Our Commitment to Equity & Inclusion at the Summit

Feedback Labs is committed to the pursuit of equity and inclusion as guiding principles that inform every aspect of our work, including our annual Feedback+ Summit. Each year, we commit to increasing the representation of groups with marginalized identities, organizations led by them, and the communities they serve. To support these goals, we have sought sponsorships to make the Summit accessible to as many people as possible. Some of the strides we’ve made in our goal toward greater accessibility include:

• • Sliding scale registration costs, with all nonprofit registrations subsidized.
  • A Feedback Fellowship that fully funds the participation and travel for a diverse cohort of emerging leaders each year
  • Fully and partially funded scholarships each year, prioritizing participation from youth, Indigenous, and other marginalized identities to present and attend the Summit.

 

To support breakout session presenters, we offer a low-lift Summit proposal and a free 20-minute consultation with one of our staff to develop proposal ideas before submission. We recognize the labor that goes into submitting proposals; so, for those not selected for the current Summit, we try to find other opportunities within our learning community to connect and share. This may look like a feature in one of our virtual LabStorms or leading a learning talk for our virtual community.

 

Our Summit programming is guided by a local advisory committee, all of whom are financially compensated for their time and expertise. This group provides input on how best to center the Summit in the local context, particularly to increase our equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts. 

 

In keeping with our commitment to use our influence in the field, we exclusively use local vendors, prioritizing those who represent marginalized identities, with opportunities to showcase their businesses to attendees. We further use the Summit’s platform and visibility to showcase local nonprofit organizations through on-site visits and LabStorms, curated breakout sessions, and featured plenaries. 

 

We continue to prioritize: raising travel funds for attendees outside of the U.S., raising funds for additional plenary honoraria, and scholarships for individuals representing marginalized identities. To make the conversation more accessible to those unable to travel, we will make some sessions available virtually in 2025. 

 

We acknowledge the journey toward equity, inclusion, and full participation is ongoing and requires cultural humility. As a field-building organization, we are often leading in new spaces. Trying something new means that we may not get it right the first (or second!) time, but we are dedicated to continuous learning and self-examination, actively seeking opportunities to grow, adapt, and improve our efforts.

 

We listen and act on feedback from previous Summit attendees as we make progressive steps to keep our commitment to sectors, organizations, communities, and individuals impacted by our work, so let us know what else you’d like to see!

 

To learn more about how Feedback Labs strives to make our Summits an inclusive and affirming gathering space, read our Summit Community Agreements. To read about Feedback Labs’ overall commitment to equity and inclusion, check out our official Equity & Inclusion statement.