A New Resource on Equity Working Groups/Committees

This week, Imagine Canada released two new resources related to equity work in nonprofits, in collaboration with some of our very own affiliate facilitators. The first one is about equity working groups or equity committees, and how to make them work in practice. We know this resource will be relevant to many of you – we get a lot of questions about this exact thing! This has been true for years, but as the guide points out,

Many who are dedicated to advancing social justice and creating a more equitable society are in a pretty tough spot. There is growing pushback against equity, diversity and inclusion work, amongst many other concerning changes in wider society. This political climate presents real challenges. How might the nonprofit sector hold the line and ensure our equity efforts drive real-world change?

Why Have an Equity Committee?

In 2023, Imagine Canada released some research they had done on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the nonprofit sector. One of the findings from that research was that

Organizations with “equity working groups/ committees” do have more activities related to EDI than those that do not have a group in place… For example, organizations with equity working groups were markedly more likely to require mandatory training for their teams or include equity statements in their job ads

It demonstrated that helping organizations make their equity working groups (or equity committees) be more effective, or helping organizations start equity working groups, would be a useful support to nonprofits in Canada. This is especially true for smaller organizations, or “by and for” organizations, that might have limited resources or ability to find outside support.

The Guide to Equity Working Groups

The guide includes sections on

1. Creating an Equity Working Group
   • Focus and Mandate
   • Role
   • Decision Making Authority
   • Membership
   • Resources
2. Equity Working Groups in Action
   • Good Collaboration
   • Taking Action
   • Why Are We Stuck?
3. How to Stay in the Work When Things Get Hard
4. Reflecting on Your Work
   • Evaluation & Reflection Approaches
   • Communicating About Your Work

It also includes a terminology and language guide, which could be helpful if you are wondering how to choose the right language for your organization and your context to talk about issues of equity, anti-oppression, anti-racism, etc.

Our Own Experience with Equity Working Groups

At COCo, we have experimented with different models. At times, we have had dedicated committees or working groups (or “hubs”, as we have often called them), dedicated to anti-oppression. As time has gone on, we have integrated more of those reflections and strategies across the organization, so there is less specialization, and everyone has a responsibility to uphold that work. That said, having a centralized place for anti-oppression work played an instrumental role in getting those values into action, and getting us to a place where that was possible. Although they are not the right tool for every organization at every moment, they can play an important role! As the guide tells us, they can be:

• A powerful catalyst for making equity a living part of your organization, designed to get the work moving.
• A central place to plan, oversee and clarify the different equity initiatives at your organization.
• A gathering place for expertise and strategic thinking, bringing together wisdom and foresight for your equity goals.
• An accountability mechanism to make sure that people are empowered, responsibilized, and following up on equity initiatives.

Accessing the Tools

In order to access the tools, in French or in English,

• You can look at Imagine Canada’s website for this guide, and the companion guide on Equity Audits 
• We have included the PDF of the guide itself below
• You can register for Imagine’s Canada’s webinars about these guides, coming up in February and March of 2026

COCo’s Services

If you are interested in getting personalized support with your equity working group or equity committee, especially if you are based in Quebec, you can reach out to us! 

Download (PDF, 1.36MB)