensive, diverse data set about nonprofit leadership across the state.
• We implemented our pronouns in MNA staff email signatures.
• MNA staff released a joint statement signed by every staff member calling for an end to racial discrimination after the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of Mr. George Floyd.
• Through dedicated advocacy and collaboration with the Michigan legislature and the Governor’s office, MNA successfully secured $50 million in appropriations from the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021. Following the receipt of these funds, MNA partnered with the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to implement an equitable funding program.

2022

• Launched the Anti-Racism Accountability and Action Cohort where participants discussed individual and system oppression and the realities of structural inequality. They also learned about white fragility and how it shows up and know the difference between intent vs. impact. Participants reviewed distinctions between ally, accomplice and co-conspirator and learned what it meant to be anti-racist.
• Launched the 'Claiming our Space' cohort- a brave space for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) nonprofit leaders.
• Launched a statewide survey to capture the first ever comprehensive dataset on nonprofit leadership in Michigan.

2023

• Following the appropriation of $50 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, MNA partnered with the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to implement an equitable funding program that supported 1,479 nonprofits.
• Launched the "We Are 501 c 3" campaign, showcasing BIPOC leaders from diverse nonprofits across Michigan.

2024

• MNA is proud to highlight the "We Are 501c3" campaign, featuring the impactful stories of Black and Brown leaders of color.
• In November, MNA co-hosted a Civic and Community Engagement Summit with the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF), fostering community dialogue and collaboration.