While women have achieved board membership equality in non-profit corporations (48% nationwide), racial and ethnic minorities have not moved the needle over the last twenty years, according to a presentation by Board Source (advisers to non-profits) held in Boston last Friday.  That membership wallows around the 5% mark, or less.

Although it was recommended that board membership should approximately reflect the racial and ethnic makeup of the local community, particularly if the non-profit faces the public at large and is not in effect dealing with a limited cohort, and although two-thirds of all boards expressed displeasure at the lack of their own diversity, Board Source was pessimistic that things would change in the near term.  Why?

Because less than 20% of such boards listed diversity as either a strong or moderate goal in their articulated shopping lists for new board members.  No speculation was offered for why boards are slow to address their own perceived need.  Could be that old habits die hard;  or just don’t die at all?  To suggest that a reset is in order is to labor the obvious.