Inside ZIM’s IDEA Committee

Inside ZIM’s IDEA Committee

Black History Month invites organizations to reflect on their history and their actions to build more inclusive and equitable workplaces. At ZIM Consulting, this commitment is carried forward through the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee, formed in 2020 to intentionally embed IDEA into both internal operations and client work. The committee regularly reviews and informs areas such as:

• Diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in client-facing deliverables

• Internal hiring, onboarding, and professional development practices

• Consulting frameworks used in our strategy work

Beyond shaping processes, the committee plays a critical role in ZIM’s internal culture. It provides a structured forum for staff to raise questions, share lived experiences, and identify blind spots. It reinforces the idea that learning is ongoing and that no organization ever “finishes” its equity work. Instead, equity is a continuous practice that evolves as the organization grows.

While Black History Month offers a meaningful entry point for this conversation, the work of the IDEA Committee is intentionally long-term. The committee exists to address inequities through sustained attention, consistent practice, and everyday choices about how we work. ZIM does not approach this work from a place of having all the answers. We approach it with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to evolve. The IDEA Committee helps hold that posture steady as ZIM grows, adds services, and deepens its impact.

Our IDEA Priorities for 2026

The committee will explore three themes:

1. IDEA values in action, with a focus on how inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility show up in daily work, decision-making, and client engagement.

2. Power dynamics, examining how power operates within organizations, teams, and systems, and how it influences leadership, strategy, and relationships.

3. Storytelling, exploring whose stories are told, how narratives are shaped, and how storytelling can either reinforce or challenge inequities in nonprofit work and grant writing.

Each set of sessions will intentionally vary in format, alternating between interactive activities, facilitated group discussions, and guest speakers, to support different learning styles and encourage practical application.

To strengthen this work, ZIM is collaborating with Quinn Slaughter, founder of Total Solution 1st,to bring an external perspective on how IDEA is showing up in the current client and how that reality is impacting the organizations that ZIM serves. Quinn is helping us to shape session content, refine discussion frameworks and activities, and improve organizational practices and data collection. This collaboration supports stronger facilitation, introduces an informed outside perspective, and ensures the committee’s internal efforts are grounded in current best practices. 

ZIM is also proud to partner with Colorado Inclusive Economy (CIE) as an additional resource in advancing its IDEA work. CIE is a statewide movement led by CEOs and senior leaders in Colorado across sectors, the initiative challenges organizations to hire, retain, and advance employees of color; build workplace cultures rooted in belonging and accountability; and invest in workforce development strategies that create clear pathways to opportunity. Each year, ZIM selects two team members to participate in the annual CIE Cohort, expanding our learning beyond the nonprofit sector and into cross-industry conversations about equity and economic mobility. Through this partnership, ZIM team members engage in structured learning, peer exchange, and action planning that strengthens our internal practices.

How the Committee Is Shaping ZIM’s Future

As part of our 2026 planning conversations, we have prioritized how our values show up in the way we work every day. The IDEA Committee plays a key role in helping translate those commitments into action, strengthening our client partnerships and the broader nonprofit communities we serve.