RAIN COHORT 2023 APPLICATION PACKET - Squarespace
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RAIN COHORT
2023 APPLICATION PACKET
(link to online application is at the end of this document)
Between 2022 and 2024, TRU Powered by IDEALS will bring together nearly 100
nonprofits from across Northwest Arkansas to build their capacity to advance diversity,
equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our growing region.
Generously funded by the Walmart Foundation and Walton Family Foundation, TRU
Powered by IDEALS will meet nonprofits where they are in their DEI journey with four
distinct opportunities to engage:
TRAIN is a cohort for up to 20 nonprofit organizations that are new to diversity,
equity, and inclusion work and seek to build the foundations on which to plan
and grow their inclusion efforts in alignment with their mission.
RECHARGE is a cohort for up to 20 nonprofits that have been actively doing DEI
work and are seeking ways to deepen and broaden their impact in service of
their mission.
UPLIFT is a cohort for up to 15 nonprofits led by and primarily serving
minoritized communities in Northwest Arkansas who are seeking to build their
overall organizational capacity to sustain their mission-driven work for our
diverse region.
Through ongoing cross-cohort engagements over two years—culminating in a
day-long, intensive DEI Conference—TRU will be building a Community of Action
to support and sustain a collective approach to nonprofits collaborating,
optimizing, and advancing DEI efforts region-wide.
If your organization is a nonprofit just beginning its efforts to align DEI
with its mission-driven work in Washington and/or Benton Counties,
please complete and submit this TRAIN Application
by 11:00 p.m. on February 3, 2023
640 N Garland Avenue, Suite 117
479-575-3509 truideals.org Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Why TRAIN?
Northwest Arkansas is a vibrant community comprised of broad perspectives from its deep Native American roots to its Ozark
mountains and traditions, immigrant contributions, and influences of professionals and students worldwide drawn to the region by
its strong employment and education opportunities. The promise of our region is a sense of belonging for everyone who lives,
works, learns, and plays here. The ultimate goal of TRU Powered by IDEALS is to help create a more inclusive and equitable
Northwest Arkansas in which diversity is expected, respected, and supported and where residents—particularly those historically
minoritized*—feel both the promise and true sense of belonging.
Nonprofit organizations are often the gatekeepers that determine how residents experience a region. Whether through critical
needs-based services such as healthcare or childcare or life-enhancing services such as arts and recreation programs, nonprofits
set the tone for how people experience belonging or thrive in our community. However well-intended nonprofits are in their
efforts, they are often not well-equipped to serve a growingly diverse community in a culturally responsive way that truly
maximizes the impact of their mission-focused work.
TRU Powered by IDEALS knows that intention does not always equal impact, especially regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion
(DEI). Organizations born out of a well-meaning dominant culture perspective can unknowingly approach serving minoritized
communities through a one-size-fits-all “that’s just how it’s done” mentality that at best misses their mission’s mark in that
community. At worst, it causes minoritized clients to feel like they don’t belong or can’t safely access desired services. TRU
Powered by IDEALS TRAIN Cohort will address these challenges by supporting a group of up to 20 nonprofit organizations who
have a sincere desire to be more inclusive in their work but don’t know how/where to begin.
The TRAIN Cohort seeks applications from nonprofit organizations that need foundational support and practical strategies for
knowing where to begin and how best to plan and grow meaningful DEI efforts in alignment with their mission. TRAIN Cohort
engagements will focus on supporting an organization and its key leadership in understanding, assessing, and addressing
individual, interpersonal, and institutional approaches to valuing and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The TRU Powered by IDEALS TRAIN Program aims to: 1) Increase organizational understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion
concepts and their importance to the organization and our Northwest Arkansas community; 2) Assess for and identify gaps in
organizational DEI capacity for both individual organizations and the cohort as a whole; 3) Increase the ability of participating
organizations to recognize and respond to DEI needs of both diverse internal stakeholders and clients served; and 4) Equip
nonprofits with a DEI strategic plan for mapping and implementing sustainable and actionable inclusion efforts.
