May 7, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Steve Gunderson, president of the Council on Foundations, last week told The Chronicle of Philanthropy in an interview that the organization is making diversity one of its central goals.
The blog The Nonprofiteer wonders what took the organization so long, and urges the organization to focus on diversifying foundation boards.
Mr. Gunderson says the council has created a new title — director of diversity programs — to help promote diversity among the 2,000 grant makers the organization represents. The organization does not, however, have plans to set guidelines for board makeup or paid staff.
The Nonprofiteer, in turn, says the council is not going far enough to push for more diversity in the foundation world.
“It’s terrific that in 2007 it’s finally occurred to foundations that they ought to actually engage in some of the diversity they demand of their grantees, though of course God forbid they should actually set numerical goals against which they could be measured,” the blogger writes.
(For another opinion on diversity and foundations, read an opinion article by Gwen I. Walden, an official of the California Endowment, in the latest issue of The Chronicle of Philanthropy.)
What needs to be done to promote diversity in the foundation world? Click on the comments link below this post to share your thoughts.
