2019 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan

Tides is a philanthropic partner and nonprofit accelerator dedicated to building a world of shared prosperity and
social justice. Tides works at the nexus of funders, changemakers, and policy, with extensive impact solutions
including philanthropic giving and grantmaking, impact investing, fiscal sponsorship for social ventures,
collaborative workspaces, and policy initiatives. Our extensive tools and know-how give our partners the freedom
to hit the ground running and drive change faster than they can on their own.

To support our diverse group of partners, we have set a standard for our organization to commit to advancing
diversity, equity & inclusion, and living into our values.

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The purpose of this DEI Action Plan is to lay the foundation for Tides to fulfil our commitment to advancing
diversity, equity and inclusion. This inaugural plan outlines necessary actions, and best practices to help us live
into our shared vision of a more equitable and inclusive organizational culture that exemplifies Tides’ values. We
will use it to annually review and evaluate our progress. Each year, the plan will be updated by Diversity Equity &
Inclusion leader in partnership and consultation with HR Director and Vice President of People & Culture, to
identify additional actions to continue advancing the work. By monitoring and tracking our DEI-focused activities,
we’ll be better positioned to carry out our mission while intentionally supporting our workforce, and partners. This
plan is in alignment with the Tides Strategic Path: Goal 1 – People (see appendix).

PHASE 1: Laying the Groundwork

A major initiative in 2018 was the launch of a People of Culture Task Force (PCTF) which placed explicit focus on
our most valuable resource, our people. A primary goal of the PCTF was to engage all Tides Staff and draw from
the strength of our wide range of employee perspectives and support a free exchange of ideas with thoughtful
consideration of our differences. The sessions were attended by 90% of employees. The PCTF and Tides
leadership felt it important to ground the work in some commonly agreed upon definitions of Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion to help future DEI conversations be more clearly understood and productive.

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 2019 Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan

TIDES' DEI DEFINITIONS

DIVERSITY All the ways in which people differ in relation to one another,
including, but not limited to race, gender, age, national origin, self-
identification, religion, different abilities, sexual orientation,
socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and
physical appearance. At Tides, we want to put intentional focus
on groups who have been traditionally marginalized in dominant
society:
Racial and ethnic groups: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,
Hispanics/Latinos/Latinas/Latinx, African Americans/Black
People, and American Indians and Alaska Natives
LGBT populations
People with disabilities
Women
EQUITY The ongoing practice of recognizing and removal of implicit and
explicit barriers and bias within procedures, processes, and
distribution of resources in service of a world of shared prosperity
and social justice.
INCLUSION The act of creating safe and welcoming environments in which
every person can be and feel invited, respected, supported and
valued to fully participate.

NOTE: The DEI Team chose this broad definition of “Diversity” borrowing from the definition presented by the
D5 coalition. As a team, we agreed that the following D5 framing provided good context to help clarify the term
“Diversity”:

This is what diversity looks like in the 21st century.

The definition encompasses populations that historically have been—and remain —underrepresented and
marginalized in philanthropy and broader society.

To be a national leader, organized philanthropy must get in front of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and do
so in a comprehensive way.

A secondary goal was presenting a two-phased approach to embarking on our DEI journey. Phase 1 was
completed in April 2019.

DEI ACTION PLAN

PHASE 1 PHASE 2
Define “Diversity,” “Equity,” and “Inclusion” Complete DEI Action Plan
Embed DEI in Tides’ Values & Behaviors Define success indicators/metrics
Incorporate staff inputs on DEI Action Plan Internal communications strategy reflecting DEI
Share the Values & Behaviors with Board of Directors Employee engagement survey with focus on
lived experience at Tides
Training/Education
Build a shared story

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PHASE 2: DEI Action Plan

Phase 2 continues with the release of our first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan (DEI Plan). This plan
will help lay the foundation and direction of our DEI efforts. Though Tides has made some progress in this area,
we want to apply a more intentional approach to DEI, while measuring the impact of our efforts.

