Diversity Audit of Boards and Commissions

Last year I initiated an effort to conduct a "diversity audit" of the City's many boards and commissions. I was thinking that it would be great if the diversity of our advisory groups reflects the diversity of our City. If it doesn't, we should at least have some measure of how and where the reflection is off. In order to set goals and guide outreach and recruitment efforts some understanding, or snap shot, of how things stands today could be very helpful.



While I wish we had had better participation (we got 194 of roughly 400 to complete the survey) I think this information is useful. I want to thank everyone who took the time to answer the questions and hope that this is something we can repeat every few years.



The results seem to confirm what many expected, our booards and commissions are mostly euro-american, middle-aged, middle and upper class, heterosexual homeowners who work and live in Minneapolis. Of course we found out a lot more than that and more of the details are below. Please check it our and share any surprises or concerns you find in the data.

It will be interesting to see how our snap shot matches up with the census data that is still being gathered.

Below is a graphics-free layout of the survey. A more complete and colorful version, with great charts and graphs, is posted here.



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Survey of Volunteers on Minneapolis Boards and Commissions
Conducted Sep-Dec 2009

On July 17, 2009 the City Council approved a resolution to survey members of City of Minneapolis boards and commissions. The City has more than 50 boards and commissions that it supports. Of the more than 600 community volunteers over 400 of them are appointed by City of Minneapolis appointing authorities. For the purposes of this survey, the 400 + community members appointed by the City of Minneapolis were requested to complete the survey. We received a total of 194 responses. Appointments were being made during this time and at one given time any number of positions may be vacant so this is only considered a snapshot in time. What follows is a summary of the questions and responses.



1. Do you work in Minneapolis?


Yes 73.4% 141
No 26.6% 51
answered question 192
skipped question 2


2. Do you own property in Minneapolis?


Yes 77.8% 151
No 22.2% 43
answered question 194
skipped question 0



3. How long have you lived in your current housing?



RENT 1-5 years 57.1% 12
6-10 years 23.8% 5
11-15 years 4.8% 1
16-25 years 4.8% 1
26+ years 0.0% 0
Unknown 9.5% 2
TOTAL 21

OWN 1 - 5 years 32.7% 54
6 - 10 years 24.2% 40
11- 15 years 12.1% 20
16 - 25 years 16.4% 27
26 + years 12.7% 21
Unknown 1.8% 3
TOTAL 165
answered question 186
skipped question 8


RENT
1-5 years
6-10 years
11-15 years
16-25 years
26+ years
Unknown

4. Which category represents your age?

18 to 24 years 2.6% 5
25 to 39 years 24.2% 47
40 to 54 years 34.0% 66
55 to 64 years 29.9% 58
65 + 9.3% 18
answered question 194
skipped question 0




5. Not including yourself, what are the ages of the individuals who live in your household? Please indicate the number of individuals who fall into each applicable category.

10 years or younger 27.3% 45
11 to 17 years 24.8% 41
18 to 34 years 30.3% 50
35 to 54 years 46.1% 76
55 to 64 years 33.3% 55
65 + 20.6% 34
answered question 165
skipped question 29




6. Are you living with a disability? If you answer no, skip to question 8.


Yes 9.6% 18
No 90.4% 170
answered question 188
skipped question 6


7. If you answer yes to question 6, into which of the following categories does your disability fall?

Mobility 53.8% 7
Sight 30.8% 4
Hearing 15.4% 2
Speech 0.0% 0
Developmental 0.0% 0
Other (please specify): 7
answered question 13
skipped question 181


8. Are you of Hispanic origin?
(Replicates question from 2010 Census. As in the 2010 Census, Hispanic origins are not races.)

No, not of Hispanic, Latin, or Spanish Origin 96.7% 178
Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano 1.6% 3
Yes, Puerto Rico 0.5% 1
Yes, Cuban 0.5% 1
Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin. Please indicate in the box below origin, for example, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Salvadoran, Spaniard, and so on. 1.1% 2
Origin 9
answered question 184
skipped question 10



9. Which of the following racial/ethnic categories best describe you? Please mark as many as necessary. (Replicates question from 2010 Census.)


