- Social Impact Infrastructure Organizations (SIIOs) Propel Philanthropy uses the term to identify groups they call “the indispensable backbone for the philanthropic, nonprofit, and civil society sectors”. They are resource builders, conveners, networks, platforms, trainers, educators, researchers, media outlets, and advocates.
- Race Equity Glossary: Maintained by MN Education Equity Partnership, used by several national organizations, coalitions and higher education groups.
- Definitions of Empowerment Language Borealis Philanthropy has published their Glossary Definitions.
- This guide from Disability: walks through the general dos and don’ts when interacting with individuals who identify as disabled
- Racial Equity Tools Glossary SOURCE: Project Change’s “The Power of Words.” Originally produced for Project Change Lessons Learned II, also included in A Community Builder’s Toolkit – both produced by Project Change and The Center for Assessment and Policy Development with some modification by RacialEquityTools.org.
- Meanwhile spaces: Disused sites leased or loaned for a certain period of time by the public sector or developers to local community groups, art organizations, start-ups, and charities. These sites may be vacant or under-used shops, buildings, open spaces, or land. Temporary contracts allow community groups, small businesses, or individuals to pursue economic activity at below-market rates to generate social value for the neighborhood and its inhabitants
- Diversity Dishonesty: hiring a ton of diverse people, putting diverse people on company photographs and advertising assets, but not valuing them in the organization, and then gaslighting when the issue is raised (from According to stylist.co.uk)
- Houseless, unhoused, unsheltered:People are turning away from the most common term, “homeless,” in favor of alternatives. Each one has a slightly different meaning.
- Generosity Experience: your new term for the online solicitation process, as in How to Design a Magical one on Your Nonprofit’s Website
- The Communications Network (the association of grant maker communications people) has a dedicated website directed at how foundation and nonprofit communicators can improve racial equity through their work. The site includes tools to craft relevant messaging that centers diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the results of the 2019 survey of DEI experts. Some of the findings:
- The terms “race” and “racism” rarely appear in organizational DEI definitions, even for organizations focused on justice and equity.
- Respondents rated their organizations’ staffs as more diverse than their boards, and their boards as more diverse than their senior leadership.
- Less than half (42%) of respondents said they had a strong understanding of DEI concepts.
- Over half (57%) saw the impacts of implicit bias present in social good communications.
- Almost half (46%) recognized unintentional reinforcement of stereotypes and an overall lack of understanding of what language should be used in racial equity messaging.
- About one-fifth (21%) of respondents said there was a lack of support for DEI initiatives within the organization.
- BIMPOC – Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, People of Color. This more inclusive term is becoming more popular in philanthropy trade journals
- Third Places – Read the Walton Family Foundation’s opinion piece on funding “third places,” including non-work and non-home places, commercial and public indoor places like bars, restaurants, cafés, barber shops, beauty salons, museums, and libraries, as well as outdoor places like trails and bike paths.
- Latine – There’s a growing debate about the use of “Latinx” as an all-inclusive term for people of all the folks who used to be included in “Hispanics” and “Latinx”. We each get to choose our own names.
- Canopy Gap and Tree Grief – The Star Tribune recently had a piece on how poor neighborhoods have so many fewer trees and shrubbery than wealthy neighborhoods. Evidently, there are some very serious problems when we don’t have enough trees which we call “canopy gaps” or “tree grief”.
- Virtue Signaling – Another old term that’s resurfaced – Mostly intended for corporations or powerful people, “virtue signaling” implies actions taken only to improve their moral reputation. In the early 1990s, it was overused by folks who were pointing out politicos or businesses who did something that looked great that was also hugely visible. It’s back and for good reason.
- Revisiting Capacity Building and Strategic Philanthropy – Sara EchoHawk wrote a nice piece for Nonprofit Quarterly in 2019 on “capacity building” and how many funders use “strategic philanthropy” as code for “overly prescriptive grantmaking”. Both capacity building and strategic philanthropy are back in style. Maybe it’s good to think what each term really means.
- Narrative Change – We debated whether to put this item here, in the Toolbox section or the Survey Says area. Narrative change is a becoming more popular as a distinct and successful tool for advocates and human service people alike. Critical Race Theory and Climate Change stories are two key examples of narrative change. This report, Funding Narrative Change, defines terms, delineates benefits (e.g., funders want to learn), and provides “how to” examples. An important read for people who need to open minds.