“Building Equitable Boards” assessment from The New Philanthropists surfaces what happens after leaders of color join nonprofits boards in Central Texas.
AUSTIN, Texas, September 15, 2026 — The New Philanthropists, a Central Texas nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing racial diversity and equity on nonprofit boards, today released Building Equitable Boards: Insights for Post-Placement Support. This needs assessment examines what happens after leaders of color join nonprofit boards of directors and what it will take for them to truly thrive once there.
The report, which draws on nearly 50 surveys, 10 in-depth interviews, and a co-creation lab with BIPOC board members across the region, surfaces a persistent and largely unexamined gap in the nonprofit sector. Indeed, there is precious little data available nationally or locally focused on what happens after leaders of color join nonprofit boards.
While significant resources go toward diversifying board composition, far less attention gets paid to whether those board environments are actually set up for leaders of color to participate, lead, and sustain their engagement over time.
“Representation alone is not enough,” the report concludes. “Access does not automatically translate into influence. Inclusion does not guarantee equity.”
Among the report’s most significant findings:
- Onboarding falls short. Only 66% of BIPOC board members felt prepared after their initial orientation, and nearly 1 in 5 felt underprepared to engage with governance functions. For many, the report notes, “the journey into governance began without a map.”
- Fundraising expectations outpace support. While 80% of respondents understood their board’s fundraising expectations, only 50% felt confident actually doing the work. The report connects this gap to racialized donor networks and class-based assumptions built into nonprofit fundraising culture, barriers that fall disproportionately on BIPOC leaders and those without established wealth networks.
- Role drift is a structural equity risk. Multiple participants described being asked to perform staff-like operational tasks such as outreach, community mediation and program facilitation. These are framed as informal help but accumulate into ongoing expectations. In several cases, these assignments were tied to racial or community assumptions rather than skills or interests, contributing to burnout and eventual disengagement.
- Inclusion is fragile and relationship-dependent. Board cohesion was moderately strong — 72.9% of respondents felt supported by fellow members — but participants noted those relationships were built individually, not institutionally. Trust came through personality, not structure.
- One in three witnessed or experienced bias. Despite most respondents feeling welcomed and mission-aligned, 33% reported experiencing or witnessing microaggressions, exclusion, or bias during their board service. Black and Multi-racial participants felt their contributions were valued at lower rates than other groups.
- Leadership access remains uneven. While 83% felt they had access to leadership opportunities overall, only 39.6% strongly agreed. Meanwhile 27% said their boards did not provide adequate opportunities for continued skill-building or leadership development.
“Board leadership shouldn’t be something people just survive – it can and should be dignified, giving each leader of color real space to contribute, not just serve as a symbol of progress,” said Denisha Jenkins, Executive Director of The New Philanthropists. “That’s the future we owe every leader who says yes to serving.”
The New Philanthropists offers several workshops to help organizations get serious about their investment in board members of color. These include An Introduction to Inclusive Leadership, The Equity Chair and the Board Recruitment Workshop.
“This work isn’t about pointing fingers at boards but instead giving them a roadmap,” said Mando Rayo, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The New Philanthropists. “Every organization in this report wants to do better. Now they have the data to know where to start, and we’re going to help them get there.”
Recommendations:
The report issues three calls to action for nonprofit organizations, funders, and board leaders:
- Create conditions to thrive. Establish clear expectations, equitable structures, and culturally responsive environments where board members of color can participate and lead authentically.
- Build leadership pathways. Develop transparent, accessible opportunities for board members to grow into leadership roles — including stronger onboarding, mentorship, and affinity-based peer learning spaces.
- Invest in comprehensive support. Provide ongoing coaching, tools, and skill-building in the areas participants identified as most critical: fundraising and development (54.2%), legal responsibilities (41.7%), and financial oversight (37.5%).
“Serving on a nonprofit board is real leadership work, and we have to equip people accordingly,” said Alex Cantu, a Board Members of Color Mentor with The New Philanthropists. “Bringing talented leaders of color into the boardroom is only the first step. If we want them to contribute fully and ultimately step into positions of greater leadership, boards have to be intentional about onboarding, mentorship, skill-building, and creating genuine opportunities to lead. That investment doesn’t just benefit individual board members; it makes our organizations stronger and our governance better. The New Philanthropists is doing critical work to ensure that bringing new voices into the boardroom is only the beginning and that board members have the support, preparation, and opportunity to lead once they’re there.”
“It has taken generations of policy and history to create the existing cultural gaps in wealth, networks, and fiduciary knowledge,” said Rita Flores of Collective Capacity Consulting, LLC., a report collaborator and former The New Philanthropists mentee. “It will take the next generation of nonprofit leaders to help intentionally bridge those gaps.”
Download or view the report below.
About The New Philanthropists
The New Philanthropists has worked since 2017 to increase racial diversity and inclusion on nonprofit boards in Central Texas. Through its Board Matching Program, Board Mentors of Color cohort, and First Look Assessment for organizations, TNP cultivates leaders of color for board service and supports the cultural and structural shifts needed for those leaders to lead and thrive. TNP’s work is grounded in the belief that equitable board service is not just about who is in the room — but about how the room is structured.
Building Equitable Boards: Insights for Post-Placement Support is available at www.tnpaustin.org. The needs assessment was funded by The Tingari-Silverton Foundation and The Michael & Alice Kuhn Foundation.
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