12 Best Diversity Sourcing Strategies (2025)

What is Diversity Sourcing?

Diversity sourcing is the practice of proactively seeking and attracting candidates from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, identities, and perspectives. It goes beyond traditional recruitment by intentionally reaching out to talent from underrepresented groups such as different ethnicities, genders, age groups, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The goal is to create a talent pool that reflects a broad range of experiences and viewpoints, which can lead to more inclusive and high-performing teams.

Why is Diversity Sourcing Important?

Diversity sourcing is important because it opens the door to a wider talent pool, bringing in people with unique ideas and approaches to solving problems. Teams made up of diverse individuals are often more creative, adaptable, and better equipped to connect with a broad customer base. It also strengthens employer branding, showing that the organization values fairness, equity, and inclusion.

On a business level, diversity in hiring has been linked to higher innovation rates, improved decision-making, and better overall performance. When a company makes diversity sourcing a priority, it is building a workforce that can thrive in a fast-changing and interconnected world.

12 Proven Diversity Sourcing Strategies to Build an Inclusive Talent Pipeline

Recruiting a diverse workforce isn’t about luck or one-off campaigns. It’s about using the right sourcing strategies consistently and intentionally. In this guide, we’ve pulled together twelve proven tactics that work in different ways: some you can apply immediately to widen your talent pool, some that require relationship-building over time, and others that strengthen your brand so diverse candidates are drawn to you.

The strategies are grouped into three types so you know where to start:

• Quick Wins you can implement this week to see immediate results.
• Partnership Plays that build strong, ongoing connections to diverse talent communities.
• Long-Game Strategies that make your employer brand a magnet for underrepresented talent.

Whether you’re looking to fill urgent roles or build a long-term pipeline, these strategies will help you find, engage, and win over top talent from all backgrounds.

Quick Win Diversity Sourcing Strategies

These are actions you can take right away to expand your reach to underrepresented candidates and see results quickly. They require minimal setup and can be implemented using your existing recruitment tools.

Engage with Diversity-Focused Job Boards

Not all candidates are scrolling through the big, mainstream job boards. Many talented people prefer niche platforms where they know opportunities are tailored to them. Posting roles on sites like Women in Tech, BlackJobs.com, AbilityJobs, LatPro, and VetJobs helps you meet candidates where they’re already looking. And here’s the key: tailor each posting to the audience you’re speaking to. Highlight benefits like flexible schedules, parental leave, or workplace accessibility so they immediately see you’ve thought about their needs. Tracking which boards bring in the best candidates will help you focus your time and budget where it really counts.

Leverage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Your ERGs can be one of your most powerful recruiting partners if you bring them into the process early. They have connections in networks you may not even know exist, and they can help spread the word about open roles faster than cold outreach ever could. When ERGs are involved in hiring, it sends a message to candidates that your company values their voices. Recognizing their contributions, whether through bonuses, public appreciation, or professional development, makes them even more engaged in helping you build a diverse team.

Use Inclusive Job Descriptions

Your job postings are often the first impression a candidate gets of your company, and if the language feels exclusionary, they may not even apply. Keep your language clear, avoid unnecessary requirements, and swap out jargon for plain descriptions of what they’ll actually be doing. Highlight your commitment to flexibility, accessibility, and professional development so candidates see themselves thriving in the role. Tools like Gender Decoder or Textio can be helpful for spotting language that might unintentionally discourage applications.

Leverage LinkedIn and Boolean Searches for Diversity Keywords

LinkedIn can be a goldmine if you know how to dig deeper. Boolean search strings help you uncover candidates tied to diversity-focused associations, events, and certifications. For example, searching for "National Black MBA" OR "SHPE" OR "Grace Hopper" along with a specific job title can instantly surface talent you might never find otherwise. Joining LinkedIn groups tied to these communities and actually participating in discussions before pitching roles makes your outreach far more effective.

Partnership-Driven Diversity Sourcing Strategies

These strategies focus on building and maintaining relationships with organizations, schools, and networks that consistently connect you with diverse talent. They may take longer to establish but will create a reliable and sustainable candidate pipeline.

Partner with Diverse Professional Associations

Professional associations are like magnets for highly skilled talent. Groups like NSBE, SHPE, Out & Equal, Women Who Code, and the National Black MBA Association are constantly connecting members with opportunities. Instead of showing up only when you have a role to fill, think long-term. Sponsor events, offer workshops, or send speakers to their conferences. The more present you are in their world, the more trust you build, and trust is what attracts the best candidates.

Attend Targeted Career Fairs and Networking Events

There’s no substitute for meeting candidates face-to-face, especially in communities where trust matters. Look for career fairs and networking events specifically for veterans, LGBTQ+ professionals, people with disabilities, or other underrepresented groups. And when you go, don’t just send recruiters. Bring hiring managers or team leads so candidates can have real conversations about the work. Small touches like portfolio reviews, on-the-spot interviews, or even coffee meetups make your presence memorable.

Build Relationships with Historically Diverse Educational Institutions

If you want a steady stream of diverse early-career talent, start building relationships with HBCUs, HSIs, tribal colleges, and select international universities. Get involved in ways that go beyond handing out flyers. Guest lectures, mentorship programs, or campus competitions can give you early access to promising students. Start those relationships early, even with sophomores and juniors, so that by the time they’re job-hunting, you’re already on their radar as a top employer.