Here are some actions already taken and underway at Tides:

Diversity
Tides Board of Directors is a cross-cultural, cross-generational, cross-sector Board focused on ensure Tides’
success. Composition: 47% women and 53% men; 14% Hispanic/LatinX; 33% Black/African American; 23%
Caucasian (white); 36% identify as LGBT

Tides workforce is comprised of 66% women, 55% people of color, cross-cultural and cross-generational from almost
every race, gender identity, life experience, culture, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Tides recruitment efforts place intentional focus into diversity, equity & inclusion.

Employees at all levels were engaged in the initial phase of our People & Culture work

Tides all-staff meetings seek to lift different voices in the organization

Equity
Tides HR conducted a salary survey to ensure employee pay equity.

Progressive discipline policy provides multiple opportunities for improvement and to receive support.

Flexible work arrangements help employees balance work and life.

We use multiple channels of communication to engage employees.

Internal career advancement is considered before external recruitment.

Inclusion
Inclusive teams and work groups

Updated All-Staff meeting format to ensure that all employees have an opportunity to be included

PCTF has been established and operationalized and taskforce representation includes employees of all levels and
across backgrounds and functions.

PCTF Taskforce engaged all staff for input on our cultural transformation using multiple mediums and fostering staff
community.

We are intentional about Intentional about the stories we’re sharing externally to ensure we consider DEI

Prioritize People and Culture work in 2018 workplan/as a strategic priority

Hiring process involves team not just manager

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PHASE 3: Making It Happen – Commitments to Action

We aspire to develop, promote, and sustain a culture and reputation for being an organization grounded in
equity that leverages diversity and inclusion in all that we do. Though we intend global change, the primary
audience for these initial efforts is Tides employees. We will be looking outward to enhance our understanding,
skills, and expertise around DEI, but also looking inward to understand better each other and our respective
backgrounds.

The 2018 launch of Tides’ People & Culture Task Force, and a union organizing effort were major catalysts for
change. The Task Force had an executive sponsor who became the primary champion, on the executive-level,
for Tides’ focus on people. At the end of the process, over 90% of Tides employees collaborated to develop a set
of shared values, defined diversity, equity and inclusion with input from Tides’ employee community, and
introduced a phased approach to advancing our DEI work.

This was not accomplished without challenges. Now, we are working with full intentionality to advance Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion in the most meaningful ways. We seek to empower each employee to articulate a clear
understanding of DEI and their role in advancing the work at Tides.

As we approach phase 2, we felt it important to use what we learned, in phase 1, to draft a thoughtful and
actionable DEI plan for Tides Network. To that point, we must make certain commitments to ensure the plan is
truly actionable. The following set of goals and areas for actions, are critical to setting a solid foundation for Tides
DEI efforts both internally, and externally.

1. Board of Directors Commitment

The first and most crucial step was gaining commitment from Tides leadership, which includes Tides’
Board of directors, executive leadership team, and directors.

Our Board is uniquely positioned to advance DEI at Tides. The board has an opportunity to ensure that
their service is grounded in equity and inclusion. Below are some ideas for our Board members to
support Tides’ progress on DEI. These recommendations were developed by a group of Philanthropy
Network members who participated in a year-long peer-group to explore how foundation Trustees and
Board members can support progress on DEI. Tides Board is encouraged to explore these options with
curiosity and intentionality:
o Authorizing environment: Make DEI an institutional priority; support funding staff and resource diversity,
equity, and inclusion efforts adequately, with own independent staff and budget

o CEO expectation: Include performance around DEI as a measure of effectiveness; i.e., our CEO should be
expected to prioritize DEI and show progress, such as in grant making, community engagement, hiring,
annual attendance to diversity-focused conferences and programming, and vendor selection

o Executive hiring: Mandate to search firms that DEI is a priority in searches; interview diverse candidates;
develop strategies to ensure diverse recruitment at executive and non-executive levels; ask all candidates
about how they will approach DEI issues

o Vendor Selection: Hire vendors with diverse staff and an explicit commitment to DEI; e.g., fund managers,
investment advisors, legal firms, consultants, accounting firms, venues for meetings and events

o Investment strategy: Apply a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to investment strategies

o Evaluation of organizational impact: Evaluate the effectiveness of your work with a DEI lens; e.g.,
analyze who is benefiting from your work by collecting and using data that tracks distinct populations (e.g.,
gender, ability, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity)

