Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Roadmap
The 2023-2026 DEIB Roadmap provides a look forward into tangible steps that the City can take to work towards a more equitable environment to live, learn, and work. It is divided into five goal areas:
- Leadership, accountability & organizational culture
- Plans, policies, and budgets
- Workplace, workforce, and training
- Communications & engagement
- Community partnerships, wellbeing, and growth
Each goal area is broken into specific action items, each of which has a responsible department and timeline. Some of the action items are small first steps, while others are large, complex, collaborative initiatives that will be broken down into smaller, manageable steps. These actions items and timelines are not meant to be inflexible or intimidating, but rather they are a promise to our community, our staff, and ourselves that we will meaningfully work towards a more equitable Bothell.
This strategic plan has been developed with direction from the City Council and the City Manager and in collaboration with an external consultant, City staff, and community members.
Roadmap Progress by Goal Area
This goal area addresses the importance of a leadership-driven culture that must be in place if pro-equity common practices and systems are to be embedded throughout the organization. Clear vision, accountable leadership, and employees who are change agents will drive organizational culture. In turn, organizational culture influences day-to-day operations, which shape equitable access to City services.
Objective | Progress |
| Formal policy statement improvements with definition of racism. | Completed - DEI at Bothell updates include the City's commitment to DEI and educational resources. |
| Formalize and define DEIB program and guiding principles. | Completed - DEIB Roadmap & Program Update given to community and Council in 2023. |
| Inclusive strategic messaging and imagery woven throughout organization and public communities. | Completed - Community Engagement Toolkit guides City staff on incorporating equity into all levels of engagement. |
| Hire DEI coordinator and consider more resources for consultant services. | Completed - DEI Coordinator position filled in 2023. |
| Support maturation of internal core equity DiveIn Team. | Ongoing - Internal staff committee (DiveIn) reevaluated and rechartered in 2023, with annual reviews beginning in 2024. |
| Integrate and align this plan into annual Strategic Work Plan. | Completed - Strategic Work Plans reviewed annually for alignment with DEIB Roadmap and Council Vision & Priorities starting in 2023. |
| Complaint or concern processes are clear, accessible and easy to use. | Delayed - City staff are considering updated technology solutions for the Customer Action Request process, for consideration in future budget cycles. |
| Better services - continue to support community members in crisis (RCR and Crisis Clinic). | Ongoing - City staff across departments & workgroups collaborate to support the Community Court and regional crisis response programs. |
| Develop and define Human Services program and role of the City, hiring Human Services limited-term coordinator. | Completed - Human Services Coordinator position filled in 2023. |
| Address accessibility issues for City Hall and better track in CAR process. | Delayed - City staff are considering updated technology solutions for the Customer Action Request process, for consideration in future budget cycles. |
| Participate in GREI, Bothell Kenmore Chamber Cultural Committee, campuses, NSD, AWC DEI consultant, and SCA equity training program, involving and connecting staff when appropriate. | Ongoing - City staff are actively involved in local, regional, and national partnerships. |
| Learn from established and credible national models including GARE, Race Forward, PolicyLink, National League of Cities, and the King Center. | Ongoing - City staff are actively involved in local, regional, and national partnerships. |
| Support for Community Court and further exploration or expansion of associated community resource center. | Ongoing - City staff across departments & workgroups collaborate to support the Community Court and regional crisis response programs. |
| Address lack of gender neutral restrooms at City facilities. | Ongoing - City staff actively incorporate equity & accessibility reviews into planning projects and infrastructure updates. |
| Deliberate and recurring evaluation of Parks facilities for accessibility. | Ongoing - Parks Planning staff actively incorporate equity & accessibility reviews into Parks Planning projects, including new park developments and infrastructure updates. |
This goal area focuses on integrating equity into department work plans and budgets, emphasizing the impact financial decisions can have on equity. It aligns efforts throughout City departments and with other government level agency plans and policies.
Objective | Progress |
| Formalize equity impact assessment tool. | Completed - Equity Impact Worksheet developed and incorporated into decision-making processes throughout the City. |
| Emergency communications plans are prioritized and updated. | Completed - Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan updated in 2024, with emphasis on serving Bothell's most vulnerable populations. |
| Cross-departmental coordination and check-ins are recurring. | Ongoing - City staff collaborate frequently through cross-department meetings such as the internal staff DEI committee (DiveIn) and the Community Engagement Team. |
| Complement and strive to align local policies with King and Snohomish County. | Ongoing - City staff work to align policies with regional partners and actively participate in local, regional, and national partnerships. |
| Equity reviews incorporated into comprehensive plan update and other large scale plans or code changes. | Ongoing - Equity reviews are incorporated into all large scale planning projects and code changes, in addition to staff utilizing the Equity Worksheet. |
| Formalize and professionalize contracting and procurement function. | Completed - Contracts & Procurement Officer position filled in 2025. |
| Integrate equity impact assessment into all budget development. | Ongoing - Equity reviews and training incorporated throughout budget decision making. |
| More robust and diverse input incorporated into the CIP. | Ongoing - City staff actively incorporate equity & accessibility reviews into planning projects and infrastructure updates. |
| Develop equity in contracting policy with defined support for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and woman owned businesses. | In progress - Expected completion by end of 2026 |
| Apply equity assessment when making out-of-budget cycle staffing or other financial decisions. | Ongoing - Equity reviews and training incorporated throughout budget decision making. |
An inclusive organizational culture focused on DEIB is one that practices authentic communication, fosters mutual respect, and is engaged in social and racial equity issues. This area addresses the most foundational of actions that must be embedded throughout our organization if we are to challenge and address systemic racism and policies negatively influencing our service delivery. Recruitment should be bias-free, with the goal of mirroring community demographics. Employee opportunities are fair and equitable, with intentional development based on training, mentoring, and succession planning.
