Nonprofit Policies in an Anti-DEI Legislative Environment

Despite the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and policies, some public service organizations do not have them. Discourse surrounding DEI has pressured many organizations to remove DEI policies given their resource dependence and stakeholder expectations. During 2024, we used Qualtrics to survey nonprofit organizations in North Carolina with budgets over $1 million ( n = 111) to examine their DEI policies and consider how stakeholder pressures influence commitment to DEI. Findings reveal that pressure from staff and state government significantly influences organizational commitment to DEI. We also find that perceived amount of negative controversy surrounding DEI within organizations, communities, and the state positively affects commitment to DEI. These findings show that North Carolina’s nonprofits are doubling down on DEI, likely due to belief in their mission, alignment with marginalized communities, and commitment to long-term, systemic change, allowing them to remain steadfast in their DEI efforts despite shifting cultural and political winds.