FORD FOUNDATION
Over $110m in U.S. grants have
favored organizations with a
demonstrated commitment to
diversity, equity, and inclusion
GATES FOUNDATION
Committed $1.7 billion over five
years to K-12 education, with
a strong focus on addressing
inequity and reducing the
disparity in achievement and
post-secondary success for
students of color and low-
income students.
KELLOGG FOUNDATION
In 2017, invested $396m in
grants for vulnerable children
to advance education & learning;
food, health & well-being;
family economic security;
community engagement; and
racial equity & healing
GENERAL ELECTRIC
Set a goal of supporting 20,000
women to fill STEM roles at
GE by 2020 and obtaining
50:50 representation for all
technical entry-level programs.
Simultaneously sponsored
GE Girls, a program designed
to encourage girls to explore
the world of STEM, and
STEM-based careers.
U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
Established a ‘Women in
Ag Mentoring Network’, to help
U.S. women agriculture leaders
connect with one another.
CENTERS FOR DISEASE
CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Focuses on sexual orientation
and gender identity as key parts
of HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD
and TB prevention.
1 LGBTQIA stands for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex
and Asexual.
GESI Standards for U.S.
Programs Business Development
U.S. Programs business development (BD) benefits from understanding the
changing landscape of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) priorities
among current and prospective funders and competitors, in addition to
becoming well positioned and more competitive by having comprehensive GESI
capabilities in place. Many U.S. Programs already have a strong focus on certain
GESI elements, as well as on the equity measures needed to achieve greater
equality, inclusion, and project results. This is evident in U.S. Programs at FHI 360
that address poverty and economic status, racism and ethnocentrism, sexism
and gender disparities, the exclusion of people with disabilities, discrimination
against LGBTQIA1 individuals, and the marginalization of young people and other
underrepresented groups in the United States. Yet, certain U.S. Program BD
efforts may still benefit from FHI 360’s GESI expertise, capabilities, and standards.
The GESI Standards align with FHI 360’s strategic goal of increasing equity in the
U.S. Programs can better achieve equity by expanding their focus on intersecting
gender and social exclusion issues. For example,a project focused on workforce
development may improve its outcomes by better understanding and mitigating
FHI 360 Gender Equality & Social
patterns of job segmentation due to gender and racial/ethnic identities. Many U.S.
Inclusion (GESI) Standards
funders are eager for this intersectional approach and the Cheat Sheet can help
U.S. Programs BD teams to sharpen this lens.
Strategic Planning Opportunity Identification
& Market Analysis to Assessement
Integrate GESI into Engage GESI experts during
Bid Board processes and
funder & competitor
analyses within the BJM Capture & Proposal
Development
Integrate rapid GESI
analysis & strategy into
1 2 capture & proposal:
TOC, Design, Partners,
Activites, MEL, Budget
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 3
Implement Plan Startup
Create GESI Complete GESI analysis Hire GESI Specialist &/or
capacity-building and & strategy in first 6 knowledgeable staff.
implementation plans for
staff and partners
months. Adapt work plan Integrate GESI into staff
& budget accordingly & partner onboarding
6 5 4
Monitor
& Improve
Include SADD* & GESI
indicators & qualitative PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
assessment in quarterly
& annual reports Monitor
& Improve
Closeout
Include GESI metrics in Record & share GESI
official staff and partner achievements & lessons learned
7 with staff, partners & funders
performance reviews
8 9
* SADD stands for sex- and
age-disaggregated data
U.S. BD GESI Cheat Sheet
U.S. Programs Business Development GESI One-Pager
M Y B D T E A M M AY B E N E F I T FROM WO RK I N G WI T H A GES I * EXPERT I F T HERE I S…
*GESI stands for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

500 K 500 K !
A bid AND Strong GESI OR Special attention to OR High GESI-related risks,
threshold of requirements or equity, diversity, age, gender, including insecurity or
US$500K or priorities in funder's people with disabilities, exploitation of
greater** policies/guidelines race/ethnicity or LGBTQIA** marginalized groups or
identity in the solicitation gender-based violence

**GESI principles can be integrated into any capture or proposal process, regardless of size.
***LGBTQIA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual

CAPT U R E T E AM S H O RT G ES I STA NDA R DS FO R PRO POSAL T EAM S H ORT

GES I C H EC K LI ST P RO GRAM DES I GN GES I C H EC KL I ST

1
GESI Specialist &/or
informed staff hired &
Intelligence Gathering Kick Off, Design & Budget
trained
Contact GESI Hub to Invite GESI Hub to kick off

2
request technical input GESI analysis & meeting
on GESI and provided strategy conducted
project code Identify GESI win themes
in first 6 months
GESI Capability Statements
Review U.S. Funder
by Sector

3
GESI Requirements Staff & partner GESI
capacity-building &
Incorporate GESI Standards
Review U.S. GESI Capability implementation plans
into design where appropriate
Statements

Perform ‘rapid’
GESI analysis
4 SADD* & GESI indicators in
quarterly/annual reports
Proposal Reviews and Submission

Identify and finalized partners

with GESI capacity

5
GESI metrics in
Develop GESI Capture staff/partner job
Questions Integrate GESI capabilities and
descriptions & responsibilities into
performance reviews appropriate staff positions
Incorporate GESI answers

6
into scoping visit and ‘report’
GESI achievements & Integrate GESI budget
lessons learned shared line items
Competitive Analysis &
Win Strategy Share pink draft with
GESI Hub
Analyze competition’s GESI
strengths/weakness L I ST O F BUS I N ESS Incorporate GESI inputs
D EV E LO PM EN T into red draft
Identify FHI 360’s GESI G ES I TOOLS
Win Themes Share red draft with GESI Hub
Pre-Proposal Funder GESI Requirements/
Recommendations Incorporate GESI inputs –
including SADD** and GESI
Identify partners with
indiators – into final submission
GESI capacity GESI Capability Statements
by Sector
Post Submission
Integrate GESI capabilities
and responsibilities into job GESI Integrated Recruitment Include GESI lens in
descriptions for key Tools post-proposal debrief
personnel
Sample GESI Language for Share funder feedback with
Identify a diverse group of Job Descriptions GESI Hub
candidates & utilized GESI
diversity recruitment tools
Sample GESI Sensitive
Interview Questions

Guidelines for Recruiting

Diverse Talent

Partner Pre-award GESI

Assessment Tool

*SADD stands for sex- and age-disaggregated data. 2