Equitable Language Resources
No matter your organization’s mission or purpose, we all have an opportunity and responsibility to be on the side of striving for justice and opposing systemic forms of abuse, inequity, and oppression. This work can start with a commitment to use equitable language in our grant proposals and other donor communications that empowers, rather than disempowers, the people and groups our organizations engage and serve.
Grants Plus Guide to Equitable Language
Download five suggestions from Grants Plus for deploying equitable language in your grant proposals and other organizational materials.
Other Equitable Language Resources
Explore a variety of guides from across the social good sector for deploying inclusive and equitable language.
More Than Numbers: A Guide Toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Data Collection
American Psychological Association: Bias-Free Language Guide
ADA National Network: Guidelines for Writing About People with Disabilities
A Progressive's Style Guide
GLAAD: An Ally's Guide to Terminology
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: Inclusive Language Guide
Shelterforce: Guide to Racially Loaded Community Planning and Development Terms
Other Resources
The Racial Equity Institute
REI's Groundwater training provides training that helps individuals and organizations identify structural racism.
Harvard University's Project Implicit
Project Implicit provides a variety of tests that allow individuals to assess their own internal biases on race, gender, age, and other factors. Recognizing one's own biases can be a first step toward addressing them personally and in our work.
Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity
The Initiative's Grantmaking With a Racial Justice Lens guide provides useful tools for funders that are interested in implementing structural changes that lead to racial equity.
Philanthropy Ohio's Putting Racism on the Table Series
This series helps philanthropists (including foundations) explore the role they can play in addressing racial inequity.
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