DEI Theory of Change Design Session

Why Your Voice Matters

Over the past six months, MCF has been developing our DEI Theory of Change through deep engagement with multiple stakeholders, including our Board of Directors, DEI Committee, staff members, and select nonprofit community partners. Now, we're entering a crucial phase of this journey—bringing in the essential voices of our MCF members to further shape and strengthen this framework.

As we look at MCF’s DEI work, we are asking ourselves critical questions:

• How do we know we are making a difference?
• Are we achieving our desired outcomes?
• How can we best assess and communicate our progress and impact?

The DEI Theory of Change we’re developing together will help us address these questions and weave our work together in powerful ways. This framework will guide how we:

• Talk about our work operationalizing DEI values, allowing us to clarify our collective role
• Align our current and future DEI work across MCF, ensuring that it adds up to more than the sum of its parts
• Measure our work, allowing us to see our impact embedding DEI values in MCF policies, practices, and resource flows

Your participation in this session represents a vital step in ensuring our Theory of Change reflects the diverse perspectives, experiences, and needs of Minnesota’s philanthropic community. By bringing together our members—the organizations doing this work on the ground—we can create a more robust and actionable framework that truly serves our collective mission.

Session Overview

In this 90-minute virtual design session, you will help refine our Theory of Change by:

• Building “gentle consensus” on the relative priority of outcomes at multiple levels
• Reflecting on key takeaways from the thematic summary of ideas contributed by multiple stakeholders
• Aligning expectations for changes to DEI efforts stemming from strategic actions at the community, MCF partners, and field level
• Contributing to a framework that shows how board, staff, members, community, and field partners are working together toward our shared vision

What to Expect

• Interactive breakout discussions
• Collaborative prioritization exercises
• Opportunities to share insights from your organization’s DEI journey
• Chance to influence MCF’s approach to measuring and communicating DEI impact

Preparation

One week before the session, registered participants will receive:

• Detailed session agenda
• Summary memorandum of initial Theory of Change inputs
• Pre-session reflection questions
• Zoom link and technical requirements

Who Should Attend

We invite participation from all roles within MCF member organizations, recognizing that DEI work is everyone’s responsibility. This includes:

• Grantmakers and Program Officers
• Administrative and Operations Staff
• Board Members and Trustees
• Executive Leadership
• Finance and Investment Teams
• Communications Staff
• Program Administrators
• Other Foundation Staff

Whether you’re directly involved in DEI initiatives or not, your perspective is valuable. This work belongs to all of us as we collectively work to create a Minnesota where race does not determine outcomes or predict one's success.

Registration Information

• Invitation is to all MCF members 
• Registration closes on December 4, 2024
• Waitlist will be available once capacity is reached

Questions?

Please contact Awale (Wally) Osman, DEI Director, at aosman@mcf.org with any questions about the session or registration process.

This session represents MCF's ongoing commitment to antiracism and racial equity in philanthropy. As outlined in our Theory of Change, MCF’s role is to shape norms, disseminate best practices, and grow the leadership capacity of our members to operationalize DEI values. We believe that addressing deeply entrenched, historical racial inequities requires constant learning, adapting, and sustained focus. By bringing together our members for collaborative dialogue and action, we work to transform how the Minnesota philanthropic sector approaches racial equity—moving beyond awareness to meaningful action that creates lasting systemic change. Together, we can build long-term, trust-based relationships to understand needs and co-create solutions, especially with communities most impacted by race.