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Equity-Embedded Change Management™ Cohort

Supports experienced equity practitioners to advance lasting changes within the GEO community and beyond. The cohort is led by Sheryl Petty, Ed.D., CEO & Founder of Movement Tapestries.

About the Community

In GEO’s work to transform philanthropic culture and practice, it has become clear that change agents across the field need additional resources, capacity building, and community to navigate resistance and other challenges and advance equity-centered change. The EECM™ Cohort supports seasoned equity practitioners to further enhance their already significant skills by helping to deepen approaches and strengthen their stamina for advancing change across multiple roles. The cohort provides real-time practice, individualized coaching, and peer support. 

Eligible participants are:

  • seasoned deep equity practitioners;
  • operate within and outside grantmaking institutions – this opportunity is open to the GEO community (both members and nonmembers), independent consultants and individuals;
  • responsible for leading or are key influencers of systems change within their organizations, communities, with clients, and/or in other spaces they practice in;
  • have baseline organizational development and/or change management understanding and experience;
  • have awareness of both personal and systems stuck areas;
  • have readiness for or already incorporate energetic and other dimensions of inner work as part of their systems practice change;
  • desire to be part of a larger network of equity and systems change capacity builders.

*Those who participated in the 2024 EECM™ Cohort will need to describe a specific project or body of work they would use the 2025 Cohort experience to help advance.

Please note that the cohort is designed for one participant from each organization/consultancy/group, but we are open to having up to three participants from one entity if they fit all the criteria above and are working together closely on equity and change management efforts. Individual applications for each person are required.

November 2025 and include both in-person and virtual group capacity building sessions, individualized coaching, peer support and personal practice. Dr. Petty utilizes core concepts presented in A Change Management & Deep Equity Primer: The What, Why, How & Nuance.

Participants will also meet with Learning Partners to explore common challenges and issues throughout the duration of the program. The Cohort will support deepening stamina to weather this historical time and stay connected to the long arc of systems change and human transformation.

For applicants from organizations that are GEO members: $4,000 

For applicants from organizations that are non-members: $5,000 

For applicants applying as individuals or independent consultants: $2,000 

Please note that the program fee covers the cost of program materials, 1-1 coaching sessions, and meals and drinks during in-person sessions. Participants are responsible for covering their own travel and lodging. 

In an effort to remove prohibitive barriers to participation and curate a more inclusive cohort, GEO offers a modest scholarship fund. Requesting financial assistance will not affect acceptance into the cohort. Scholarship recipients are still expected to cover travel and lodging fees associated with the two in-person sessions. 

We appreciate organizations who donate beyond the fee to support our scholarship fund to make the program more accessible.

You can find the recording of this year’s informational webinar here. Further details regarding the time commitment, applicant requirements and more can be found within the application. The application period is extended – we are accepting applications now through Friday, April 4 at 12:00p.m. ET.

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