The Coalition for Nonprofit Board Diversity Disclosure
Diversity is a commonly accepted standard of good governance, but the largest public charities are still dominated by white men and that information is mostly not accessible to the public.
Take Action
Stand Behind Good Governance
In June 2023, more than 140 prominent leaders from across the U.S. signed our Open Letter to the IRS. They stand behind diversity as a crucial enabler of good governance for large public-serving nonprofits. These leaders believe access to accurate information about a board’s demographics, its composition and makeup, is required for the public’s ability to hold these institutions accountable to the people they serve. Since the original letter was submitted, we have now more than doubled our signatory list to over 300.
Sign the Open Letter to the IRS asking for the addition of a new question on tax Form 990 requiring large public charities to disclose the demographic composition of their boards.
Sign Here
This action adds your name to the Open Letter to the IRS and should only be signed by U.S. Citizens with a valid email address.
Did you know?
- A wealth of data demonstrates that groups are smarter and make better decisions when they are more diverse.
- A 2022 report on the largest eds and meds in Greater Philadelphia revealed their boards are still dominated by white men. Almost 55% of all meds trustees and 48% of all eds trustees are white men, with men and women of color making up only 19% of the meds trustees and 24% of eds trustees.
- 62% of more than 100 elite research (R1) universities in the U.S. did not disclose board diversity data requested for a 2022 report.
Did you know?
- A wealth of data demonstrates that groups are smarter and make better decisions when they are more diverse.
- A 2022 report on the largest eds and meds in Greater Philadelphia revealed their boards are still dominated by white men. Almost 55% of all meds trustees and 48% of all eds trustees are white men, with men and women of color making up only 19% of the meds trustees and 24% of eds trustees.
- 62% of more than 100 elite research (R1) universities in the U.S. did not disclose board diversity data requested for a 2022 report.
Who has signed the Open Letter to the IRS?
In June of 2023, the signatories below sent an initial letter asking the IRS to require 501(c)(3) public charities to disclose, at a minimum, the gender and racial/ethnic demographics of their boards, based on how members self-identify. The signatories include prominent national and regional organizations and individuals in good governance, leadership for women and people of color, higher education, health care, philanthropy, law, business, and consulting.
Organizations
> 120 signatories
- &Fox
- 50/50 Women on Boards
- Alliance For Board Diversity (ABD)
- American Association of University Women
- American Council on Education
- American Nurses Association
- American Nurses Foundation
- American Nurses Credentialing Center
- Armanino LLP
- Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
- Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB)
- American Telemedicine Association (ATA)
- Bank On Women, Inc.
- Black Belt Community Foundation
- Boardbound by Women’s Leadership
- California Partners Project
- Candid
- Catalyst
- Charity & Security Network
- Chester County Community Foundation
- Coach 2 Achieve
- Codi Consulting, LLC
- CONEXION Inc.
- CRL CONSULTING LLC
- Dance Data Project
- DeCava Consulting
- DirectWomen
- DiverseForce
- Don Kramer’s Nonprofit Issues
- Drexel University
- Drexel University Gupta Governance Institute
- Drexel University School of Public Health
- Eastern Bank
- Edward G. Rendell, LLC
- Eos Foundation
- Episcopal Community Services of the Diocese of PA
- Epstein Consulting Group
- Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM)
- FemmePharma Global Healthcare, Inc.
- Fred T. Korematsu Institute
- Gender Fair
- Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
- HELP: Higher Education Legal Professionals
- Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility
- Hispanic National Bar Association
- HNBA VIA (Vision in Action) Fund
- How Women Lead
- Hsu & Associates
- Independence Foundation
- Inforum
- Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción-IBA
- Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
- Interorganization Network (ION)
- Japanese American National Museum
- Kids First Chicago
- La Guagua 47 Community Arts Project
- La Salle University
- Lancaster County Community Foundation
- Latino Corporate Directors Association
- Latinos LEAD
- Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP)
- Lehigh Valley Community Foundation
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
- National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE)
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
- National LGBTQ+ Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
- Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA)
- Philadelphia Foundation
- Praxis Consulting Group
- Randolph College
- Research for Action
- Salus University
- Swarthmore College
- Temple University
- The Barra Foundation
- The Boston Club
- The Boston Foundation
- The Brownstein Corporation
- The Executive Leadership Council
- The Forum of Executive Women
- The Foundation for Delaware County
- The Hughes Group
- The Jacquelyn and Gregory Zehner Foundation
- The Latina Circle, Inc. dba Amplify Latinx
- The ROZ Group, Inc.
- The Women’s Edge
- Trower & Trower, Inc.
