Join us for an open house on Nov. 20, 6-8 p.m. at City Hall to learn more about the new Diversity Advantage Plan 2035, a significant update to the City of Bellevue's existing diversity, equity and inclusion strategy.
In 2014, the Bellevue City Council adopted the city's first Diversity Advantage Plan outlining Bellevue's goals for building a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. That 2014 Diversity Advantage Plan has played a crucial role in shaping the city's services and culture the last eleven years. Since the plan’s adoption, the Bellevue community has also grown in population and diversity. Now, as the Diversity Advantage Initiative enters its second decade, the city is preparing to implement a new plan. This exciting new plan follows years of working closely with staff and the communities we serve to identify what's important to us for the next ten years
The Diversity Advantage Plan 2035 (DAP 2035) is a citywide strategic plan designed to embed diversity, equity and inclusion into Bellevue’s operations, services and culture. In reflection of the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Core Value, DAP 2035 identifies a vision for and commitment to a more equitable community. The plan has 41 long-term equity objectives shaped by community and staff priorities that have been aligned to existing city priorities, such as the City Council’s strategic target areas. It also includes guiding principles to help us understand the how and why of this ongoing journey. The plan focuses on both community-facing services and the organization’s internal culture and practices.
The Diversity Advantage Plan 2035 provides a shared roadmap for how the organization will continue to improve access to its services and expand our impact on all communities that live, work and play in Bellevue. With the help of DAP 2035, we will be able to:
- Engage more authentically with the communities we serve and expand opportunities for shared decision-making
- Be more responsive and adaptive to community needs
- Build in more meaningful access to our services and programs for everyone who lives, works, studies and plays in Bellevue
- Provide the resources and support our staff need to apply an equity lens to our operations and services
- Connect our DEI work to other strategic work and priorities across the city
- Decide how we measure progress and success
- Communicate our values and progress to our communities
The plan envisions a future where the community and the city work hand-in-hand to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, leading to an improved quality of life for all.
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Update Process
- 2023–2024: Community Engagement
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Staff convened more than a dozen community and staff dialogues focused on understanding the strengths of the 2014 Diversity Advantage Plan and aspirations for the future of Bellevue. Hundreds of diverse community members and staff were engaged in this process, providing valuable information on both the content of the new Diversity Advantage Plan and recommendations for how to make the plan as user-friendly as possible.
Learn more about these community engagement efforts by reading the Centering Communities of Color Community Dialogues Report, the DAP 2035 Community Conversation Summary and the feedback received during the Cross-Cultural Center without Walls Community Workshops.
Feedback captured in other significant community engagement efforts, such as the Human Services Needs Assessment and the Comprehensive Plan 2040, was also used to inform DAP 2035.
- 2024: Drafting the Plan
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Staff analyzed more than 1,000 pieces of community feedback to start identifying recurring themes and priorities. From this analysis, staff drafted the new plan, including guiding principles and a set of new long-term equity objectives. Together with representatives from the Centering Communities of Color Coordinating Team, staff engaged with department leadership and Employee Resource Groups to identify opportunities and challenges to moving forward on the contents of the draft plan. A second draft was then completed.
- Quarters 1 and 2, 2025: Staff Engagement and Professional Development
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The Diversity Advantage Team held more than 30 staff engagement sessions, giving staff across the organization an opportunity to learn about concepts in the plan and connect the plan with their work. This step was taken to ensure DAP 2035 will be a tool that staff across the organization can use to inform their work and the services they provide to the community.
- Quarters 3 and 4, 2025: Planning for the Future
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Staff developed near-term work plans that outline how each department will help move the city forward on the DAP 2035 equity objectives, identifying key equity indicators to measure our progress on the plan.
- November 20, 2025: DAP 2035 Shared with Public
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The city will welcome the public to attend an open house and gallery walk to learn about the new DAP 2035 and to talk with city leadership and staff about how we will implement DAP 2035.
- November 25, 2025: Presentation to City Council
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Diversity Advantage Team will present Diversity Advantage Plan 2035 to the City Council.
- 2026 and Beyond: Implementation and Communicating Progress
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The city will implement the short-term work plans and build a data dashboard so that our communities can follow along with the city’s progress on DAP 2035.