Governance is an integral part of how organizations operate and make key decisions. In May, while attending a session at the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations conference, I was introduced to the concept of liberatory governance. As I have come to understand, liberatory governance involves changing current governance structures and practices and introducing a more inclusive and participatory culture throughout the organization.
Liberatory governance changes how we think about governance within nonprofit organizations. In recent years, several thought leaders have explored the concept of liberatory governance. They explain that current governance models are hierarchical and can unconsciously lead to power imbalances. Liberatory governance encourages us to reframe practices to be inclusive across the organization and encourage shared leadership.
Here are some of the fundamental principles of liberatory governance, which are highlighted in articles published by Network Weaver and Change Elemental:
Establish organizational equity and inclusion values. The priority is ensuring that all voices are heard and valued in decision-making processes.
Create shared leadership. Leaders must distribute power and responsibility across the organization rather than concentrate on a few individuals or positions.
Be transparent about decisions. Establish open decision-making processes, financial management, and other critical aspects of governance, allowing stakeholders to hold the organization accountable.
Ensure a participatory decision-making environment: Engage staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders in the organization’s governance. Decisions must reflect the collective will and wisdom of the community.
Create continuous learning and adaptation opportunities: Commit to ongoing reflection and learning to identify and address areas where the organization may still perpetuate oppressive practices or structures.
Incorporating these principles into our governance structures helps create an organizational culture where everyone feels involved, social justice is promoted, and everyone can work collectively toward the shared mission.
With these principles in mind, I want to share some of the Foundation’s governance practices that align with liberatory governance. These efforts have impacted our strategic planning and organizational growth, well positioning us for the systemic reforms we hope to accomplish.
We have core values grounded in equity and inclusion. The purpose of DCBF’s core values are intended to ensure that: 1) we have clear expectations, decision-making, and communication as a staff; and 2) our external partners and stakeholders will understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind our work. Our values are centered on equity, community, collaboration, trust and respect, and standing against anti-Black racism. Establishing our core values was an organization-wide effort, with staff working collaboratively to identify and explain each of the five priorities.
We conduct board self-assessments and leadership surveys. At the beginning of each fiscal year, we survey our board to ask about demographics, skills, and expertise to inform our future recruitment efforts. At the end of the fiscal year, we conduct a leadership survey to gauge interest in leadership, their board experience, and financial commitment. And then every other year, we use the BoardSource self-assessment to reflect on the extent to which we are modeling and using best practices in nonprofit governance. These surveys are important because they help the Foundation to ensure broad diversity on the board and within leadership positions.
We developed a program for continuing board education. At the Foundation, we are passionate about continuing education and deepening our understanding of the systems within which we operate. During each quarterly board meeting, we “Flip the Agenda” to dive deeper into a specific topic that does not require decision-making or voting. We define conversation objectives, distribute relevant materials, and pose stimulating questions. Topics have included medical-legal partnerships, evaluation and learning, advancing racial equity in our grantmaking, network building and how to identify and work with existing and new partners, the Family Law Learning Network and its collaboration with the DC Legal Aid Transformations Network (now called the DC Social Justice Transformations Network), and growing DCBF’s revenue streams through IOLTA. Flipping the Agenda helps our organization think creatively, govern effectively, and make a difference when it matters most. Though “Flipping the Agenda” is focused on the board, the learning is happening throughout the organization. Typically, staff facilitate the conversation, and sometimes we have guests, but we are exploring alternative formats as we enter our seventh year of this experiment.
We consistently share the latest updates about our day-to-day work with the board. Through a biweekly update, we connect board members with the work being done at the Foundation and within the larger community. It includes board actions, upcoming meetings, an interesting read, and updates on everything happening throughout the organization. It is a great way to keep the board informed and engaged with the organization outside of quarterly meetings, and we share it among staff as well.
This list is only an overview of how we incorporate liberatory practices within our governance structure. I am proud of the work we continue to do to keep the board and Foundation on its path toward equal access to justice.
The concept of liberatory governance challenges us to reexamine traditional practices that we have used for years, if not decades. However, as we continue to think about equity and inclusion and how to be better leaders in this area, we must consider what liberatory governance can mean in the long term, not only for our board members but also for our staff and the communities we serve.
With Gratitude,
Kirra L. Jarratt
Chief Executive Officer