When the Budget Gets Cut, the Commitment Doesn’t Have To
A Practical Path Forward for Organizations Navigating DEI in Uncertain Times
In today’s climate, even the most committed organizations are feeling the pressure. From legislative attacks to donor scrutiny, many leaders are quietly scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts - not out of disinterest, but out of fear and funding cuts.
Workplace affinity groups have been disbanded. ERGs have lost funding. DEI staff have been laid off. And yet, the needs haven’t gone away. Teams are still navigating conflict, exclusion, burnout, and belonging - whether your budget can support resources for DEI or not.
Here’s the good news: You don’t have to do this alone. And you don’t have to give up on your commitments.
At the nINA Collective, we offer a Community of Practice that allows organizations to outsource some of the DEI structure and support they no longer have the internal capacity to maintain - without compromising values or community care.
What We Offer: Collective Support, Affordable Access
Whether your DEI team has been cut in half or you’re the only one still trying to carry the work, our Community of Practice is designed to provide consistent, low-cost, high-impact support:
🌀 Affinity Spaces You No Longer Have to Run Alone
If your organization had to shut down employee affinity groups or racial caucuses due to budget cuts or political pressure, we offer curated, facilitated affinity spaces for our members—providing safe spaces for connection, healing, and reflection.
📚 Monthly Resources for Internal Learning
Need help with “lunch & learn” content? Each month, members receive plug-and-play materials—including readings, discussion prompts, and videos—that you can use to spark internal learning without having to build from scratch.
📞 Live Conversations & Coaching for Navigating Complexity
Every month, our Community of Practice gathers for live, practitioner-led conversations and group coaching sessions that reflect the real tensions, questions, and possibilities of equity work today. These calls offer your team guidance, community, and fresh insight.
One organizational member of our Community of Practice is WayForward Resources. CEO Ellen Carlson shared:
“having partners in the work of equity and being in community in this work is essential. nINA Collective brings expertise, but also deep listening to their work as constant learners and partners.”
Who This Is For
Organizations that started DEI work but have lost funding or internal capacity
Leaders who want to stay committed without risking public backlash
HR and DEI professionals who feel isolated in this moment
Equity committees and ERG leads looking for external scaffolding
Why It Works
This model is sustainable, flexible, and community-rooted. Rather than replacing your internal work, it supplements and supports it - so that even during hard seasons, your values stay alive in action.
For less than the cost of a one-time workshop, you can provide your team with year-round access to:
✔️ Brave, facilitated learning
✔️ Strategic coaching
✔️ Peer support and dialogue
✔️ Resources that actually get used
If you’re wondering how to move forward when everything feels risky… this is your next step.
Let us hold some of the weight with you.
Let’s keep building - even when it’s hard.
Let’s stay in the work - together.