Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resource and Advisory Committee (DRAC) Equity Impact Assessment ToolÂ
An equity impact assessment (EIA) is a resource that aims to promote reflection when designing new programs or continually assessing established ones in order to include perspectives that may not have previously been considered. They have been used in city planning, universities, and corporations. The COMSEP DRAC has developed an EIA that has been recently trialed in the Travel Grants program with positive feedback. We introduce it here, and you will see it in applications and proposals for COMSEP programs. Also, please feel free to bring it to your home institutions for use as you see fit; it could be an optional or required reflective exercise in written or discussion format. Lastly, please send along feedback on this new tool to the DRAC.
COMSEP Equity Impact Assessment
Guiding Principles
Equity impact assessments are tools for groups to utilize to examine the potential impact of new programs or policies and anticipate ways they could narrow or unintentionally widen disparities. During the design process, organizers should reflect on and answer the following questions:
Consider the potential for the proposed initiative to either advance or hinder COMSEP’s goal toward promoting equity and inclusivity:
- Please describe how this initiative might impact equity and/or inclusivity. What inequities exist related to the initiative/area, if any? How might the initiative improve them? How might it unintentionally worsen inequities or create new ones?
- Please describe how you ensured inclusivity of the planning group. Are there additional perspectives and voices, including those from marginalized groups, that are missing? How might you authentically engage all invested individuals toward meaningful contribution?
- Please describe how the impact of this initiative related to equity and/or inclusivity will be monitored. How will you know if it narrows or widens an equity gap? What will success/progress look like for this initiative related to equity and inclusion?