Take Home Messages

 

From the literature review, toolkit development, discussions, and semi-structured interviews, the CIEE EDI WG synthesized 4 important takeaways:

 

1. Increasing EDI in funding opportunities for ECRs is not just about awarding funds to individuals from underrepresented (racialized) backgrounds. Funds reach a small proportion of applicants, and increasing EDI should involve action throughout the grant process. Opportunities exist at all four stages that would impact all applicants.

 

2. Funding opportunities should strive to be flexible when working with applicants and grant recipients, as supporting ECRs is individual-specific. Each person requires support differently, from having access to mentors or advisors (who can provide guidance, resources), family and personal relationships (for mental health and sense of identity), to needing flexibility in terms of timelines or financial arrangements (to accommodate logistics).

 

3. Efforts to increase EDI must not be one-off exercises, but rather be made with a long-term focus in mind and be based on evolving best practices.

 

4. The relationship between funding agency or opportunity and applicant has the potential to evolve, from a transaction between the powerful and needy to a dynamic in which they are in supportive community and collaboration with each other.