- Ujala Foundation
- Urban Affairs Coalition
- Women Business Collaborative
- Women Corporate Directors Foundation
- Women Executive Leadership FL
- Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts
- Women’s Funding Network
- Women’s Foundation California
- Women’s Law Forum
- Women’s Law Project
- Women’s Nonprofit Leadership Initiative
- Women’s Power Gap
- WOMEN’S WAY
- YWCA Boston
Additional signatories since the June submission of the Open Letter to the IRS.
- Campus Compact
- EnviroTech Sensors, Inc.
- ADLC Consulting LLC
- Larj Media
- Central Park Executive Coaching
- Women in Voice
- G2 Collaborative LLC
- Ella
- WOMEN’S ENEWS
- CCHALES Research Collective – SDSU
- Congreso de Latinos Unidos
- Partnership for College Completion
- Pennsylvania Bipartisan Climate Initiative, Inc.
- Next Generation Learning Challenges
- Black Corporate Board Readiness/Santa Clara University
- Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
- The James Irvine Foundation
- Amplify POC, Inc.
- Health & Wellness for Self Love
&
Individuals
> 215 signatories
- Carolyn T. Adams, Emeritus Dean & Professor, Temple University
- Charles E. Allen, Retired partner, Graimark Realty Advisors
- Jeremy Bearer-Friend, Associate Professor at George Washington University Law School
- Thomas Bender, Esq.
- Dorothy Brown, Book Author and Editor
- Samuel D. Brunson, Professor of Law, Loyola University Chicago
- Richard Chait, Professor Emeritus Harvard University
- Fernando Chang-Muy, Leadership Consultant
- Kelly McNamara Corley, Founder and Principal, The Red Bee Group
- Haile T. Debas, Dean of Medicine and Chancellor Emeritus UCSF
- Joanne Disch, PhD, RN, FAAN
- Karl E. Emerson, Attorney and Former Member of IRS TE/GE Advisory Committee
- Drew Faust, Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor, Harvard University
- Carmen Febo-San Miguel, MD, Former CEO Taller Puertorriqueno
- Judith Gay, PhD, Consultant and VP Emerita, Community College of Philadelphia
- Gina Glantz, Founder, GenderAvenger
- Rosemarie B. Greco, Professional Board Director of public corporations and Retired CEO of two major banks
- Janet Haas, MD
- Philip Hackney, Associate Professor of Law, Pitt Law School
- Sondra Haley, Principal, The Red Bee Group
- Teresa D. Harrison, Professor of Economics & Academic Director
- Nannerl O. Keohane, President Emerita of Wellesley College and Duke University
- Patricia King, Professor of Law Emerita
- Kathy Kretman, Professor
- Risa J. Lavizzo-Mourey, President Emerita Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Paul W. Lee, Retired Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP
- Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, Professor at Notre Dame Law School
- Afaf Meleis, Dean Emerita, School of Nursing UPenn
- Demetri L. Morgan, Associate Professor of Higher Education, Loyola University, Chicago
- Anne Morrissey, Insurance Executive and Retired President of AmeriHealth Caritas
- Henry Ordower, Professor of Law, Saint Louis University
- Stephanie A. Scharf, PhD, JD
- Dianne L. Semingson, Board member and Chair, nonprofit organizations
- Wendy C. Shiba, Member of the Board of Trustees, Japanese American National Museum
- Gene Takagi, Principal, NEO Law Group
- Carol Tracy, Retired Executive Director, Women’s Law Project
- Richard Winchester, Professor of Law
- Toni G. Wolfman, Retired law firm partner, co-founder two national nonprofits, emerita college trustee
- Julie Wollman, Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Additional signatories since the June submission of the Open Letter to the IRS.
