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Yan Long1, Wei Luo2, and Berta Terzieva3
1University of California, Berkeley, USA, 2Peking University, Beijing, China, 3Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
In today’s increasingly diverse urban landscapes, nonprofit organizations are often hailed as champions of inclusion—especially for migrant communities. Yet a crucial question remains: are they truly bridging divides, or unintentionally widening gaps? More importantly, under what conditions do they foster inclusion—or reinforce exclusion? Our recent paper in NVSQ sheds light on these complex questions through a relational comparison of nonprofits in Vienna, Austria, and Shenzhen, China. We provide insights into factors that influence how well nonprofits include, reach, and serve migrants in a manner proportionate to their presence in the community.
Promise and Paradox
Cities are often viewed as melting pots of culture and opportunity, where differences meet the open-mindedness of the cosmopolitan spirit to become staircases to inclusion, equality, and ultimately, success. Despite their potential, urban environments frequently fall short of delivering such benefits. Migrants, as one of the diversifiers, face systemic barriers—legal, linguistic, economic, and social—that hinder their full participation in society. Nonprofits, in theory particularly well-positioned to fill these gaps, often struggle to reach and serve migrant communities equitably in practice.
We examine how nonprofits respond to the growing presence of migrants in their communities through what we call “diversity alignment” – the extent to which nonprofits serve migrant populations in ways that reflect and adapt to the demographic and institutional environment in which they operate. We use diversity alignment as a measurable indicator of migrant inclusion, understood as migrants’ equitable access to and participation in the civic sphere, which entails dismantling barriers to recognition and acceptance in everyday institutional life.
We believe it is critical that we go beyond migrant-focused organizations and initiatives to encompass the broader civic landscape: Consider a local dance club: does it see more migrants participating as the neighborhood’s migrant population grows, or does it remain exclusive to long-term natives? The key issue here is not the absolute number of migrants an organization serves but how the organization, regardless of its primary activities, responds to the increasing presence of migrants in its community.
Two Cities, One Challenge
Vienna and Shenzhen offer contrasting yet complementary contexts for examining the inclusion of migrants. Vienna, an international migration hub, grapples with linguistic and cultural barriers. Shenzhen, a magnet for domestic migration within China, faces institutional hurdles due to the hukou system, which restricts access to services for non-local residents.
Despite their differences, both cities rely heavily on nonprofit organizations to support migrant populations. To gain insight into what lies beneath, we surveyed hundreds of nonprofits in each city, analyzing key factors such as funding sources, governance structures, staff diversity, and interpersonal relationships between staff and beneficiaries.
Key Findings: What Drives Inclusion?
Workforce diversity is necessary …
Nonprofits with staff that reflect the migrant composition of their communities are significantly more likely to serve migrant beneficiaries equitably. This descriptive representation of workforce is more likely to go hand in hand with linguistic fluency, cultural familiarity, and social understanding needed to recognize and reduce structural and informal access barriers.
… but interpersonal contact can make …
In Vienna, findings show that deep, personal interactions between staff and constituents can be particularly supportive of nonprofits’ responsiveness when combined with staff diversity. If such interpersonal engagement is present, organizations may be particularly well-positioned to co-create inclusive programs that not only reflect local demographic makeups but also lay the groundwork for mutual understanding across groups.
… or break the alignment.
Weak interpersonal ties, characterized by casual or infrequent interactions, are negatively associated with diversity alignment in both cities. These superficial relationships may reinforce stereotypes or fail to build the trust needed for meaningful engagement. This finding challenges the assumption that any contact between groups reduces prejudice.
Formal representation mechanisms are no silver bullet …
Contrary to expectations, procedures like democratic elections of leaders did not improve diversity alignment. In fact, in Vienna, a slight negative association was observed, which may be due to exclusionary or homophilic dynamics.
… while funding sources play a minor role.
Public funding had a modest positive effect on diversity alignment in Vienna, but was not significant in Shenzhen, while private funding showed no consistent impact. Leaving us to think that other internal factors play a more decisive role in fostering inclusion.
Everyday organizational practices matter…
Such practices can help practitioners create conditions for migrant inclusion. Moreover, recognizing the importance of both workforce diversity and interpersonal contact holds untapped potential for nonprofits as spaces for intercultural engagement and social learning.
… yet, diversity alignment is not the end goal
It is a diagnostic tool that can help us map a path toward inclusion beyond demographic matching. Yet, deliberate and sustained efforts are required to respond and adapt to changing environments, enabling the creation of communities across lines of division, fostering meaningful relationships, and proactively engaging with differences.
Click here to read the free full-text article: Long, Y., Luo, W., & Terzieva, B. (2025). Bridging Divides or Widening Gaps? Nonprofit Organizations’ Efforts for Migrant Inclusion in Two Global Cities. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640251387954
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