Nonprofit boards have traditionally had a difficult time achieving inclusivity. Even when boards appoint a member, of a previously not represented group, it is a challenge to welcome and integrate him or her into the workings of the group. Here are 12 other questions you can ask to create better inclusivity.

The often-used terms diversity, equity, and inclusion have distinct meanings. People get tripped up not only on definitions, but also on using these terms to create goals and action plans for themselves and their organizational culture. There is no better time to dig deep and establish shared, fundamental understandings to build truly supportive and effective workplaces.

Volunteer with Music Forward and join our mission of transforming young lives, inspiring careers, and championing a more inclusive music industry. Help redefine what’s possible for the next generation of music industry leaders and innovators by sharing your insight, knowledge and skills at programs and events that connect passions to professions.

Unfortunately, there is nowhere more apparent where our unconscious bias plays out than during the recruitment process; when recruiters are told time and again to ‘trust your gut’ – to rely on and make decisions based on our intuition. But as you’ll discover later on, intuition is based on, yup, you guessed it, unconscious bias.

National Arts Strategies (NAS) builds and supports a diverse community of arts and culture leaders who drive inspiring change for the future. The Racial Equity Principles is a framework and shared commitment to guide us in creating more equitable workplaces and communities. We encourage you to commit to adapting and adopting them into their work to be a part of a diverse network of leaders across the world who are committed to advancing racial equity in arts and culture.

The purpose of the IDEA committee is to create and share resources for members to use in their efforts to work toward greater equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility; to amplify initiatives launched by other groups and organizations within the entertainment industry; and encourage venues, promoters, and festivals to prioritize and support IDEA work and initiatives within their businesses and communities.

This article examines how, after the 2020 racial justice protests, major music companies pledged to address systemic racism and support Black artists and employees. It highlights the promises made — such as financial donations, diversity initiatives, and internal reforms — and evaluates the slow, uneven progress since then, with some efforts falling short of real structural change.

Psychological safety is the belief that you can take risks and put forward ideas without facing ridicule or retaliation. More often than not, it’s women — especially women of color — who don’t feel comfortable doing so.

Practical tips and resources for independent venues, promoters and festivals, curated by NIVA's DEI Taskforce

Our mission is to hold accountable the industry at large, including major corporations and their partners, who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people. It is the obligation of these entities to protect and empower the Black communities that have made them disproportionately wealthy in ways that are measurable and transparent. If you are an owner of a music company or business, consider implementing some or all of #TheShowMustBePaused Action Items.

A list of organizations working on Diversity and Inclusion in the Music and Audio Industry, provided by Soundgirls.

Music Forward inspires ambition and creates a momentum to redefine what’s possible for the young people and the industry we serve. Focusing on young people ages 12-22 in underserved communities, we set the stage for success by providing workshops and showcases to inspire the next generation of music industry leaders, innovators, and artists.

Most of the tools and articles on organizational implementation of DEI principles cover topics about boards, bylaws, and hiring practices. But what about DEI and finance? What are the links between them? Inequitable and unjust practices easily and unconsciously embed into systems and structures around payroll and finance. Let’s talk about 4 areas where you can examine your financial operations relative to DEI.

Directory of people of color who work in audio around the world. You’ll find editors, hosts, writers, producers, sound designers, engineers, project managers, musicians, reporters, and content strategists with varied experience from within the industry and in related fields.

Despite our reliance on people, we have a bunch of no good, very bad habits in hiring. This includes a terrible habit that many of us have, one that perpetuates gender and other inequities, and increases the power imbalance between employers and employees: Not listing salary ranges on job postings, and putting “DOE,” which stands for “Depending On Experience” instead.

DAWA honors, celebrates, and empowers the essential work of BIPOC community frontliners through direct financial support and culturally relevant health-centered programming. DAWA is a safety net for people of color who are experiencing short-term life crises. More specifically, people of color who are: musicians, artists, social workers, teachers, healing practitioners, and service industry workers.

Location: Austin, TX

Bodies of Culture is a diverse group of musicians and professionals advocating for equity in Colorado's music Industry. We are dedicated to evolving the local music ecosystem to create a more equitable future for young artists and our peers by identifying and closing EID gaps and establishing a culture of belonging and solidarity.

Location: Colorado

BMAC is an advocacy organization formed in alliance with #TheShowMustBePaused. Our Coalition advocates on behalf of Black artists, songwriters, producers, managers, agents, executives, lawyers and other passionate industry professionals. We have come together to address racism within the music industry and society at large.

NAF is a blog that discusses all things nonprofit with a slant toward equity, including the challenges faced by leaders and organizations of color. Topics include bringing more inclusive hiring and fundraising practices into the nonprofit sector.

An interactive website offering recommendations for a number of different areas related to DEI in the workplace. While they are mostly geared toward tech companies, each area includes case studies and other helpful articles and resources at the bottom of the specific suggestions provided. As a result, we think this is a great resource for folks in any industry.