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o Board diversity: Implement structures that expand entry points for potential Board members, such as
committees that create spaces for diverse voices; mentor and develop the leadership of diverse Board
members; nominate and appoint diverse candidates as successors to Board chairs

o Community engagement: Expand networks through intentional outreach and participation in communities
(e.g., site visits, volunteering and being involved in communities served); ask for and act on input from the
communities you serve

o Grants and programs: Commit resources to explicit DEI work and grants; ask grantees to submit their staff,
Board and program DEI profiles and policies as part of the grant application

Each Board member will be encouraged to review the DEI Action Plan outcomes on an annual basis.
Tides Board Chair, and Board President or their designee will be encouraged to request reporting on the
number of initiatives whose purpose and/or effect is related to advancing DEI at Tides.

2. Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

To ensure the goals of Tides DEI plan are met requires the DEI leader must be empowered to engage at
all levels of the organization as the primary advocate for the advancement of diversity, equity and
inclusion. The DEI lead will help foster a positive and inclusive work environment that supports
employees at all levels to ensure a positive work culture for all. The DEI lead will develop and maintain
strong working relationship with internal and external stakeholders including, deploying best practices and
developing policies with team members.

The DEI lead will act with high emotional intelligence to maintain a keen understanding of the nuances
and sensitivities involved in facilitating change at Tides. This change agent needs the authority, and
flexibility to advance Tides Diversity, Equity & Inclusion resources across the organization. The primary
focus includes:

• Leading the development of DEI initiatives across Tides

• Implementing, monitoring, and reporting on the progress of Tides’ DEI efforts

• Partnering with the Director of Human Resources to remove unconscious bias in business
policies and processes

• Studying Tides culture and making recommendations to eliminate any barriers that might block
employees from using the full range of their competencies at work

• Making sure the organization remains a safe place regardless of difference

• Working with functional leaders to understand how various identity groups take on social meaning

• Making sure that all Tides employees have access and opportunity to meaningful assignments,
mentoring and career growth.

• Designing safe and courageous conversations for Tides employees

• Delivering education and training to enhance employee and manager understanding and
experience of DEI

• Building/maintaining an external network with other professionals and thought leaders in the field
and conduct ongoing research to advance DEI competence at Tides

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3. Internal Leadership Team Commitment

For the success of Tides’ DEI efforts, management must continue to intentionally focus on Tides
employees, and support implementation of a people strategy for the future. The executive, director, and
manager levels must be staunch advocates for DEI, and lead by example. It is imperative that they
encourage the active participation, of all employees, to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The Chief
Diversity Officer will work with leadership to help grow knowledge and understanding of Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion.

To framing leadership participation, I am sharing the following ideas to support progress on DEI. These
recommendations are impactful actions that can help advance our efforts in the most productive manner:
o DEI Action Plan adoption: Be overt advocates for the work, and lead by example; maintain DEI as an
institutional priority supported via executive sponsorship; support the removal of barriers (real or perceived)
to dedicating resources to building an equitable and inclusive work culture.

o Organizational Direction: Approach long-range strategic planning with clear goals and values reflecting a
high-priority focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, with meaningful targets regularly measured to
determine if goals are being met

o Organizational Culture: Foster a culture of open communication and transparency, and enable forums for
discussion of diversity, equity, and inclusion; compensate employees competitively through salary, benefits,
and other amenities that are culturally sensitive and appeal to a diverse workforce; Prioritize retention and
development of a diverse workforce a priority, and hold managers accountable for progress; actively and
regularly measure employee satisfaction in a way that promotes candor and fairness. Evaluate the results,
and take action for continuous improvement

o Staff Development: Support funding for cultural competency training for all employees, executive and
entry-level; participate in internal DEI-focused training and educational programs; support employee
participation in DEI-focused programs and events as participants, speakers, moderators and panellists; seek
opportunities for thought partnership from the employee base

o Vendor Selection: Seek vendors with diverse staff and an explicit commitment to DEI; support development
of a non-exhaustive list of diverse vendors including but not limited to catering, awards, travel,
entertainment, videographers etc.