* Minoritized individuals/communities include African-American, Asian, Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander and numerous multi-racial
communities and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities (LGBTQ+). Given that access and opportunity are influenced by factors beyond
race, ethnicity, ability, gender and sexuality, minoritized communities may also include people practicing non-Christian faiths, immigrants, first-
generation college students, and other communities that have faced social, economic and/or academic disadvantages.
TRAIN Program Components:
The IDEALS Institute will select up to 20 organizations to participate in the TRU Powered by IDEALS TRAIN Cohort through this
competitive application process. Cohort applications should focus on the organization’s commitment to fostering diversity,
equity, and inclusion in the community; their openness to both constructive feedback and collaboration to strengthen their
impact; and their expressed readiness to undertake this intensive cohort experience that requires 3 committed leaders
(including the director) to engage in the following cohort components:
Assessment and Consultation Learning Community Community of Action
• Support in conducting and debriefing • 6 required day-long cohort • Three cross-cohort professional
an intercultural capacity assessment of gatherings to share and learn as you development and networking
your org leadership. build a foundational understanding engagements.
• Assistance in developing a DEI of DEI • One 1.5 day-long DEI Community of
building plan for your org. • Peer-group consultation sessions to Action Conference in 2023 to foster a
• Individualized consulting to support foster collaboration and support collaborative ecosystem of DEI in
org growth and implementation of across orgs as you craft and begin NWA
your DEI efforts. executing an organizational DEI
strategic plan.
TRU Powered by IDEALS TRAIN COHORT APPLICATION Page 1 of 3
truideals.org1) DEI Capacity-Building Assessment and Consultation. IDEALS Institute will support each organizational leader in completing
DEI organizational assessments at no cost to cohort participants, including the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) online
assessment. Individual and organizational DEI capacity assessments will form the foundation for ongoing individual and peer
group consultation sessions, beginning with a personalized debrief of individual IDI results for each participating cohort
member. Additionally, the IDI, IDEALS assessments, and other inputs will inform the development of your DEI strategic plan,
which will be completed by the end of the TRAIN experience. Examples of potential DEI capacity-building areas of focus in
planning include: program implementation, fund development, leadership pipeline, communications and marketing, board
development, staff development, collaboration and partnerships, data and evaluation, etc. Other focus areas may be identified
during the assessment process.
2) Learning Community. TRAIN is designed to meet organizations where they are as they begin their DEI journey and help
take them in the direction they want to go. TRU Powered by IDEALS knows that this is a challenging journey to begin on your
own, so the TRAIN Cohort engagements will serve as a collaborative learning (and growing) community for all participating
organizations. Activities will support the cohort in learning together and strengthening collaboration to address shared
challenges related to participants’ organizational DEI knowledge, capacity, cultural responsiveness, and impact as identified by
cohort participants, assessments, and consultants. There will be in-person day-long gatherings (approximately 6 times over the
year) between March 2023 and December 2023, with required attendance and participation from the Director (either paid or
volunteer), a leader from the organization’s board of directors (in addition to the previously mentioned Director) and one
other organizational leader at minimum.
Assessments, consultations, and some offline assignments will occur throughout the cohort experience in addition to the
learning community sessions.
3) Community of Action. Woven throughout the TRAIN Cohort experience will be DEI Community of Action opportunities in
which all TRU Powered by IDEALS individuals and organizations can connect, console, and collaborate regarding their DEI
challenges, successes, and bold visions for an inclusive Northwest Arkansas. Community of Action (COA) components will
include a web-based portal for DEI resource and information-sharing as well as intentional networking and community-
cultivation experiences and quarterly cross-cohort professional development and networking engagements. The Community of
Action experience will culminate in a day-long, intensive DEI COA Conference that is open to all TRU Powered by IDEALS
graduates and will focus on sustaining a collective approach to solving the complex issues nonprofits face in adopting culturally
responsive policies, practices, and programs in service of a diverse region.
