The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which is dedicated to unlocking economic opportunity for all, awarded the Northeastern Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship a major three-year grant in the fall of 2022 to continue its work to understand and promote supplier diversity in higher education. The Lab’s research plan, which will span three years, is already yielding valuable insights and engaging the wide range of stakeholders on both sides of the higher education procurement equation: diverse small businesses and institutional decision makers.
Year 1 research focus
The research focus of Year 1 was twofold. The first research initiative examined the role of higher education procurement websites in promoting supplier diversity. This research culminated in a comprehensive report titled “Addressing the Supplier Diversity Awareness Deficit: The Role of Higher Education Procurement Websites.” The report highlighted the significance of supplier diversity web pages as a means of fostering transparency, describing the steps in the procurement process, and demonstrating institutional commitment to diversifying the pool of suppliers.
And second, we designed and deployed a survey to understand the challenges, best practices, and training needs of procurement professionals within higher education. This research will culminate in the publication of a report by year-end.
Expanding audience reach
Dissemination of the Year 1 research findings was conducted through multiple channels and reached a wide range of stakeholders, including procurement professionals and diverse small business owners. 170 individuals participated in-person and online at our annual Symposium on Supplier Diversity in Higher Education. We presented our findings to a nation-wide audience at the National Association of Education Procurement’s Annual Meeting, and a webinar highlighting the importance of supplier diversity webpages attracted 47 registrants. The Lab’s LinkedIn page has a growing number of followers – 258 as of August 23.
2nd Annual Symposium on Supplier Diversity in Higher Education
Looking ahead to Year 2
The Lab’s research team is poised to expand their efforts. A survey of higher education procurement professionals is set to be followed by focus group research during the NAEP New England Annual Conference. In addition to research, the team aims to translate support for greater supplier diversity into action in partnerships with other organizations. Northeastern University student teams, for example, have been designing a prototype of a Supplier Diversity Chatbot that harnesses the power generative AI to help diverse small businesses learn about certification, how to do business with higher education institutions, and where to go for university-specific information.
In conclusion, Year 1 marked a productive beginning for the Lab’s work. A comprehensive research plan was executed, yielding actionable insights that were shared with a growing and diverse audience of procurement stakeholders.