The Climate for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Northeast Ohio
Research Findings and Practical Implications from the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio’s Community Insights Survey.
About This Survey
The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio conducted a Community Insights Survey to assess current perceptions of the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) landscape across the region. The survey invited respondents from business, education, nonprofit, and community sectors to describe the current climate and identify their most pressing needs. This report summarizes those findings and offers context for how organizations and leaders can apply this data to inform their decisions.
Key Finding 1: Most Respondents Describe the Current Climate as Negative
Sixty-five percent of survey respondents described the current DEIB climate in Northeast Ohio as negative. An additional 19% described it as mixed, and 16% described it as positive. This distribution reflects a community that is largely concerned, though not uniformly pessimistic.
Among those who described the climate negatively, common themes included:
- Rollbacks in organizational DEIB commitments, including removal of relevant language from websites and materials
- A perceived increase in hostility toward DEIB efforts in public discourse
- Uncertainty about the legal permissibility of certain programs and initiatives
- Political pressure causing organizations to pull back from previously stated commitments
These responses are consistent with national trends. Following a series of federal executive orders and high-profile legal challenges to DEIB programs, many organizations have reassessed their approaches. In Northeast Ohio, respondents in education and nonprofit settings specifically cited legal exposure and political pressure as significant factors shaping their organizations’ posture.
What the “Mixed” Responses Tell Us
The 19% of respondents who described the climate as mixed offered a more nuanced perspective: they observed both retreat and renewed commitment happening simultaneously across the region. Organizations whose funding is independent of federal sources appear more likely to have sustained or deepened their DEIB efforts, while those reliant on federal funding have faced greater disruption. This suggests that organizational autonomy and funding structure are meaningful variables in how individual institutions are responding to the current environment.
Key Finding 2: A Subset of the Community Remains Optimistic About the Region
Sixteen percent of respondents offered a positive assessment of the DEIB climate. Their responses pointed to a belief that Northeast Ohio, relative to other parts of the country, offers a more stable environment for this work. Respondents in this group frequently referenced the region’s values of community, fairness, and interpersonal respect as protective factors.
While this represents a minority view, it is a meaningful data point. It suggests that place-based identity and community norms may play a role in shaping organizational behavior around DEIB, even as national conditions shift. Further research into what distinguishes resilient local DEIB ecosystems from more vulnerable ones could help practitioners identify and strengthen regional protective factors.
Key Finding 3: Respondents Identified Specific Resource Gaps
Beyond assessing sentiment, the survey captured concrete needs. Respondents identified several categories of support that would help them continue or advance their work:
- Legal guidance: Many respondents expressed uncertainty about what DEIB-related activities remain legally permissible. This was especially pronounced among educators and HR professionals.
- Practical tools for navigating conflict: Respondents requested frameworks and resources for managing political polarization and difficult conversations within their organizations and communities.
- Data and talking points: There is demand for evidence-based communication resources that help practitioners articulate the organizational and community value of DEIB work.
- Peer convenings: Respondents expressed a desire for structured opportunities to connect with colleagues across sectors who are navigating similar challenges.
- Support for leaders under pressure: Several respondents noted that leaders who want to sustain DEIB commitments are doing so in increasingly isolated or politically exposed positions and need community and institutional backing.
- Community dialogue: Respondents expressed the need for opportunities to build relationships across differences and to be in dialogue with others around DEIB-related topics.
These gaps point to a clear demand for infrastructure, not just inspiration. Organizations are not primarily asking for motivational messaging; they are asking for resources that help them take concrete, defensible action.
Key Finding 4: Leadership Visibility Is Identified as a Critical Need
A recurring theme in open-ended responses was the importance of visible, explicit leadership commitment to DEIB values. Respondents expressed that quiet or passive support is insufficient in the current climate and that leaders who believe in inclusive workplaces and communities need to say so publicly and on the record.
At the same time, other respondents cautioned against an approach that excludes those who are skeptical of DEIB frameworks. There is a tension in the data between the need for clear, courageous leadership, and the value of building a broad coalition that includes critical voices. Both perspectives reflect legitimate strategic considerations, and organizations should think carefully about how they balance clarity of values with breadth of engagement.
Applying These Findings: Implications for Organizations and Leaders
The survey data offers a useful diagnostic tool for organizations trying to understand where they sit relative to the broader regional landscape. The following are several evidence-informed considerations.
For Organizational Leaders Across Sectors
The research suggests that clarity of organizational values, communicated plainly and consistently, is associated with greater staff confidence and more sustained action. Organizations that have continued their DEIB work tend to have leadership that is explicit about why the work matters to organizational effectiveness. Framing belonging as a driver of performance, retention, and community trust tends to be more durable than framing it as a compliance matter or a trend.
For Educators and Nonprofit Professionals
The data reflects significant anxiety in these sectors around legal and political risk. Practitioners in these settings may benefit from legal consultation specific to their context, peer learning networks, and communication frameworks that ground their work in mission and evidence. The survey also suggests that isolation is a significant stressor and that connecting with colleagues who are navigating similar conditions may reduce burnout and increase efficacy.
For Those Who Are Skeptical of or New to DEIB Work
Some survey respondents called for approaches that center outcomes over ideology, prioritizing practical, results-oriented strategies, and welcoming critical perspectives into the conversation. Research on organizational change consistently shows that broad coalitions are more durable than narrow ones. Those who bring skepticism or alternative frameworks to DEIB conversations can play a valuable role in shaping approaches that are evidence-based and focused on real, measurable change.
Contextualizing the Findings: A Moment of Transition, Not Conclusion
The survey was conducted during a period of significant national policy and political change affecting DEIB work. The findings reflect a community in transition, one grappling with external pressures while trying to hold onto underlying values. Several patterns from the data are worth noting:
- High levels of concern do not necessarily indicate reduced commitment. Many respondents described exhaustion and concern alongside continued dedication to the work.
- Language change does not always signal values change. Some organizations are adjusting terminology while maintaining substantive practices, a distinction worth tracking in future research.
- Local context matters. Northeast Ohio respondents repeatedly referenced the region’s particular culture and history as relevant to how DEIB work is experienced and sustained here.
Conclusion
The Community Insights Survey offers a detailed picture of a region that is navigating genuine difficulty while retaining meaningful commitment to belonging as an organizational and community value. The data points to concrete gaps in legal knowledge, practical tools, peer support, and leadership visibility. Addressing these gaps through education, resource development, and convening represents the clearest path forward for practitioners who want to sustain and advance this work.
This report was produced by the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio based on findings from the Community Insights Survey. For questions about the methodology or to access additional data, contact The Diversity Center directly.
Are You Ready to Spark Positive Change?
If you are interested in transforming mindsets at the place where you live, work, teach, or go to school, we can help!