How can mentoring and coaching help build a more diverse and inclusive philanthropic community?

I find the most valuable aspects of the mentoring relationship are the opportunities to expand skills, meet new others, and share perspectives. Both the mentor and mentee receive these benefits from the relationship. In my life, my mentors have helped me feel less alone in the field, normalized the situations executive leaders find themselves in, and encouraged me to take risks. On their part, they appreciated the same from me.

When considering mentorship programs, consider how diverse and inclusive they are. Do you have a good gender balance among mentors? Do you cater for all abilities and needs? Keep on celebrating people’s participation and motive everyone to become both mentors and mentees.

As a trans advocate, I see the lack of diversity and inclusion, which affects the impact of mentoring and coaching for trans people and other marginalized groups. Diversity and inclusion can be improved by: - Recruiting and selecting mentors and mentees from diverse backgrounds and identities. - Providing training and orientation on topics such as diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence. - Establishing and communicating clear and realistic expectations and roles. - Creating and following a tailored and flexible mentoring and coaching plan that allows for adjustment. - Providing ongoing support and resources such as tools, guides, and best practices. - Evaluating and measuring the impact and quality of the mentoring and coaching.

One of the best experiences I had as a nonprofit executive director was the peer group I co-founded. Not only did we learn from and support each other, we increased our respective organizations’ capacity which led to new funding opportunities.

Here's why: Fostering Inclusive Leadership: Mentoring programs within philanthropic organizations can empower underrepresented groups, providing them with the knowledge and confidence to take on leadership roles. Sharing Diverse Perspectives: Coaching from diverse mentors introduces new viewpoints and strategies, enriching the decision-making process and ensuring a wider range of causes are supported. Building Networks: Effective mentoring helps professionals from varied backgrounds to build essential networks, increasing their visibility and influence in philanthropy. Promoting Lifelong Learning: Continuous learning through coaching encourages a culture of openness and adaptability, key for fostering diversity and inclusion.