The Black Executive Director's Network (BLK ED Network) is a national membership-based community designed to address the systemic issues and inequities faced by Black Executive Directors in the nonprofit sector by equipping them with resources to thrive in their leadership roles. Our vision is to narrow the racial leadership gap, ultimately driving inclusion, diversity, and solution-based models to eliminate cultural biases, and reshaping the philanthropic landscape. Our mission is to empower Black Executive Directors as they navigate the systemic challenges in the nonprofit sector by providing access to the community, capital, and equitable development growth opportunities. Isolated, Inadequate Salary, Lack of Relationship with Funding Sources, and Called to Represent an Entire Community according to the 2019 Race to Lead Survey are some of the challenges faced by people of color in the nonprofit sector. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million registered nonprofits in the United States; however, only 150,000 of those organizations are led by people of color. Through our community, we seek to address the disparities in nonprofit leadership by creating mentorship, professional development, and the collective sharing of thoughts and ideas in culturally safe spaces where black leaders are affirmed in their identity. The BLK ED Network offers three programmatic components: Community, Capital, and Cultivation.