Required* TRAIN Cohort engagements for 2023 are:
Community of Action (COA) Events All-Day Learning Sessions
• Lunchtime Kick-Off Event - March 30th • April 13th
• Week of June 11th (Daytime and/or Evening) • May 11th
• Non-Profit Pre-Conference and Conference • June 8th
November 9th and 10th (Daytime) •
August 17th
• September 14th
• October 19th
* These are In-Person sessions and dates may change due to unforeseen factors
About IDEALS
Part of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Arkansas, IDEALS is a DEI training, consultancy, and
research institute whose team brings multiple years of professional and lived experience regarding DEI in NWA. Since opening in
August 2019, IDEALS has led hundreds of DEI learning opportunities with more than 13,000 participant engagements from over
100 organizations/entities/businesses or institutions here in Northwest Arkansas. These engagements include multi-year DEI
partnerships with nonprofits such as Crystal Bridges, Circle of Life Hospice, and Fayetteville Public Schools, to name a few.
Additionally, IDEALS has led previous DEI cohorts in our region, including (and in partnership with EngageNWA and all area
Chambers of Commerce) a DEI cohort supporting small and mid-size businesses.
TRU Powered by IDEALS TRAIN COHORT APPLICATION Page 2 of 3
truideals.orgEligibility and Selection Criteria:
The IDEALS Institute, with the support of a diverse selection committee comprised of University of Arkansas DEI leaders, will
select up to 20 nonprofit organizations through a competitive open-invitation selection process to participate in the TRAIN
Cohort. Selected organizations will explicitly demonstrate the following in their completed application:
1) A basic understanding of the importance of DEI in achieving your organizational mission and vision;
2) A strong, leader-driven commitment to expanding DEI knowledge and incorporating DEI into the organization’s operations;
3) An openness to learn, assess, and respond to feedback about your organization’s mission and operations; and
4) Clear readiness to fully participate in all programmatic components of the TRU TRAIN Cohort.
The TRU Powered by IDEALS TRAIN Cohort will be curated to include a representative variety of organizations focused on serving
different sectors and Northwest Arkansas communities and using a broad range of strategies and approaches to advance equity
and inclusion in the region.
To be eligible to participate in the TRAIN Cohort, organizations must:
• Be Section 501(c)3 organizations that are recognized as described in Section 509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), or 509(a)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code (other than Type III Supporting Organization). Section 509(a)(3) supporting organizations may be asked to
provide documentation of their tax status.
• Operate within and serve the Northwest Arkansas community of Washington and Benton Counties.
• Deliver services to underrepresented communities, as defined in the Why TRAIN section above.
• Have a thoughtful and collaborative approach to working within the community on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion
and a desire to incorporate an equity and inclusion framework in their organization and work.
Application Process:
In preparing to apply, interested organizations are encouraged to have a representative attend one of the TRU Powered by
IDEALS information sessions held virtually during the weeks of January 15th and January 22nd. Dates/times and Zoom links for
these sessions, along with FAQs and other important information can be found at truideals.org. This website is updated
regularly.
The full application must be received no later than 11:00 p.m. on February 3, 2023 and may be submitted either online or via
mail. PLEASE NOTE: After you submit your application, IDEALS may contact your organization to schedule a Zoom meeting to
gain further clarification regarding information you share in your application. If scheduled, these clarification meetings will not
be a guarantee of acceptance into the program. Conversely, if you are not contacted to schedule such a meeting, that is not an
indicator that your organization won’t be accepted into the program. Organizations that apply will be notified whether their
application has been accepted to the TRAIN Cohort on March 3, 2023.
Application cover sheet and template is attached below for those submitting applications by mail and so those submitting online
may review/prepare in advance of online submission. Emailed applications will NOT be accepted.
Please note, your application must include the following documentation:
1) Completed Organizational Overview Sheet and Proposal Template (see below)
2) Supporting Documentation:
• Copy of most current operating budget for the organization
• Copy of IRS 501c3 determination letter
• List of Board of Directors, including:
o Their length of service on the board.
o A brief description of the perspectives/contributions they bring to the organization that supports its work.
• Names, Roles, Headshots and Brief Bios of the Director and 2 other Leadership members who will be representing the
organization throughout the TRAIN Cohort experience. Please include:
o A brief personal statement from each member as to why advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is important
to them as they work to fulfill the organization’s mission.