While/European American 81.3% 152
Black/African American 8.6% 16
African 0.5% 1
American Indian or Alaska Native 3.2% 6
Asian Indian 1.1% 2
Chinese 1.1% 2
Filipino 0.0% 0
Japanese 0.0% 0
Korean 0.0% 0
Vietnamese 1.1% 2
Other Asian 1.1% 2
Native Hawaiian 0.0% 0
Guamanian or Chamorro 0.0% 0
Samoan 0.0% 0
Other Pacific Islander. 0.0% 0
Other 5.3% 10
answered question 187
skipped question 7


10. How do you self-identify in terms of gender?

Male 50.3% 97
Female 49.7% 96
answered question 193
skipped question 1


11. How do you self-identify in terms of sexual orientation?

Heterosexual 88.5% 170
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender 11.5% 22
answered question 192
skipped question 2


12. What is your current marital or relationship status?

Single 30.0% 57
Married/Domestic Partnership 70.0% 133
answered question 190
skipped question 4


13. What was your total household income in 2008 before taxes?

Less than $25,000 6.2% 11
$25,000 - $49,999 9.6% 17
$50,000 - $74,999 18.5% 33
$75,000 - $124,999 34.8% 62
$125,000 - $199,999 19.7% 35
$200,000 + 11.2% 20
answered question 178
skipped question 16


14. On which board(s), commission(s), or committee(s) do you currently serve?

Animal Care & Control Advisory Committee 4

Heritage Preservation Commission 10
Arts Commission, Minneapolis 11

Housing Board of Appeals 5
Board of Equalization 1

Latino Advisory Committee 5
Capitol Long-Range Improvements Committee 24

Minneapolis Public Housing Authority 3
Charter Commission 7

Minneapolis Television Network 4
Citizens Environmental Advisory Committee 19

Neighborhood & Community Engagement Commission 12
Civil Rights Commission 12

Pedestrian Advisory Committee 4
Civil Service Commission 3

Planning Commission 8
Civilian Review Authority Board 6

Public Health Advisory Committee 10
Disabilities, Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with 3

Senior Citizens Advisory Committee 11
Empowerment Zone Governance Board 7

Workforce Council 12
Ethical Practices Board 3

Youth Coordinating Board 1
Family Housing Fund 1

Youth Violence Prevention Executive Committee 5
Fire Code Appeals Board 1

Zoning Board of Adjustment 5
answered question 186
skipped question 8


A number of boards or committees were listed for which the City of Minneapolis does not support or make appointments. Question #15 asked “How long have you represented the board(s) on which you serve?“ The responses are listed below however some of these number represent length of service on boards that were not originally part of this survey.


15. How long have you represented the board(s) on which you serve?
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1 - 3 years 94


4 - 6 years 40


7 + years 28



16. In which Minneapolis Ward or other city do you live?

1 7.7% 14
2 4.4% 8
3 3.9% 7
4 5.5% 10
5 7.2% 13
6 6.6% 12
7 12.7% 23
8 3.9% 7
9 5.5% 10
10 5.5% 10
11 4.4% 8
12 8.3% 15
13 11.0% 20
Uncertain 1.7% 3
Other city - 11.6% 21
answered question 181
skipped question 13


17. What is your employment status? Please check all that apply.

Employed - full time 63.2% 120
Employed - part time 5.8% 11
Full time student 3.2% 6
Unemployed 2.6% 5
Self-employed 18.4% 35
Homemaker 1.6% 3
Retired 13.2% 25
Other 6
answered question 190
skipped question 4



18. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Some high school 0.5% 1
High school or GED 0.5% 1
Some technical school 0.0% 0
Technical school graduate 2.1% 4
Some college 13.6% 26
College graduate 33.5% 64
Post graduate 49.7% 95
Other 7
answered question 191
skipped question 3


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It might also be interesting to dig down even further into the civic diversity of our City. If the census yields us information about the make up of each of our neighborhoods, for example, I wonder how that would compare to the diversity of those who serve of our neighborhood association boards, those who receive grants and funding through public programs, or those who participate in our events and serve on other organizations.



Hopefully this audit will be a resource that others can use and that we can use in City Hall to help set goals, guide future outreach efforts and to measure our selves against down the road when we can take another snap shot of the make up of the volunteer advisers who do so much to help our City.