Nicole Pratt | May 2025
In recent months, new executive orders and political pressure have brought fresh scrutiny to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Some organizations have taken this moment to roll back DEI initiatives, while others have stood firm. For organizations deeply committed to equity, especially those receiving public funding, this moment may feel uncertain, even risky. We all respond to risk differently. And yet the question for mission-driven leaders remains:
How can mission-driven nonprofits/schools respond with both responsibility and integrity?
Identity and Leadership
As a white woman in this work, I’ve been reflecting on how my identity shapes my response to this moment. I often feel the pull to protect – to minimize exposure, reduce risk, and stay safe. That instinct is real. But I’ve been learning to pause and ask: What values am I protecting? Whose safety am I prioritizing?
My whiteness offers a kind of safety, personally and professionally, that many of my colleagues, especially those who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color, don’t have. That privilege affects how I perceive risk, and it comes with responsibility.
It’s easy for those of us in positions of power to focus on protecting the organization, sometimes at the expense of the community. Discomfort can start to drive decisions. But this moment asks for something more reflective:
- Who are we centering?
- Whose fears are guiding us? Whose hopes?
- Are we leading from fear, clarity, values or some mix of all three?
At EdFuel, we encourage organizations to involve those most impacted by decisions in shaping them. That’s always important—but especially now, when the stakes and the uncertainty are so high.
Assessing Risk and Aligning with Values
Executive orders that target DEI-related work understandably prompt nonprofit leaders to assess potential risk. That process is essential, and it’s also important to recognize that risk takes different forms: legal, financial, reputational, and relational. And sometimes, the perceived risk is larger than the actual one.
There’s no universal playbook. Some organizations may reaffirm public commitments. Others may revise language or adjust programming. None of these decisions are inherently right or wrong. What matters is that the approach is intentional, transparent, and aligned with your values.
Legal counsel is a helpful partner in this process, but legal guidance is only one lens. It can’t determine what’s aligned with your mission, your communities, or your purpose. For mission-driven, social-impact organizations and schools, mission alignment is an important consideration. What values are non-negotiable? Doing this in partnership with staff, boards, and communities can lead to stronger decisions and ensure alignment with your mission and long-term goals.
Considerations for Schools and Publicly Funded Organizations
For schools, this landscape has additional complexity. Leaders are balancing compliance, political scrutiny, and community trust – often all at once.
In this context, leaders are juggling multiple pressures: compliance expectations, political scrutiny, and community trust. Pulling back on DEI can deeply impact student belonging, staff development, and culturally responsive teaching. But pushing ahead without support or a plan carries risks, too.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. School and organizational leaders will need to engage their boards, communities, and legal counsel to navigate this moment with care.
Leading with Integrity
I don’t believe there is one right way to respond in this moment. Every organization’s context, capacity, and calculations will look different. But how we show up as leaders matters.
Whether you choose to speak up boldly, revise internal language, or simply take time to reflect, it’s worth doing that work in conversation, not in isolation. With honesty. And with a willingness to keep learning. We don’t need to have all the answers. But we can lead with honesty, stay curious, and keep learning – even when the path forward is unclear.