TRU Powered by IDEALS TRAIN COHORT APPLICATION Page 3 of 3
truideals.orgTRU Powered by IDEALS – TRAIN Organizational Overview Sheet
Applicant Information
Organization Legal Name Organization Mailing Address
Organization Website (if any)
Operating Budget (Revenue) for Last Fiscal Year: ______________ Total Expenses for Last Fiscal Year:
% from earned revenue
% from grants/donations
Organization Mission Statement
Director’s Name and Title Director’s Email / Phone
Application Contact Name and Title (if different from Director) Contact Email / Phone
Key Full-time Staff Positions (please list) Number of Staff
Full-time: Part-time: Contracted: Volunteer:
Does your organization need further information regarding
accommodations, such as for people with disabilities, non-
English speakers, etc.? YES NO
If so, please describe the requested accommodations:
Overview of Staff and Board Demographics
Information submitted in this section by individual organizations will not form the basis for the selection of cohort participants, and will be kept in
confidence by IDEALS. The information, however, may be shared in the aggregate as part of an overview of TRU cohort demographics.
Diversity of Board & Staff (insert number of people in column)
Race/Ethnicity Sexuality
Board Staff Board Staff
Asian Heterosexual
Black Lesbian
Latino/x Gay
Pacific Islander Bisexual
Native American Queer
White Asexual
2 or more races Other not listed
Total Total
Highest Education Level Gender
Board Staff Board Staff
High school diploma/GED Cisgender Male
Associate degree Cisgender Female
Bachelor’s degree Trans Male
Advanced degree Trans Female
Other not listed above Non-binary
Total Total
Overview of Service Focus
Primary Populations Served (select all that apply) Geographic Focus (select all that apply)
Immigrant / Refugee Asian Benton County
African-American Native American Washington County
Latino/x LGBTQI Urban Suburban Rural
Pacific Islander White Specific geographic communities of focus:
Other not listed: ______________________________________
Primary Activities (select all that apply)
Arts and Culture Advocacy & Policy Civic Engagement
Child/Youth Development Community Organizing Education
Housing & Community Development Language Access Legal Services
Social Services Other _______________________________________________________________TRU Powered by IDEALS – TRAIN Cohort Proposal Template
Narrative Information
(If submitting via mail, you may fill in below document or cut and paste questions into a different document to submit)
Organization Overview: Please provide information about the primary communities you serve, your programs, activities and/or
offerings; and the history and reach of your impact. In service of its mission, how does your organization’s work currently
address equity and inclusion for minoritized people and communities in Northwest Arkansas, if at all? (750 words max.)
Cohort Readiness: Please explain why your organization wants to take part in this cohort? Describe what makes you believe that
your organization has the capacity and readiness to take part in all components of this cohort. Are you able to commit your
organization’s Director, a board leader and one additional person in a leadership role to the entire cohort experience? What
challenges do you anticipate affecting your participation in the learning community and DEI capacity-building consulting
components of the cohort experience? (750 words max.)
Self-Assessment: Without completing an organizational DEI assessment, what gaps do you think exist in your organization’s
ability to incorporate DEI into your internal operations and/or programmatic services? If your application is accepted, what do
you anticipate being the biggest challenge in implementing a DEI strategic plan? What keeps your organizational leadership
awake at night when thinking about the organization’s current ability to do its work effectively? (750 words max.)
Commitment to Collaboration: What other institutions and organizations currently work directly with the communities you
serve and how does your organization interact with these other organizations? If possible, please describe concrete examples of
collaborative efforts and relationships between your organization and theirs. Why is collaborating with other nonprofits
important to your work? (750 words max.)
Dreaming Big: What does your organization (and/or the communities it serves) need from the larger nonprofit community in
Northwest Arkansas to foster a true sense of belonging and support? In what way do you hope your organization will be valued
for its unique contribution to that collective vision of belonging in our region? (750 words max.)
Desired Results: What do you anticipate will be different about your organization in 2023 as a result of your engagement with
this cohort? How will your organization be more effective, impactful, operationally sustainable, and/or visible in the execution of
its work and/or mission? What difference will this make for the minoritized communities you currently wish to work with and/or
serve? (750 words max.)
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED EITHER ONLINE OR VIA MAIL BY 11:00 P.M. ON FEB. 3RD
—LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED—
Submit your application online at: Submit your application via mail to:
TRU Powered by IDEALS
TRAIN Online Application c/o 640 N. Garland Avenue, Suite 117
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701You can also read