Tap into Community Organizations

Sometimes the best talent isn’t actively job hunting or browsing LinkedIn. Local nonprofits, advocacy groups, and workforce programs often know exactly who’s ready for their next opportunity. Building partnerships with these organizations and supporting them through workshops or sponsorships creates a steady pipeline of talent that trusts your brand. This works best when it’s ongoing, not just when you’re desperate to fill a role.

Long-Term Diversity Sourcing Strategies

These are ongoing, embedded practices that position your company as a destination for diverse talent. By investing in these, you make diversity sourcing a natural part of your employer brand and attract candidates without needing constant active outreach.

Highlight Diversity in Your Employer Brand

Candidates almost always research a company before applying, and they’re looking for proof that you mean what you say about diversity. Show real employee stories, post about inclusion initiatives, and make sure diverse leaders are visible across your careers page, social media, and even Glassdoor reviews. The more consistently you show your values in action, the more believable and attractive your brand becomes.

Consider Referrals with Diversity Incentives

Your current employees often know fantastic candidates, but they might not think to refer them unless you ask. By offering bonuses, recognition, or even small rewards for referrals from underrepresented groups, you make it worth their while. The key is to pair these incentives with education about why diversity matters so referrals feel intentional and aligned with company values, not just a numbers game.

Train Recruiters on Unconscious Bias

Even the best sourcing plan will fall flat if bias creeps into the screening process. Training recruiters and hiring managers to recognize and reduce unconscious bias helps ensure candidates are evaluated on skills and potential, not assumptions. Structured interviews, scorecards, and blind resume reviews all help keep things fair. Making this training a regular part of onboarding means the commitment lasts beyond a one-time workshop.

Maintain a Diversity Talent Pipeline

Last-minute sourcing almost always leads to missed opportunities. By building and maintaining a database of diverse candidates, whether from events, referrals, or proactive outreach, you’re always ready when a role opens. Stay connected with these candidates through newsletters, updates, and event invitations so they remember your brand when they’re ready to make a move. Keeping the pipeline organized by skill set also means you can move quickly when the right opportunity comes up.

Expanded Resource Lists for Diversity Sourcing Strategies

Knowing the right strategies is only half the battle; you also need to know exactly where to find diverse talent. This section gives you curated lists of job boards, professional associations, and community organizations that specialize in connecting employers with underrepresented candidates. By using these resources, you can target your outreach more effectively and connect with the right people faster.

Resources for Quick Win Diversity Sourcing Strategies:

Many recruiters rely on the same job boards, which limits their reach. Expanding into diversity-focused platforms helps you connect with talent that might never see your roles otherwise.

Examples of diversity-focused job boards:

• Women in Tech: Women in technology-focused roles
• BlackJobs.com: Opportunities for African American professionals
• AbilityJobs: For candidates with disabilities
• LatPro: For bilingual and Latino professionals
• VetJobs: For U.S. military veterans and spouses
• Pink Jobs: For LGBTQ+ job seekers
• Workforce50: For professionals over 50
• NativeHire: For Native American and Indigenous candidates

Pro Tip: Keep a rotating posting schedule so your openings don’t get buried. Track candidate source data in your ATS to see which boards deliver the highest quality hires.

Resources for Partnership-Driven Diversity Sourcing Strategies

Professional associations act as hubs for networking, training, and career opportunities in specific communities. Forming relationships with these organizations increases your credibility and reach.

Examples of professional associations:

• NSBE: National Society of Black Engineers
• SHPE: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
• Out & Equal: LGBTQ+ workplace equality network
• Women Who Code: Women in programming and development
• National Black MBA Association: African American business leaders
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society: Indigenous STEM professionals
• National Association of Black Accountants: Finance and accounting professionals

Pro Tip: Go beyond job postings. Sponsor events, offer scholarships, and volunteer as a guest speaker to deepen trust with members.

Resources for Partnership-Driven Diversity Sourcing Strategies

Local nonprofits, advocacy groups, and workforce programs often know skilled candidates before they ever hit the job market. Partnering with them builds a steady, trust-based talent stream.

Examples of community organizations:

• Year Up: Young adults from underrepresented backgrounds
• The Mom Project: Career opportunities for mothers re-entering the workforce
• Goodwill Career Centers: Workforce readiness and job placement
• National Urban League: Employment and economic empowerment
• Disability IN: Inclusion for people with disabilities
• Out in Tech: LGBTQ+ tech professionals
• Upwardly Global: Immigrant and refugee professionals

Pro Tip: Offer something in return, such as resume workshops, mock interviews, or mentoring sessions for their members.

Conclusion: Turning Diversity Sourcing Strategies into Action

Building a diverse workforce is not a one-time effort, it is an ongoing commitment that starts with intentional, consistent sourcing practices. The strategies you’ve explored here give you the tools to widen your talent pool, connect with underrepresented candidates, and position your organization as a place where all people can thrive.

The most successful companies don’t just know where to find diverse talent, they actively build relationships, measure what’s working, and continuously refine their approach. Start small if you need to, focusing on one or two quick-win strategies, then layer in long-term partnerships and brand initiatives that make diversity a natural part of your recruitment process.

Every connection you make today contributes to a stronger, more innovative, and more inclusive team tomorrow. By putting these diversity sourcing strategies into action, you’re not just filling roles, you are shaping the future of your organization.