Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Announces Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Capacity Building Program Grantees
New York, Feb. 25, 2021 – The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) today announced the 18 recipients of more than $1 million in grants through its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Capacity Building Program, a national funding competition to support efforts to foster organizational change in conservation organizations toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive field. Each grantee will receive up to $60,000 over two years to support activities ranging from equity-centered board development and leadership trainings to internal policy reviews and strategic planning.
“To build a more diverse and inclusive conservation movement, to generate more equitable and positive outcomes for wildlife, the environment and people, it takes organizations that prioritize and implement those values,” said Sacha Spector, program director for the environment at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. “These organizations, selected from a pool of more than 360 applicants, are dedicated to internal culture change that will benefit both their communities and the environment. This cohort of grantees demonstrates that all types of conservation organizations – from white-led to Black, Indigenous and people of color- led, small to large, and community-based to nationally focused – have opportunities to continue learning about, supporting and engaging in anti-racism work.”
Grantees of the program were selected by an external advisory committee for their demonstrated commitment and internal action to making organizational changes to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion, a clear ability to learn and grow from previous related efforts, and for the potential to accelerate or sustain organizational change. Many applications responded to equity-related learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement and articulated a sense of urgency for ensuring their workplaces – and ultimately, the conservation field – are as inclusive and equitable as possible...