DEI Toolkit
This toolkit was created to help businesses of all sizes take the first steps in implementing a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) strategy for their organization or improve upon an existing one. Keep in mind these resources are not comprehensive, but rather a good starting point for you and your business.
The first step in DEI exploration is simply starting. It’s important to recognize your knowledge, baseline, and biases to identify where you are in your DEI journey and continue to develop your skills to be applied independently, organizationally, and communally.
Not all journeys are the same, and they do not always start at the exploration stage. However, the resources outlined in the toolkit are tools, examples, and best practices to support journeys at each stage that apply to every person, organization, and community across Michigan.
Foundations of Exploring DEI
Exploring DEI independently and organizationally builds a foundation for understanding dimensions of DEI, including personal experiences and backgrounds, biases, inequalities, discrimination, and other considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Understanding where we are individually and organizationally on the DEI journey helps create a vision and focus on meaningful goals to accomplish.
Organizational Culture Assessment
The Five Stages of DEI Maturity
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Working Together for Racial Justice
Internal and External Domain Scorecard
DEI Organizational Commitment
A DEI commitment or written statement is the organization’s outward commitment to incorporating DEI internally and externally. It is the beginning stage of inclusivity; it is not meant to be a standalone commitment. A DEI statement and the other outlined strategies should provide MEDC with a pathway to acknowledging DEI internally and externally and aligning DEI goals and strategies.
Sample: featured card block
Organizations need to take the time to learn about the people, businesses, neighborhoods, partner organizations, and events that serve their community. Understanding what drives the targeted community and how the past has shaped reality is critical for providing essential services.
For the organization’s community outreach to be effective, it needs to work with community-led organizations that impact the holistic development of the community. Organizations should employ tactics unique to the community and utilize “multicultural brokers” to assist with relationship-building with underrepresented communities.
Racial Equity Toolkit
Here's a look at a featured card block! A little description here, a little context there, then we'll have this block as a solid option! Spacing might need to be tinkered with here!
Racial Equity Toolkit
Here's a look at a featured card block! A little description here, a little context there, then we'll have this block as a solid option! Spacing might need to be tinkered with here!
Racial Equity Toolkit
Here's a look at a featured card block! A little description here, a little context there, then we'll have this block as a solid option! Spacing might need to be tinkered with here!
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
Those in leadership positions must be committed to expanding awareness of equitable practices in their roles and among other staff. Leaders must emphasize an internal culture where DEI is prioritized. By doing so, these practices could increase staff acceptance and application of DEI across departments within any organization.
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion
A Framework for Holistic Economic Development
Diverse Talent Retention & Attraction
Talent retention strategies are critical to retaining the workforce, especially in the post-COVID business climate. Identifying gaps in talent retention and attraction strategies could bring awareness of how to make the hiring process more holistic and intentional.
Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM)
DEI Training & Awareness for Employees, Board Members, and Volunteers
Aligning DEI training for employees, board members, or volunteers provides a consistent knowledge base for those involved in the organization. DEI training allows the business to own DEI, intentionally providing safe mechanisms to report DEI incidents.
Do Your Employees Feel Safe Reporting Abuse and Discrimination?
5 Keys To Effective Incident Reporting & Tracking
How To Deploy Training Effectively To Improve Diversity and Inclusion
Community Engagement
Organizations need to take the time to learn about the people, businesses, neighborhoods, partner organizations, and events that serve their community. Understanding what drives the targeted community and how the past has shaped reality is critical for providing essential services.
For the organization’s community outreach to be effective, it needs to work with community-led organizations that impact the holistic development of the community. Organizations should employ tactics unique to the community and utilize “multicultural brokers” to assist with relationship-building with underrepresented communities.
Equitable Community Planning Toolkit
Case study: Building an equitable community engagement practice
DEI in Real Estate Development & Community Planning
Building DEI strategies in real estate development and community planning addresses how an organization creates or improves property ownership equity, incentivizes development in underserved communities, and assists with home ownership programs and inclusive redevelopment strategies. Additionally, this lens provides an opportunity to identify inefficiencies in access to amenities, goods, & services (quality childcare, fresh food, internet access, health care, financial services, and open spaces).