4. Staff Commitment
A firm leadership commitment includes a commitment to our employees. As we advance our DEI work in
a meaningful way, we will create trust and safety by engaging with employees, and ensure that we
nurtured our talent, rather than losing them to a more desirable organizational culture.

Staff is encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to fully engage in the work. The work should be
developed and led by the Chief Diversity Officer, in partnership with the rest of the employee base. As a
community, Tides can foster a supportive work environment that values all cultures, and where
employees at every level of the organization feel engaged, empowered, and a sense of belonging to fully
contribute. Below are ideas raised by employees during our People and Culture Taskforce all-staff
sessions:

o Learning & Training

Employees expressed a desire ongoing DEI-centric learning opportunity including, but not limited
to:
 Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (September 2019)

 Implicit Bias Training (October 2019)

 Racial Justice Education

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 Intentional forums for sharing work so we can understand one another’s challenges and
opportunities

 Engagement/learning exchanges with other social justice orgs re: DEI

 Tools to help guide individual DEI practices

 Literary reviews

Staff also indicated a desire to address other areas:

o Work Culture
 No work emails on weekends

 Improve work-life balance

 Allow make-up holidays for those who must work on holidays

 Flexible work arrangements (not just full-time)

 Mandate time away from desk

 Have a non-SF office for Bay Area people who don't want to commute

o Power Sharing
 Define equitable power in leadership model – need more broad recruitment (not just by race)

 Integrate values & behaviors into how we operate so people feel more comfortable making
decisions and feel empowered to participate in decision making and are supported in doing that

 Ensure all employee voices are represented in shaping organizational culture

o Candor & Transparency

 Bring past DEI report for recurring review by DEI Team and VPC and measure up against our
current state

 Practice having more courageous conversations without implicating a person’s humanity

 More facilitated conversations for sharing and gaining awareness

With this being Tides’ inaugural plan, we will think of this as our year of exploration. Then, we will review and
evaluate our progress by monitoring and tracking our activities. This includes reviewing the annual action plan
and comparing outcomes from year to year.

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APPENDIX

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Best Practice Approaches

Tides is committed to engaging DEI with intentionality, it will be extremely important that we apply best
current practices in each of the key performance areas we define. The following helps us to look at
some best practices, key performance indicators, and planning strategies.

Organizational
Commitment

Climate &
Retention
Culture
Diversity
Equity
Inclusion

Learning &
Recruitment Development

A. Organizational Commitment – Commit to fostering a work culture that values the

diversity of our employees, and seek to promote equitable, and inclusive policies and
practices.

1. Provide cultural competency training for all employees, executive and entry-level.
2. Ensure diversity among top leadership to reflect Tides’ commitment to diversity.
3. Promote diversity from the senior executive level by having a senior executive responsible
for leading the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
4. Staff and resource diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts adequately, with own independent
staff and budget.

Organizational commitment can be addressed in many ways. When organizations commit to

DEI, they also make a commitment to their employees. This helps create trust and safety by
engaging with employees in meaningful ways, and ensuring that we nurtured our talent, rather
than focusing on what we don’t have.

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B. Work Climate and Culture – Establish Tides as a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion.
1. Use our values and VMA to share our business case for diversity and align management
and business practices accordingly.

2. Develop business relationships with diverse communities as a matter of standard practice,

including racial justice organizations, and DEI practitioners.

3. Established and empower Employee Resource Groups (ERG) which act as advocates and
resources for cultural competence in the organization.

4. Establish a diversity-sensitive process for resolving conflicts that emerge around race,
culture, ethnicity, gender, or other diversity-related issues.

5. Foster a culture of open communication and transparency, and enable forums for discussion
of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

C. Learning & Development - Promote opportunities for staff and leadership development to
ensure a diverse workforce that is prepared to meet current and future needs.
1. Prioritize development of a diverse workforce a priority and hold managers accountable for
progress.

2. Provide developmental planning for all employees including goal setting, coaching, and
evaluation.

3. Regularly assess training needs and provide training equitably to meet current and future
workforce needs.

4. Identify and implement ways to equitably provide opportunities for mentoring, leadership
training, and upward mobility programs.

D. Recruitment - Actively recruit, promote, and retain a diverse workforce that is reflective
of the populations we serve.
1. Work with HR to forecast workforce needs, set strategic diversity hiring goals and measure
progress against them.

2. Assess policies and processes for potential bias in selection and remove barriers to
diversity, equity and inclusion.

3. Create and seize opportunities to hire strategically and opportunistically from targeted
diverse populations.

4. Actively reach out to diverse populations in our recruitment process through professional
networks, online and social media, diversity websites and job Boards to expand our
outbound reach.

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5. Promote equal opportunity in our selection process through diverse interview/hiring

committees, blind screening, cohort hires, and culturally sensitive language in job postings,
interview questions, and evaluation criteria.

E. Retention - Take proactive measures to retain Tides’ diverse workforce.

1. Develop an onboarding and new employee orientation process that creates a welcoming
atmosphere and includes a briefing on the commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

2. Compensate employees competitively through salary, benefits, and other amenities that are
culturally sensitive and appeal to a diverse workforce.

3. Create reward and recognition programs to honor the achievements of all employees that
support the mission, contribute to the community, and promote diversity, equity, and
inclusion.

4. Actively and regularly measure employee satisfaction in a way that promotes candor and
fairness. Evaluate the results and take action for continuous improvement.

5. Conduct exit surveys and interviews and apply feedback to efforts to improve retention.

As we apply this best practice framework to forward our DEI work, we hope to experience living into a
culture that demonstrates our commitment to DEI. Outcomes form these efforts will foster a solutions-
oriented culture of inclusion. What follows, is actions Tides will take throughout the remainder of 2019
to advance DEI.

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Tides’ Vision, Mission & Approach

Our Vision
A world of shared prosperity and social justice, founded on equality and human rights, a sustainable
environment, healthy individuals and communities, and quality education.

Our Mission
Tides accelerates the pace of social change, working with innovative partners to solve society's
toughest problems.

Our Approach
We believe that to achieve shared prosperity and social justice, we must take a collaborative, bold
approach to the work.

At Tides, we’re dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within our workplace. Our employees
represent a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs; furthermore, we welcome diversity of thought
and experiences. Tides is an organization that builds bridges – between communities, networks,
and concepts – and drive to create inclusion in all our work is reflected in the way we shape our
team.

Tides exists to bring together people, ideas, and resources to break down barriers to the creation,
promotion, and sustainability of a healthy and just society. Therefore, diversity is core to the Tides
mission.

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Tides’ Values & Behaviors

VALUES BEHAVIORS
Respect • We seek first to understand by listening with curiosity
A feeling of high regard and/or admiration and acting with empathy.
for someone or something • We engage in authentic and direct communications to
build trust with one another.
• We have each other’s back by giving and receiving
feedback to ensure we’re each set-up with optimal
support for success.
• We give ourselves and others the grace to learn and
grow.

Accountability • We do what we say we will do to act with integrity in

An obligation or willingness to account for service of our mission.
ourselves and each other • We take ownership of our actions, decisions, and
impact, including areas that we need to improve.
• We are mindful of our words and tone, understanding
intent is different from impact.
• We discuss and mutually agree on who owns
responsibility to clarify roles and streamline work.

Creativity • We are change-seekers who innovate ideas to generate

The use of imagination or original ideas to transformative outcomes and lead social change.
create something; inventiveness • We dare to embrace risk and challenge the status quo to
advance our field.
• We stay curious, often finding answers in
unconventional places in collaboration with those we
serve.
• We are realistic about what we don't know to remain
open to new points of view.

Equity • We level the playing field by equipping people with the

The ongoing practice of recognizing and skills, knowledge, and power to be successful.
removal of implicit and explicit barriers • We cultivate a diverse network and team to represent
and bias within procedures, processes, and serve those whose lives are most affected by
and distribution of resources injustice.
• We continuously evaluate our policies and practices to
identify and remove root causes of inequity at
institutional and structural levels.

Empowerment • We build and share power by ensuring that people have

Authority or power given to someone to do input on decisions that affect their jobs before decisions
something; the process of becoming are made.
stronger and more confident
• We collaborate because we believe in each other’s
capabilities and expertise in service of our mission.
• We encourage and promote a safe work environment to
ensure differences are valued, respected, and able to
thrive at Tides.

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