Advancing Equality
What is advancing equality?
Advancing Equality is a concept that is focused on making sure that Colorado is a place where all people are treated equally. It is a value that reaches far beyond the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender population; it is about advancing social justice for all people.
Colorado will realize its full potential when everyone has an opportunity to contribute equally. A core value of an Advancing Equality organization is the equal treatment of all people, including staff, clients, vendors, and others.
What can organizations do to advance equality?
Organizations may take different paths to advancing equality, in ways that are unique to their organization and mission. Examples include updating personnel policies to include comprehensive nondiscrimination policies, revising intake procedures to convey full inclusion, creating a more welcoming physical environment, evaluating diversity of board makeup, broadening hiring practices to reach wider applicant pools, offering LGBT-specific programs or services, and publicly speaking out on LGBT equality.
Click here to go to the Advancing Equality Toolkit. It offers some useful information including suggested language for company policies and procedures, document templates, case studies.
What is the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado’s definition of an inclusive organization?
We define it as creating a safe organizational environment where access and opportunity exist regardless of differences. All people are welcome and invited to become a part of all aspects of the organization, including board, staff, clients/patrons, volunteers, vendors, and donors.
Read what we value internally by clicking here.
What types of things are the Gay & Lesbian Fund looking for from their grantees regarding advancing equality?
We work in partnership with organizations that incorporate one or more of the following strategic objectives for advancing equality:
- Demonstrate and promote values of inclusion and diversity within an organization’s circle of influence.
- Create opportunities for volunteerism and philanthropy among LGBT people.
- Engage and include people from diverse backgrounds, including LGBT people, in programming, services, and organizational values.
My organization has been funded by Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado for the last two years, but we are not sure how to fulfill the new strategic objectives toward advancing equality. Can we still apply?
We strongly suggest that you discuss this concern with the program officer who has worked with you in the past. Many of our long-time grantees have been able to examine their organizational priorities and opportunities, and find that there is indeed a match with the Gay & Lesbian Fund’s strategic objectives that focus on advancing equality in Colorado.
What is meant by “gender expression”?
Gender Expression is the physical manifestation of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through clothing, mannerisms, and chosen names. Some people may have a gender expression that matches their gender identity, rather than their birth sex. Reference to protections that include gender expression may be associated with any individual who expresses gender in a way that is not consistent with social norms.
Click here to download our Gender Expression Toolkit.
Click here to go to the Advancing Equality Toolkit. It offers some useful information including suggested language for company policies and procedures, document templates, and case studies.