Case Study: Promising Practices to Advance DEI Among Non-Profit Boards - A Framework Summary

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys

A case study examining how the Aurora Institute advanced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through board engagement under a three-year Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant. It tracks Board Diversity, DEI Learning, and DEI Commitment outcomes from November 2020 to July 2023, using survey findings, interviews, and illustrative quotations. The study also considers board culture and inclusion amid leadership transition after a CEO resignation in May 2023, highlighting lessons for other organizations building DEI capacity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction and Background

DEI Goals and Outcomes

Board Diversity

Board Culture and Inclusion

Case Study: Promising Practices to Advance DEI Among Non-Pro t Boards October 31, 2023 Introduction and Background The Aurora Institute works to drive the transformation of education systems and accelerate the advancement of breakthrough policies and practices to ensure high-quality learning for all. In pursuing this mission, Aurora has built the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as anti-racism, into its strategic plan. To support its DEI goals and provide structure around organizational learning, Aurora received a three-year grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). The grant included an explicit focus on engaging the Aurora Board of Directors in DEI work to advance the organization. This case study describes Aurora’s Board of Directors’ evolution and growth with respect to DEI, from November 2020 through July 2023. Aurora’s e orts to support its board’s engagement with DEI provide insights and promising practices which may help leaders from other organizations develop strategies to build their boards’ DEI capacity. This case study was developed by Interim CEO Loretta Goodwin (formerly the COO), Development Director Jennifer Kabaker, and Kumea Shorter-Gooden, Aurora’s DEI consultant. Shorter-Gooden surveyed board members in February 2021 and conducted individual interviews with them in January and February 2021, and again in June and July 2023, to elicit their perceptions of Aurora’s and the board’s experiences, growth, capacity, and challenges with respect to DEI. Illustrative quotes from the 2023 interviews are provided. It should be noted that the longtime CEO of the organization, Susan Patrick, resigned in May 2023, and an interim CEO was then appointed. Thus, the backdrop for the recent interviews with board members was the signi􀀞cant leadership transition that the board is in the process of navigating. CASE STUDY: PROMISING PRACTICES TO ADVANCE DEI AMONG NON-PROFIT BOARDS 1 DEI Goals and Outcomes Over the course of the grant, Aurora’s sta and board worked toward three speci􀀞c goals: Board Diversity—Increase the diversity of the Aurora Institute board from 2020 to 2023, as measured by the number of board members from racially diverse backgrounds. DEI Learning—Engage the Aurora Institute Board of Directors and Board DEI Committee to focus the board more intently on DEI issues, measured by the outputs of a DEI work plan, and increased DEI-focused meetings, readings, and other activities at the full board level. DEI Commitment—Generate shared growth, commitment, and understanding of DEI among Aurora Institute’s Board of Directors on both personal and organizational levels, evidenced by participation and buy-in to DEI activities, creation of artifacts building capacity for DEI, and participation in DEI coaching activities. The sections below discuss progress on each of these goals. Board Diversity In Spring 2020, three of the nine (33%) board members were people of color, including one Latino man, one Latina woman, and one Black woman. Three of the nine members were women (33%) . Over the course of the grant, Aurora engaged in targeted board recruitment, with the goal of increasing the number of people of color and the number of women on the board. By May 2023, three of the six members (50%) were people of color, including two Latino men (one in the position of board chair) and one Black woman. Three of the six members (50%) were women. The board is currently down three members due to two members cycling o and one member resigning. In interviews, board members who had served for many years commented on this shift over time and the increased emphasis on recruiting diverse members of the board. One board member said,“In the past few months, some difficult issues around race have come up, and we’ve been able to talk about them far better than in the past, when we had fewer people of color.” Another board member remarked,“Since being on the board, there’s definit

FAQs

What three DEI goals did Aurora pursue during the grant?

Aurora worked toward Board Diversity, DEI Learning, and DEI Commitment. Each goal was measured through specific recruitment outcomes, DEI work-plan outputs and board activities, and evidence of shared participation and understanding.

How did Aurora’s board diversity change from 2020 to 2023?

In Spring 2020, three of nine board members were people of color (33%). By May 2023, three of six members (50%) were people of color, alongside a parallel increase among women (also 50%).

How did leadership transition affect board DEI engagement during the interviews?

The organization’s longtime CEO resigned in May 2023, and an interim CEO was appointed. This created a leadership backdrop for the 2023 interviews with board members as they navigated ongoing evolution and DEI capacity-building.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys