REPORT TO THE FIELD | 2025

A YEAR OF CHALLENGE AND DETERMINATION

This past year has been acutely unsettling for older adults and the people and organizations serving them, especially older people and groups from marginalized communities where federal policy has jeopardized access to critically needed care and services.

In 2025 Archstone Foundation’s response to these threats has been clear and unwavering. We are meeting this difficult moment with resolve, leaning in rather than retreating. We want everyone we work with – our grantees, the people they serve, and other foundations that care about aging – to understand our determination, to see the Foundation as a steadfast partner, a place of hope and stability. Our work, focused in California, seeks to transcend our state to address systemic national issues.

We proudly stand for the values that have guided us for four decades, values that reflect our continued commitment to creating a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive society. Through all of our work and actions, we are amplifying the voices of the millions of people we exist to serve, honoring their dignity and affirming their worth, including the thousands of older immigrants who have enriched California by choosing to build their lives here.

STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Most fundamentally in the last year, we have magnified the essential work of delivering funding to organizations that improve the health and well-being of older persons in our state. As an initial step, the Board voted in the spring to do more by increasing our annual payout based on the Foundation’s assets to 6 percent – from the federally required minimum of 5 percent.

Our program staff has used these extra resources to implement a rapid response initiative. It is designed to prioritize flexible funding for community-led efforts to meet the urgent needs of older adults in California. This is particularly critical in the face of this year’s deep nationwide cuts to Medicaid (including to our state’s Medi-Cal), looming threats to Medicare and Social Security, and sharp federal spending reductions on programs that deliver social services and nutritional help to low-income families.

Some of our grantee partners are rightly worried about having the resources to sustain their organizations. We have allowed them to reallocate grant funds to pay for general operating support, trusting our partners to understand their communities and their needs best. Flexibility is essential during uncertain times, and this was not a one-time gesture. It reflects our belief that philanthropy should be trust-based and responsive, that it should not only promote our grantees’ innovation but their resilience.

Our roster of grant recipients spans powerhouse state and national policy organizations like Justice in Aging, to grassroots movement builders like Aging While Black. Grantees also include SAGE for training to ensure all LGBTQ+ older adults can access and receive care that affirms their identities, the National Hispanic Council on Aging for a rapid response communication system for Latino older adults, the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations to improve access to quality, affordable health care with a focus on culturally responsive care for underserved Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, and the cross-cutting thought leaders guiding the California Health Policy Strategies CalAIM Statewide Older Adult Collaborative. Together this support reflects not only the need to sustain and increase access to services for older people, but also to bolster advocacy and community engagement on their behalf.

CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR PARTNERS

In addition to our financial commitments, Archstone Foundation sought to offer a safe haven, where our grantee partners could share their worries, express their frustrations, and shape fresh advocacy, communication, legal, and education strategies to respond to the tumultuous challenges they face. We realized that many felt overwhelmed, dispirited, and exhausted. To that end, in June the Foundation convened a daylong grantee engagement session in Los Angeles, where community leaders from throughout the region took comfort in their shared experiences and generated energy for collaborative problem solving. The positive response to this convening has encouraged us to make this gathering an annual event.

This year was also marked by change. John Feather served as the Foundation's interim President and CEO for the first half of our fiscal year and lead the transition to new leadership. Rigo Saborio, with a wealth of experience in the community and a commitment to social justice and health equity, arrived in January as the third full-time President and CEO in our history. The staff and the Board have worked seamlessly since then, recommitting to our core values and refining what new directions we might explore. With a shared vision and commitment, both of us are entirely confident that Archstone Foundation will be even better prepared to amplify the voices of older persons here in California in the year ahead, not only by addressing their needs but also by advocating for and with them. We are committed to assuring that the health and well-being of older people is prominent on both the federal and state level.

We know this work requires perseverance and courage, and we are rolling up our sleeves. We remain dedicated to our mission and see extensive opportunities to collaborate with organizations and individuals who share our values and our vision for equitable aging. We will continue to embrace the dignity, wisdom, and contributions of all older adults in all communities. We will lead where appropriate, and step back where needed to allow others to step up. Together, we will  address and overcome this challenging moment, address the systemic barriers that constrain us, and build communities in which every older adult can thrive.

Cynthia D. Banks, Board Chair   |   Rigo Saborio, MSG, President & CEO