Your diversity numbers have probably barely moved in recent years
BIPOC representation across nonprofit staff increased from 26.3% to 27.1% in 2024. At the executive level, the shift was even smaller: from 16.7% to 17.0%. These changes are so minimal they could get lost in a rounding error.
But here's the thing: in an environment where diversity commitments face mounting political attacks, even tracking these numbers is becoming a statement. The organizations collecting EEOC data aren't doing it because the year-over-year gains are dramatic. They're doing it because measurement creates accountability, and accountability eventually drives change.
Why it matters
Small numbers reveal big patterns. The 0.8% overall increase and 0.3% executive-level increase aren't wins to celebrate, they're baselines to improve from. Without consistent tracking, organizations can claim progress while leadership teams remain unchanged year after year. EEOC data isn't perfect — the categories don't match everyone's identity, and reporting thresholds exclude smaller organizations — but it provides the only consistent cross-sector comparison available.
The gap between overall staff representation (27.1%) and executive representation (17.0%) tells the real story. Your organization might be hiring diverse talent, but something breaks down before they reach leadership. You can't fix what you don't measure, and you can't measure what you don't track.
Do this
Start collecting EEOC demographic data now if you're not already, because even if the numbers are uncomfortable, you need the baseline to improve from. Track executive representation separately from overall staff numbers to identify where the pipeline breaks.
Set three-year targets for leadership diversity rather than celebrating tiny year-over-year gains, because meaningful demographic shifts in organizations take sustained effort across multiple hiring cycles, not single-year initiatives.
Source: These statistics are from the 2025 M+R Benchmarks Report, pages 22-23.