Racial Equity and Inclusion

Our Racial Equity and Inclusion Statement

The National Fund for Workforce Solutions commits to naming and confronting systemic racial inequity within our organization, in the nonprofit sector where we are situated, and in the broader workforce system.

Our network is united by our values. We embed these values into our four solutions to achieve our vision. 

  •  Racial equity and inclusion
  •  Collaboration
  •  Power of the network
  •  Systems thinking
  •  Innovation and continuous learning

We do this in order to live our values, to achieve our stated priority to promote workforce equity and to be in just relationship with one another. We support one another to be brave and specific so that we can resolve issues and overcome barriers to equitable collaboration.

As we embark openly and publicly on this journey, it is vital that we acknowledge the history of racial oppression and the racial injustice that plague our communities.

We know that this journey requires both internal and external changes to how we do our work. At the same time, we are confident that the National Fund network can be a powerful and influential force for addressing inequities.

 

How We Do This

Here are some of the ways we seek to dismantle systems of discrimination that plague workers and the workforce system in our current work and future aspirations.

  • We build capacity and expertise on racial equity among our staff and in our network.
  • We partner with race equity leaders and organizations to implement and scale equity strategies across the network.
  • We disaggregate labor market and related data by race and other demographics.
  • We acknowledge that the causes of inequities are complex and interrelated and that reducing them often requires addressing multiple problems across multiple systems.
  • We champion employers who create equitable jobs and workplaces.
  • We apply a racial equity and inclusion lens to our grant-making structure internal policies and practices, and the implementation of our four solutions.
  • We involve frontline workers in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs intended to support them. Increasing worker voice is directly connected to equity.

What We Hope to Achieve

We remain steadfast in our commitment to achieving racial equity and inclusion. We acknowledge that this means having difficult conversations, continuously learning, and seizing opportunities for collective action. We do this in an effort to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Workers are employed by organizations that are taking steps to create an equitable environment for their workers.
  • Workplace policies and practices incorporate and represent the voice of workers.
  • The root causes of racial inequity and injustice in the workforce system, not just symptoms, are addressed.
  • Workers have financial stability and the ability to advance in their careers.
  • Income, health, and wealth gaps based on discrimination are closed.
  • Employers gain competitive advantage and communities are thriving because they are built around economy-boosting, equitable jobs rooted in the well-being of all.

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