Our Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access

We will not tolerate racism in our organization or in the neighborhoods where we live and work. As the community foundation for Lake County, we are committed to seeing all residents lifted to their fullest potential. Our experience has shown us that when we work together, there is positive and meaningful and long-lasting change. At Legacy Foundation, we are committed to taking immediate and long-term action to uplift the voices, the needs, and the rights of every minority group. We call on you to join us in the work of advancing racial equity and justice.

Our Commitments

  1. Call out blatant and everyday acts of racism and discrimination.
  2. Hold a series of internal conversations (Internal Equity Assessment) with Legacy staff and board.
  3. Prioritize diversity of staff, board members, committee members, and consultants in Legacy’s future hiring and nominating decisions.
  4. Emphasize our commitment to IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access) in orientations for staff, board, and committee members.
  5. More closely reflect the diversity of our community in our marketing materials.
  6. Host a series of public conversations, leading to a joint community statement on equity.
  7. Promote diverse attendance at Legacy Foundation events.
  8. Prioritize funding for organizations focused on IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access).
  9. Invest in leaders of color – increasing funding and professional development training and coaching.
  10. Create a new fund or direct unrestricted funding to support programs that increase access to employment opportunities, education, and professional and business development for people of color.
  11. Integrate IDEA strategies and accountability into grants and scholarships offered through Legacy Foundation.

See how we're reaching for IDEAL in Lake County

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Technical Assistance Cohort

Legacy Foundation seeks to build organization leadership for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) work in Lake County by providing training and organizational capacity building. We seek to support change at the organizational level and believe IDEA learning and growth is important for all types of organizations.

Legacy Foundation is working with 4 non-profit partners to engage in a series of conversations, work with a consultant to conduct an organizational IDEA assessment, and create an actionable, measurable plan with recommendations on how to improve IDEA practices. The evaluation will review, at a minimum, organization culture, community outreach, program/service delivery, board leadership, hiring, and policies. The plan will support the organization’s mission, vision, and goals; incorporate both internal and external practices, address leadership, employee engagement, hiring, stakeholder management; and community engagement. We believe this work should engage all levels and areas of the organizations, from front-line staff to Board leadership.

Participating organizations have the opportunity to engage in peer learning with the other selected organizations, and we seek to find ways to share the learnings with the broader community.