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Change Often Organizational Anti-Racism Rubric

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- Change Often Organizational Anti-Racism Rubric

Organizational Anti-Racism Rubric

Change Often – Social Innovation Firm, in collaboration with High Point University’s Center for Community Engagement, developed this rubric for organizations to evaluate their practices for anti-racism. Anti-racism includes a spectrum of actions done to change, implement, and sustain more just and equitable organizations.

Anti-racism has a range of definitions. One helpful one, created by the Boston University Community Service Center, is that anti-racism is “the practice of actively identifying and opposing racism. The goal of anti-racism is to actively change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions.”

“BIPOC” refers to Black, Indigenous, and people of Color. BIPOC acknowledges that people of color face varying types of discrimination and prejudice. Additionally, it emphasizes that systemic racism continues to oppress, invalidate, and deeply affect the lives of Black and Indigenous people in ways other people of color may not necessarily experience.

This rubric is a self-assessment tool – not a definitive judgment. We recommend multiple stakeholders within and beyond an organization complete the rubric and then meet to discuss their scores. Together, they can work toward a consensus score to give the organization a starting benchmark for their work. We then recommend selecting one or two areas where work can be focused to improve along the continuum. Keep returning to the rubric – keep pushing your organization to do more and do better.

Instructions: Organizations should give themselves one score in each category that is best representative of the current situation. If the available scores are not reflective enough, the organization may consider using half points. However, the goal of this rubric is for organizations to understand and consider what their score in each row means for them and how to move forward toward anti-racism. Change Often recommends having more than one organization stakeholder complete this rubric.

Degree to which your organization is dedicated to addressing structures of racism

Organizations that work to actively dismantle structures of racism. This includes political advocacy, participatory roles and empowerment efforts from the community served and being affected by structures of racism. The organization may also do the activities listed below as additional support. These organizations also work to actively combat the harm done by structures of racism. This must include awareness efforts or discussion groups that work to provide communities affected with the vocabulary and systemic knowledge of the harm caused to them.

Organizations that actively combat the harm done by structures of racism through medium to long term programmatic or case management support. Thus helping people affected by structures of racism by providing programs and services that they have trouble accessing themselves.

Organization providing direct service to individuals affected by structures of racism. This organization may provide essential immediate services, thus, supporting individuals in crisis without an intention of making change individually or on the community or structural level.

Since every org serves people affected by racism, perhaps it’s that the organization doesn’t consider race in the provision of its services.

None

Demonstrates that more than white people have decision-making power for the organization. Board diversity should also consider the correlation between the population served and board make-up.

The Board privileges BIPOC leadership beyond the racial demographics of the community being served.

The Board reflects the racial demographics of the community being served.

The racial diversity of the Board is less than 50% of the racial demographics of the community being served.

There are few or no BIPOC Board members.

None

Demonstrates that the organization prioritizes diverse relationships and those that contribute to helping equity and anti-racism.

The organization partners with BIPOC-led organizations that are committed to DEI and/or anti-racist work.

The organization partners with BIPOC-led organizations that forward their DEI and/or anti-racist organizational strategy.

The organization partners with BIPOC-led organizations.

The organization does not partner with BIPOC-led organizations and/or partner with organizations with a disagreeable history.

None

Demonstrates that the organization prioritizes diverse relationships and those that contribute to helping equity and anti-racism. Sponsorship & Vending Partners & Collaborators may include banking relationships, event sponsors, caterers, consultants, etc.

The organization partners with BIPOC-led organizations that are committed to anti-racist work.

The organization partners with BIPOC-led organizations that forward their DEI and/or anti-racist organizational strategy.

The organization intentionally seeks out BIPOC-led vendors and sponsors for partnership.

The organization does not select nor partner with BIPOC-led organizations and/or partners with organizations with a disagreeable history.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to learning and practicing anti-racism. Training should take into consideration the racial make-up of the trainers, frequency, and whether the knowledge is built upon or repeated.

There is a requirement for the Board and Staff to attend anti-racism training more than one time.

There is a requirement for the Board and Staff to attend DEI training one time

DEI training for the Board and Staff is recommended but not required.

No personnel are required to attend DEI or anti-racism training.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to boldly and visibly conduct anti-racist work. Mission, vision, and values refers to outright statements that are bold in anti-racism or DEI, and not insinuated.

The organization’s mission, vision, and/or values speak directly to anti-racism.

The organization’s mission, vision, and/or values insinuate anti-racism.

The organization’s mission, vision, and/or values speak directly to DEI

The organization’s mission, vision, and/or values are not related to anti-racism or DEI.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to boldly and visibly conduct anti-racist work.

The organization has a formal statement supporting anti-racism and DEI.

The organization has a formal statement supporting DEI.

The organization has an informal statement supporting DEI.

The organization has no formal DEI statement.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to anti-racism. Things to consider for anti-racist programs are location accessibility, target and served populations, and the impact of programming on systems of participants’ lives.

The organization hosts programs/services directly related to anti-racism and DEI.

The organization hosts programs/services directly related to DEI.

The organization hosts programs/services that are indirectly related to DEI.

The organization does not host programs/services related to anti-racism and DEI.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to anti-racism through an inclusive and diverse work environment and hiring processes.

The organization actively recruits and promotes BIPOC to the Staff and Board while intentionally creating an inclusive and safe environment for diversity and feedback.

The organization regularly reviews and updates policies that may be unintentionally harmful to BIPOC personnel based on feedback from BIPOC individuals.

The organization actively recruits and promotes BIPOC to the Staff and Board.

The organization updates policies (as needed) that may be unintentionally harmful to BIPOC personnel.

The organization has a requirement for a number of BIPOC board and/or staff.

The organization recognizes they have harmful policies toward BIPOC candidates.

The organization does not consider race when creating and following HR policies.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to anti-racism. Intentional practices include norms and culture, evaluation metrics of DEI, DEI included in strategic planning, funding BIPOC-led organizations, and the use of program participants for the organization’s benefit.

Implements (at least 3) structures, policies and practices with inclusive decisionmaking and other forms of power sharing on all levels of the institution’s life and work.

Implements (at least 2) structures, policies and practices with inclusive decisionmaking and other forms of power sharing on all levels of the institution’s life and work.

The organization has conversations about intentional practices but they have not been implemented yet.

Does not consider diversity or anti-racism when developing and implementing organizational policies and practices.

None

Demonstrates the organization’s commitment to anti-racism through the method in which an organization communicates with donors, participants, and the public. Organizational communication refers to a website, newsletter, annual report, social media, etc.

The organization communicates anti-racist and DEI practices (images and language) internally and externally through more than 2 communication methods.

The organization’s communication strategies target diverse populations.

The organization’s external communication utilizes diverse images.

The organization has no communication methods that display diversity.

None

Demonstrates that more than white people have decision-making power for the organization. Staff diversity refers to staff who are part of the organization’s Executive Team.

The staff privileges BIPOC leadership beyond the racial demographics of the community being served.

The staff reflects the racial demographics of the community being served.

The racial diversity of the donor base is less than 50% of the racial demographics of the community being served.

There are few or no BIPOC donors.

None

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