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NEW THIS YEAR <br />Consistent with our commitment to equity and inclusion, the Towns of Chapel Hill <br />and Carrboro and Orange County Government are taking steps together to center <br />racial equity in the Human Services Funding Program. Over the course of the next <br />year, the Towns and County will conduct a comprehensive racial-equity analysis <br />of the program and we are requesting basic information about your organization’s <br />racial equity work. <br /> <br />a.Please describe how you have involved the intended beneficiaries of <br />the proposed project in the planning and design process (in 100 <br />words or less). <br />CEF believes that those who have directly experienced with homelessness and <br />poverty are best equipped to identify solutions. We center power among those with lived <br />experience with homelessness and poverty, and especially among current or recent <br />Members. Two permanent board seats are reserved for Member representatives. The <br />Executive Director and three other staff have lived experience and we encourage <br />Members to apply to job openings. Members also lead and contribute to CEF’s <br />advocacy efforts, arts projects, and selecting and training Advocates. Member input is <br />being prioritized in our current strategic planning process via surveys, stakeholder <br />interviews, and more. <br /> <br />b.How has your organization incorporated racial equity goals into your <br />organizational goals? <br />CEF is explicitly anti-racist and committed to pursuing equity and ending the <br />racial wealth gap. Early in CEF’s history, a Co-Director model was established with the <br />aim of reducing hierarchy. While some BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of <br />Color) and former Members were hired, the leadership structure remained <br />predominantly white and it took almost a decade for the organization to critique how <br />white supremacy and racism showed up in everyday operations. From 2018-2020, CEF <br />worked with outside evaluators on a capacity-building process to address the harm <br />caused to Black staff members and other problematic dynamics. With more direct <br />conversations about race and racism, the team recognized that the best way for them to <br />combat white supremacy in the organization is to move away from the non-hierarchical <br />structure and towards one in which power is centered among BIPOC and people with <br />lived experience of homelessness and poverty. This decision led to the transition to an <br />Executive Director leadership model, Donna Carrington’s promotion to this role, and <br />other changes to board and HR practices. All staff are now required to participate in <br />racial caucuses, a staff-wide anti-racist book club, and the Equity Paradigm’s Racial <br />Equity Cohort. <br /> <br />c.Please fill in the below questions and provide any additional context <br />on the racial composition of the organization and board leadership: <br /> <br />i.% of staff that are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color <br />(BIPOC) : 40% <br />Cover Page Page 11 of 30 <br /> <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 6B366C4A-0FD9-4CC3-82A7-F7842568D4BD