CURE’s Racial Equity Organizational Change Framework aligns internal and external practices and builds knowledge and capacity for operationalizing equity across an entire organization.
Building a racially equitable organization takes sustained commitment, a plan of action and inspired and motivated people working together to achieve a common goal.
For organizations prepared to do the deep work of aligning values, people, practices and processes to reflect a commitment to racial equity, CURE provides an intentional and systemic framework for organizational change. Our framework is based on four key competency areas including:
- Organizational Commitment to Equity
- Shared Language and Analysis
- Equitable Policies and Practices
- Empowered People
Our equity assessment process, trainings, and strategic planning support services are all designed to strengthen and embed equity across an organization through these four key areas.
Wondering how to jump start an equity change initiative within your organization? Download our Equity Organizational Assessment and Strategic Planning Tip Sheet for ideas on how to build an organizational change movement that centers equity and inclusion.
Organizational assessments provide data for action and provide a roadmap for informed dialogue, goal-setting and transformational change to take place.
Benchmarking your current practices, culture, systems, and norms is a critical first step in ensuring the accountability and transparency necessary to “walk the talk” on equity. The assessment process is like holding up a mirror, allowing organization’s to engage in critical self-reflection. Working in close partnership with internal equity working groups and task forces, our comprehensive equity assessment and planning process includes:
- A staff-wide survey
- Focus groups with employees from all levels of the organization
- Senior staff interviews
- Discussions with stakeholders; and
- Document review (e.g., mission statements, strategic plans)
These assessment activities provide a baseline understanding of strengths and opportunities for improvement and systemic change. With knowledge gained through the assessment, we provide a comprehensive report with recommendations for addressing areas for improvement and future action. CURE also facilitates dialogues on the findings and provides opportunities for your equity working group, staff and other stakeholders to identify priorities and next steps so that future planning is truly inclusive and embraces open communication and equitable decision-making processes. CURE can remain engaged after the assessment, providing services that bridge organizations from the change initiation phase to integration of learnings and new processes that become a part of organizational practice and culture.
While CURE can lead implementation of action steps identified from the assessment, we believe that building capacity for organizational change is a key part of institutionalizing equity. Therefore, we advise and assist partners on creating the necessary structures (e.g., equity action teams) and processes needed to ensure equity efforts are sustained.
Equity Strategy Development and Implementation
Need to develop a racial equity strategic plan or framework? CURE facilitates racial equity strategic planning processes using our Equity Organizational Change Framework. Our racial equity strategy services include:
- Staffing and facilitation of working group meetings
- Action plan development using participatory facilitation and Results-Based Accountability principles
- Consultation on processes and policies including internal operations (e.g., recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion strategies) and external strategies (e.g., community engagement and partnerships)
- Implementation services (e.g., affinity/employee resource groups, policy and tools development, action plan monitoring and tracking)
- Leadership team and staff coaching