Diversity, equity and inclusion are pillars of CGR’s internal and external work, woven through our latest strategic plan. This means we work internally to make our own organization more diversity, equitable and inclusive, and we bring these values to each of our client engagements. Some of our work is clearly focused on DEI, as illustrated by project descriptions below. Even when a project does not explicitly focus on DEI, we bring in a DEI lens to ensure we are making room for multiple perspectives, including the voices of historically marginalized groups and thinking contextually data and data analysis.
As a historically white organization, CGR has been building internal DEI capacity over the past several years to inform all aspects of our processes, including assumptions held about communities where we conduct studies and our methodological approaches to research and analysis. Specifically, CGR has:
- Worked with an external consultant to support open dialogues to create awareness about the unconscious bias embedded in individual actions and institutional practices including research activities.
- Created a Chief Diversity Officer position to support and bring an equity lens to internal processes and policies and to our external research and analyses efforts.
- Participated in the Racial Equity and Justice Initiative and Urban League of Rochester’s Interrupt Racism cohorts that require organizations to engage in deep investigation into racism across personal, institutional and structural levels.
- Embedded ideas of structural racism and its impacts in our research and analyses.
We highly value our partners who specialize in DEI knowledge, skills and training, and often compile a project team including partners to best serve our clients and communities.
Featured Work
Monroe County / City of Rochester Racial and Structural Equity Commission (RASE)
In 2020-21, CGR supported the work of the Racial and Structural Equity Commission of the City of Rochester (NY) and Monroe County, a 24-member body appointed by Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello to inventory and assess local laws and policies to recommend ways to eliminate institutional and structural biases, racism and inequities. CGR supported the Commission with research, data and policy analysis, and facilitation of stakeholder input to investigate each of the areas represented by each of the Commission’s 9 Working Groups: Business Development, Criminal Justice, Education, Healthcare, Human Services, Housing, Job Creation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and Policing. Engaging in community-led research, CGR documented findings, assisted in researching and developing recommendations, and ultimately compiled the Commission’s work into its final report. The commission report has led to policy changes such as the creation of a county-level Minority and Women Owned Business Certification designed to expedite the certification of local businesses.
Report: https://rocrase.com/report
Community Indicator Websites – Racial Equity Focus
CGR is a premier provider of online data hubs for community improvement and prioritization efforts. CGR has created over a dozen community indicators websites in locations across the country to help funders and leaders prioritize issues for action and sharpen their focus areas. To be clear about the impact of historic and systemic racism, CGR added additional analysis to these sites making explicit connections between historical and current polices and the disparities in well-being evident in the data for various racial and ethnic populations. Examples include Lancaster County Community Indicators, Impact Essex County, Impact MetroWest and Aspire Arkansas. Users can find information on everything from prenatal care for pregnant women to poverty and income to arrests and incarceration outlining how history, systems and policies contribute to unequal outcomes. The assessments help communities understand and work to address inequity. Impact MetroWest is an ongoing contract with CGR.
Website: Impact MetroWest
North East Community Center
North East Community Center (NECC) provides critical human service support for people of all ages in the northeastern area of Dutchess County, NY. To ensure it continues to reach and meet the needs of its changing and diversifying community, NECC sought out CGR for assistance with identifying internal biases in its behaviors, systems and policies that may be hindering equity and inclusivity and to identify areas for improvement.
CGR, in partnership with EquiDi+ Consulting, performed a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) assessment, a series of DEI workshops for staff and board, and provided recommendations for improved equitable practices within the organization. The DEI assessment included interviews with board and staff and a review of NECC staff and board policies. Broad recommendations included creating an explicit organizational commitment to DEI, adopting various accountability mechanisms thorough operations to ensure that DEI remains a priority, focusing on embedding DEI into recruitment and hiring practices, proactively creating an inclusive culture on the board and among staff, and investing in professional development. NECC will use CGR’s data and recommendations to embed DEI goals and activities into each of its organizational strategic plans. Additionally, EquiDi+ Consulting will continue to work with NECC through 2023 to provide additional training.
