Racial Alignment and the Practice of Equity: Examining Internal Governance in Community-Based Development Organizations

• In Event: Bridging Equity Values and Organizational Implementation: Insights from Public Management, Contracting, and Nonprofit Organizations

Abstract

Community-based development organizations (CBDOs) are critical actors in advancing equity in underserved neighborhoods. While these organizations often serve racially diverse populations and articulate equity as a core value, their internal leadership structures do not always reflect this commitment. This study examines how racial alignment across organizational tiers—specifically among board members, executive directors, senior staff, and general staff—influences the adoption of racial equity strategies.

Drawing on racialized organizational theory and principles of representative bureaucracy, this paper argues that racial mismatch across leadership roles serves as a structural barrier to implementing equity-oriented reforms. Using a national dataset of CBDOs, I develop a set of mismatch indicators that capture variation in nonwhite representation between organizational levels. These measures are then used to assess their association with the adoption of fourteen distinct racial equity strategies.

Findings suggest that organizations with greater internal racial alignment are significantly more likely to institutionalize equity strategies across governance and operations. By contrast, organizations where racial representation is fragmented—such as diverse frontline staff operating under predominantly white boards—are less likely to engage in equity transformation. This paper contributes to ongoing policy and nonprofit scholarship by highlighting the importance of internal organizational dynamics in shaping the trajectory of racial equity work in the community development sector.

Author

• Nathaniel Wright
  Presenting Author