Objective | Progress |
| New employee DEIB orientation, also offered to board and commission members, specialized ongoing training plan. | Ongoing - New Employee Orientation includes DEI resource overview and organizational values, with DEI trainings offered to all staff throughout the year. |
| Demography function formalized. | Completed - Community Demographics Report published in 2025 and updated by Community Development department as new ACS data is released. |
| At least 5 DEI question for all management candidates. | Completed - DEI question bank provided to all hiring managers to incorporate into hiring process. |
| Biennial employee experience survey. | Completed - Employee Experience Survey completed in 2025, with results published in 2026. |
| Conflict management and conversation processes and training recommendations. | Completed - City staff have developed training plan focused Managing Challenging Coversations. |
| Individual employee development recommendations, clear career paths for job classifications. | In progress - Expected completion by end of 2026 |
| Improve data collection and analysis for attrition and address barriers to equal employment opportunities. | In progress - Expected completion by end of 2026 |
| Diverse hiring panel and interview guidelines. | Completed - Best practices developed with City staff, including hiring panel and interview guidelines for all hiring managers. |
| Recruitment plans for first responders have DEI focus. | In progress - Expected completion by end of 2026 |
This area addresses the importance of effectively delivering accurate, relevant, timely, clear and educational information to the entire community Open and transparent sharing of information is key to build trust, especially with communities who may fear or distrust local government. Furthermore, our community engagement must be a purposeful and dynamic process that provides opportunities for everyone in the community to follow, influence, and participate in decision-making – using language, tools, and timing they prefer
Objective | Progress |
| Proactively share impactful, controversial, or commonly requested information and data, including use of force data. | Completed - Bothell Police Incident Statistics dashboard updated annually. |
| Update community engagement strategy and ensure related engagement toolkit meet DEIB principles. | Completed - Community Engagement Strategy completed in November 2023, with regular updates from community engagement team. |
| Boards and commissions mirror the community. | Ongoing - Advisory body outreach & recruitment processes proactively seek to engage all members of the Bothell community. |
| Continue Police Depart CEAT and study if other advisory bodies are needed during ongoing Board & Commission review. | Completed - Bothell Police Community Advisory Committee continues to meet, in addition to a city-wide DEI Advisory Committee appointed in 2025. |
| System of platforms for better stakeholder management. | Ongoing - City staff are exploring options for a technology solution to better manage stakeholder engagement. |
| Evaluate and propose compensation models for advisory volunteers. | Completed - Proposed compensation models for advisory volunteers have been considered for future budget cycles. |
| Language access plan needed for translation and interpretation services, culturally competent communications. | Completed - City staff have completed a Language Access Plan in accordance with WSDOT. |
| Focus on LEP and Title VI compliance. | Ongoing - Language Access Plan ensures compliance with applicable laws. |
| Consider incentive pay for bilingual staff. | Completed - Language Access Premium Pay included in City staff contracts. |
It is important to identify and build upon ways the City can support community-based organization DEIB efforts and nurture multicultural education and celebration. An important step is learning about neighbors, understanding cultures and identities different from our own, and celebrating our differences. As our understanding and appreciation for others deepens, our community becomes more compassionate and welcoming to new neighbors or those who are different than ourselves.
Objective | Progress |
| Review and update Bothell historical narrative to ensure that Indigenous history is accurately portrayed and learnings incorporated in naming or signage throughout. | Completed - Telling Bothell's Full Story published on City website in 2024 and included in appropriate City documents. |
| Heating and cooling center plans updated for most vulnerable populations. | Completed - City staff have coordinated with regional partners to ensure that heating & cooling plans are updated to serve Bothell's most vulnerable populations. |
| Human Services grant program, partnerships, and community assessment reflect and advance DEIB values. | Ongoing - Human Services Coordinator proactively collaborates with DEI Coordinator to ensure that Human Services program and policies center equity and inclusion. |
| Build robust, ongoing, and action-oriented community relationships with local organizations engaged in DEI work and community building. | Ongoing - City staff proactively work to build robust relationships with community partners through engagement & planning projects. |
| Publish cultural observance calendar and offer or promote at least one educational event per year. | Completed - Cultural Engagement Calendar published beginning in 2023 and updated annually. Educational/training events are offered throughout the year to City staff. |
| Explore cultural navigator or community ambassador program. | Ongoing - Currently under review, with project-specific pilots for large-scale planning projects. |
| More focused and formalized support for small BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and woman owned businesses. | Completed - Economic Vitality Plan approved by Council in 2025. |
| Infuse multi-cultural traditions, color and flavor into City events and programming. | Ongoing - City staff proactively seek opportunities to incorporate multicultural traditions & education into City programming and support organizations hosting events that reflect Bothell's diverse community. |
| Establish more board city-wide civic training or community academy. | Ongoing - City Hall 101 curriculum in development, with program considerations in future budget cycles. |
| Formalize ways to sponsor, amplify, and support community events with DEIB elements. | Completed - Community Partnership Policy completed in 2025 to support organizations hosting events that add to and reflect Bothell's diverse community. |
