WORKPLACE
s Tahira Cunningham sees it , intent matters , whether it ’ s on the subject of a nonprofit ’ s mission or its leadership structure .
On a recent weekday morning , Cunningham , chief of staff for Alluma , has just wrapped up a mentoring session with a young woman in her organization , an Oakland-based nonprofit with branches in Sacramento and Phoenix that provides technology solutions and consulting services to government agencies , nonprofits and other companies . “ She just received a significant promotion , and I ’ m very excited for her , so I offered her some coaching as she grows into the organization ,” says Cunningham , who is based in the Sacramento office that allows the company to have close contact with policymakers .
Cunningham ’ s guidance is purposeful by design . Mentorship and coaching are key to promoting women into higher positions at nonprofits , including those in the management realm . Nonprofits have a responsibility not just to intentionally improve outcomes for the communities they serve , she says , but also to look inward .
So how are nonprofits doing in that sphere ? At first glance , nonprofits seem to be a more equitable space . For example , women occupy 45 percent of CEO positions at nonprofits ( and make up 73 percent of the nonprofit workforce ) in the United States , according to a 2018 report from The NonProfit Times , a publication that covers nonprofit management . In comparison , women make up only 8 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs , according to “ Women CEOs in America ,” a report from the alliance organization Women Business Collaborative and the nonprofits C200 and Catalyst .
The number of women leading nonprofits in the four-county Sacramento area
( Sacramento , Yolo , Placer and El Dorado counties ) is even more impressive . According to the Sacramento Region Community Foundation , 66 percent of the 611 nonprofits that participated in the Big Day of Giving in 2020 were run by women .
Between 2013 and 2016 , the percentage of women in CEO roles at nonprofits increased across all budget groups , according to the “ 2020 Nonprofit Compensation Report ” released by Candid , an organization that tracks data on nonprofits , foundations and grants . Break down the numbers , however , and it becomes clear there ’ s a considerable
“ Working in the nonprofit sector as a woman of color , I feel like and have regularly felt like my perspective isn ’ t just encouraged , it ’ s required and valued .”
TAHIRA CUNNINGHAM Chief of staff , Alluma
distance yet to go , particularly in larger nonprofit organizations . The bigger the budget , the greater the gender disparity , both in leadership positions and pay .
Nonprofits with budgets exceeding $ 25 million employ the fewest women in CEO positions . In 2018 , women filled 42 percent of those roles in nonprofits with budgets of $ 5 million to $ 10 million . The number decreased to 37 percent in nonprofits with budgets of $ 10 million to $ 25 million and 33 percent for those with budgets of $ 25 million to $ 50 million . Meanwhile , in nonprofits with budgets at $ 50 million or more , women occupy only 25 percent of the positions , according to Candid data .
Still , statistics and personal stories suggest that , overall , women may find more growth opportunities at nonprofits , and as a result , many more are opting for this route .
Early in her career , Cunningham didn ’ t consider nonprofits as part of her professional path — growing up poor , she says , she wasn ’ t even familiar with the concept . Instead , she initially studied to become a psychologist . After graduating from Sonoma State , she moved to Sacramento and worked as a legislative assistant as she studied for her MBA from the University of Phoenix . Then came her moment of reckoning when the organization she worked for lobbied against an increase to the minimum wage .
It was an eye-opening time , says Cunningham , who decided to find a job that better aligned with her personal values . She says she viewed her remaining time with the firm as a valuable networking opportunity . “ I learned how power works , and I learned how money works and influence works and how relationships work ,” she says .
Cunningham soon moved into health care , working at nonprofits such as the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network and Sierra Health Foundation . It was in these jobs , pushing for reform , Cunningham says , that she realized what it means to enact change in a more deliberate and impactful way . “ I was able to have conversations in which we said that health care reform wasn ’ t just about health care , it was about equity , it was about leveling the playing field ,” Cunningham says .
That same ethos applies to positions within nonprofits as well , she says . The nonprofits she ’ s worked with , for example , use fellowship and internship programs to promote growth for women and people of color . “ Working in the nonprofit sector as a woman of color , I feel like and have regularly felt like my perspective isn ’ t just encouraged , it ’ s required and valued ,” she says .
72 comstocksmag . com | March 2021