Supplier and Vendor Diversity

One of the key equity gaps identified in the Racial Equity in Kentucky’s Nonprofit Sector Report, supplier and vendor diversity plays a vital economic role in the expansion of a nonprofit’s supply chain and the extension of community ties.

A supplier/vendor diversity program is the proactive, strategic procurement of goods and services from a diverse cross-section of business owners, including (but not limited to) people of color, women, people who are disabled, the LGBTQ community, and veterans. Often overlooked, this innovative group of business owners can play a vital economic role in the expansion of a nonprofit’s supply chain and the extension of community ties.

Supplier diversity is one of the key equity gaps identified in the Racial Equity in Kentucky’s Nonprofit Sector Report. This page provides several resources, including links to state and local directories that nonprofits may use to find minority-owned businesses to contact for bids, contracts, and other opportunities. We will continue to update this page with resources as we find them. If you find helpful resources, please share them with us!

WATCH: Click here to download a free recording of the Let’s Talk Equity call focused on Supplier/Vendor Diversity.

Samples

  • Sample language for vendor/supplier diversity commitment (Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina): “Through the individuals we employ and service providers we engage, we have an impact on the local economy. In our commitment to equity and inclusion, we will work proactively to provide economic opportunities for diverse communities at all levels of our organization. We will apply an equity lens to our search for vendors, prioritizing local businesses as well as those led by individuals representing diverse constituencies when practicable.”

Statewide Directories

Lexington Directories

Louisville Directories

If your community has a directory, if your organization has a policy,
or if you know of other resources we can share with nonprofits across Kentucky,
click here to share it with us!