How to Engage your Community in Housing Plans or Proposals
Maximizing Affordable Housing Production Under Inclusionary Zoning
Pre-Development Grants Available to Community-Based Developers
Holistic Neighborhood Development & Preservation
Holistic neighborhood development and preservation include both quality of place and people. These both identify assets of individuals and communities. Focusing on developing communities of people provides an opportunity to cater to the needs of the residents of a specific area while also preserving what matters most to residents and maintaining the culture of the community.
Strategic Neighborhood Development
Residents First: Effective, Efficient & Accessible Operations
Economic Resiliency & Environmental Justice
Economic resiliency and environmental justice practices address developing business continuity planning and identifying mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery strategies with local stakeholders and businesses.
OneEastside Foundation and the Eastside Small Business Resiliency Fund
Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership
Equitable Business Marketing & Attraction
Equitable business marketing and attraction strategies are commitments that integrate DEI into the overall organizational marketing strategy. This includes sharing stories that accurately reflect the people and businesses in the community or highlighting opportunity zones.
Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship
Small business development and entrepreneurship DEI address strategies that focus on underserved business communities. This could include developing targeted technical assistance programs, networking groups, or creating collaboration between anchor institutions & small business assistance providers.
Business Diversity & Inclusion
The Black Economic Leadership League of Rock Hill
Access to Capital and Alternative Funding for Diverse Business Owners
Access to capital is the number one concern of all small business owners and start-up businesses in the United States. Removing barriers for minority-owned firms to access capital provides an opportunity to develop and grow locally-owned Michigan businesses.
Boosting Minority-Owned Businesses Through Microlending
Neighborhood Business Works (NBW) Program
Equitable Business Advocacy Services
Many economic development organizations’ main priority is serving the local business community, ensuring businesses’ views and concerns are represented and voiced. Reevaluating current business advocacy efforts could help identify which businesses are being overlooked and how to serve them best.
- Targeted outreach to businesses in underserved communities (*recommended source needed)
- Translated programs & services content (*recommended source needed)
- Outreach outside of typical office hours and commercial areas (*recommended source needed)
- Partner with affinity groups or networks of small business owners the organization can connect with to reach unserved businesses. (*recommended source needed)
- Projects & Programs – Prosper Portland
The third step in the DEI journey is applying performance metrics to actions taken to identify where actions are being met or need improvement. Because DEI is ever-evolving, it is essential to recognize that tools, resources, and best practices also evolve.
Performance & Evaluation Measures for Michigan Businesses
Businesses and organizations should set and evaluate DEI performance metrics to continue committing to the DEI journey. Setting measures guides how well the organization progresses through the DEI journey and whether adjustments must be made. Committing to performance metrics allows the organization to be transparent to its stakeholders and guides leadership on overarching organizational goals.
The Business Case for Racial Equity
Regularly Monitoring, Using DE&I Data Is Key to Closing Organizational Gaps
Performance & Evaluation Measures for Community and Economic Development Organizations
Although some EDOs aspire to demonstrate DEI principles, many still need to set DEI performance metrics. By establishing a baseline for the organization to build upon, the EDO can measure the impact of DEI internally and externally. The organization must be conscientious about DEI goal accomplishments and setbacks and how those are communicated to its stakeholders. This allows the EDO to be a communal leader in setting DEI standards and advocating for the business community.
The EDO must embed the DEI goals and strategies into offered programs and services to provide for the underserved business community. The EDO must establish an evaluation and monitoring lens for its DEI efforts to evaluate the impact of the DEI goals and strategies. Additionally, it is essential to assess the accessibility of programs and services the EDO offers and where those efforts are lacking for the underserved business community.
Economic Development Performance Measures
Indicators for an Inclusive Regional Economy
Prosper Portland Equity Framework
Additional Resources for Businesses
How People With Disabilities Help The Economy Grow and Thrive
Playbook for the Advancement of Women in the Economy
Additional Resources for Economic Development Organizations
A Playbook for Equitable Economic Development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Toolkit