- Nicole Boyd
- Diane Johnson
- Jeff Savlov
- Phyllis Barajas
- Bart Bailey
- Marian McGorry
- Angela Dykes
- Tyra Virden
- Laura Gelfman
- Christine Alvarez
- Marjorie Dugan
- Lori Braden
- Ginny Palmieri
- Sarah Steiger
- Noah Pizmony-Levy Drezner
- Leah Rosengaus
- Katherine Wisner
- Caroline De Marco
- Miriam Hoffman
- Deana Calvelli
- Inginia Genao
- Michael Bastedo
- Nancy Cocozza
- Yvonne Wagner
- Nick Maiorana
- Patricia.Brennan
- Matthew Swoveland
- Julie Strong
- Cynthia Shapira
- Michael Carestio
- Kristine Conner
- Susan Orkin
- Stan Silverman
- Laureli Shimayo
- Candice Gorman
- Virginia Wilkinson
- Darin Stewart
- Bonnie Green
- Erin Jaszczak
- Beth Shaz
- Jo Surpin
- Rita Toliver-Roberts
- April Voltz
- Gina Garcia
- Dina Baker
- Elizabeth Cruz
- Margaret Maimone
- Susan Tobia
- Stewart Eisenberg
- Eileen Moore
- Tiffani Brown
- Lisa Hicks-Dumanske
- Tyler Phillips
- Audrey Godwin
- Kelly Woodland
- Keon McGuire
- Carter Olson
- Jennifer Barrett
- Gloria Richard Davis
- Ingrid McKinney
- Katherine S. Cho
- Robin Miskimins
- Jonathan Rothman
- Alex Schanne
- Megan McNally
- Heather Prendergast
- Bill Eichner
- Kyle Wdzieczkowski
- Peggy Haslach
- Steven Wittenberg
- Lisa McCarthy
- Hannah Strack
- Yael Schenker
- Valerie Morrison
- Lon Greenberg
- Heather McCambly
- Paul Kurzman
- Rosemary Barbera
- Harold Yahr
- Phyllis Dennery
- Geeta Swamy
- Radha Nandagopal
- Elliott Roth
- Leslie Kohman
- Maribel Hernandez
- Angela Ginorio
- Jacqulynn Hugee
- Ann Gabhart
- LaWanda Ward
- Justin Carter
- Elizabeth Werthan
- Jonna Ward
- Jeanne Heard
- Margot Berg
- Ashanty Valentin
- Antoinette Cinquino
- Idaliana Medina
- Rosie Roth
- Judy Kiesel
- Nicole Castillo
- Nan Hatch
- Samara Ginzburg
- Demi Williams
- Julie Linowes
- Marcia Kravis
- Francis Schanne
- Sally Eisenberg
- Judy Schaechter
- Diana Amaya Rodriguez
- Sara Forster
- Ellen Furstenberg
- Ilana Nazari
- Lexie Lawhon
- Soneyet Muhammad
- Nicole Karjane
- Lorri Hayes
- Ben Colvin
- Patricia Miller
- Patrick Runyen
- Molly Roberts
- Chas Boinske
- Bridget O’Brien
- Cammy Ness
- Margaret Walsh
- Susan Leon
- Zakkiyya Cunningham
- Clarissa Griebel
- Olivia Darley
- Mark Smith
- David Schuler
- Helen Sernett
- Jessica Snowden
- Melissa Ferdinand
- Bonnie Raines
- Karen Minyard
- Adria McMichael
- Cardinale Smith
- Robin Schletter
- Erica Carestio
- Bruna Venicio
- Hennah Iqbal
- Magdalena Murphy
- Barbara Shoback
- Lisa Chatburn
- Gina Golson Nunery
- Karen Matsueda
- MJ Schanne
- Adrianna Kezar
- Carol Neuls-Bates
- Tatyana Kosheleva
- Christina Silva
- Jessica Cheifetz
- Margaret Downs
- Lindsay Bailey
- Felecia Commodore
- George Rosskam
- Jane Eleey
- William Bates
- Lori Shutter
- Israel Colon
- Adriana Torres-O’Connor
- Constance Armstrong
- Joanne Derr
- Victoria Vakiener
- Letty Thall
- Jennifer Mann
- Mary Helf
- Cynthia Little
- Janet Golden
- Kerry Bryan
- Gwen Lindgren
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Signature 57
mferdinand@signature57.com
Kate Allison
kallisonandco@gmail.com
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Jane Scaccetti
jscaccetti@me.com
Toni Wolfman
tonigwolfman@verizon.net
NEWS & RESOURCES
Edelman, Larry. Diversity advocates turn their attention to nonprofit boards. The Boston Globe, June 23, 2023.
Whelan, Aubrey. Large nonprofits should disclose the race and gender of their board members, coalition urges. The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 23, 2023.
Women’s Nonprofit Leadership Initiative Calls For Board Diversity Data on 990s, Nonprofit Law Prof Blog, June 23, 2023.
Coalition Ask IRS to Require Disclosure Of Charity Board Demographics, Nonprofit Issues, June 22, 2023.
Why Is It Important to Have Diversity on Boards? Nonprofit Issues, June 22, 2023.
Raman, Meera. Coalition urges IRS to require board demographic data for nonprofits, Boston Business Journal, June 22, 2023.
Silbert, Andrea. The Women’s Power Gap at Elite Universities: Scaling the Ivory Tower. Eos Foundation, 2022.
Closing the Gaps: Gender and Race in Nonprofit Boardrooms. Women’s Nonprofit Leadership Initiative, La Salle University and The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University, 2022.
Kramer, Vicki W., and Carolyn T. Adams. Increasing Gender Diversity on the Boards of Nonprofit Eds and Meds. Women’s Nonprofit Leadership Initiative and Nonprofit Issues, 2020.
Rock, David, and Heidi Grant. Why Diverse Teams are Smarter. Harvard Business Review, Nov. 4, 2016.
The Boston Club. Nonprofit Board Census (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019).
Chhun, Bunkhuon. Better Decisions Through Diversity. KelloggInsight. Oct. 1, 2010.