Vice President of Grant Operations and Planning, Tanisha Davis, and Program Officer, Jasmine Lacsamana, have been developing their careers through learning and leadership programs. They discussed their experiences recently with Program Intern, Brett Anderson. Their conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
Brett Anderson: Tanisha, after completing the Technology Association of Grantmakers Emerging Leaders Initiative and serving as a mentor for the American Society on Aging’s ASA RISE leadership in the field of aging program, how would you describe those programs and your experiences?
Tanisha Davis: The Emerging Leaders Initiative is for professionals in technology. I joined it looking to develop professionally and grow a network of peers. We met monthly and had open, meaningful discussions about topics including transparency, data collection, current issues in the field, problem-solving in the work environment, and equity—which was a big piece of it. I was not expecting such a diverse cohort but welcomed it with open arms. A common theme was how we are contributing to developing equity at our organizations.
My program mentor helped me realize my value and leadership capabilities. My peers and I appreciated that our mentors were there not only to support us with issues at work, but also to give us opportunities to stretch outside our roles. My mentor brought me into a virtual conference roundtable about internal engagement within organizations, where I was able to represent small foundations.
The program is over, but my peers and I stay in touch on Slack and continue to encourage one another to be agents of change within our organizations.
As I was ending the program, I realized I wanted to give back like my mentor and peers did for me, so I decided to participate as a mentor in the ASA RISE program. It is all about building each other up and being a support system, even if you are strangers at first. I am a firm believer that we need more BIPOC leaders in the field of aging. So, if I can offer a little support and share my own experiences and stories to get someone on that road to success, I am honored to do so.
This was the inaugural run of the program and included an impressive group of over 30 fellows representing a wide range of ages and professional backgrounds. I was paired with a mentee with a similar journey professionally and personally, and I was able to pass on resources and lessons from my ELI mentor.
Brett: Jasmine, how would you describe the Leadership Long Beach Institute and what you learned?
Jasmine Lacsamana: I found the institute by searching for programs that would allow me to have more, and deeper, connections with people in Long Beach. It was a year-long program that connects community leaders including from city departments, nonprofit organizations, and the business sector. Our cohort of 30 met monthly and went on an overnight retreat. We had panel presentations with subject experts, interactive communication learning sessions, and tours of different parts of the city.
The program helped me understand how everyone is interconnected and how we can improve how we work in community with one another. It emphasized core principles of integrity, vision, personal responsibility, and commitment to the community. There was an extra focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, which is important to me both personally and professionally.
We developed skills to have open conversations, lead with curiosity, and balance that with candor. I appreciated having a core group of trusted peers to test how to push and advance equity in our sectors, provide suggestions, and be a sounding board. We also looked at how these issues apply to us as people, looking at it holistically and valuing internal growth. Our cohort has been intentional about sticking together and maintaining our connections to each other as people who work and live in the Long Beach area.
Brett: As members of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, how are you applying your participation in these programs to inform the Foundation’s DEI efforts?
Tanisha: When the DEI Committee was proposed, we put together a list of resources and potential goals. Learning from peers and recognizing that starting where you are and implementing what is appropriate for your organization provided the option of moving forward without delay. The first goals we implemented were operational, like reporting and benchmarking ourselves, applicants, and grantees on board and staff diversity. To show our commitment to equity and transparency, we updated our GuideStar profile and completed the demographics section.
Jasmine: Our goals have shifted to support leadership opportunities, especially for emerging BIPOC leaders in the field. We have also done some internal review, such as taking a deeper look into our practices and policies, including our personnel handbook
Brett: Do you see any crossover between the Foundation’s new strategic plan and its DEI efforts?
Jasmine: When you think about the Three Ts—Teams, Training, and Technology—everything can be looked at through an equity lens. By looking at our grantmaking in a way that’s more thematic than programmatic, we can be more inclusive and work towards integrating an equity lens into our work.
Thinking about teams through this lens brings up several questions. Who is part of the team? Are caregivers included? Who else needs to be at the table? Is the person receiving care being centered? The language we use—the Seven Cs and the Three Ts—is focused on making sure those receiving the care have the most say and are the most informed about their care. Right now, most care is not like that because of language, cultural, and access barriers. When we talk about how we’re defining our strategies and addressing these barriers, I definitely see how we’re placing equity at the center.
Brett: Archstone Foundation has dedicated 10 percent of its grantmaking to DEI-specific projects and has committed to interweaving equity-advancing efforts throughout its grantmaking. Where do you see progress in this area, and where do you see room for improvement?
Tanisha: By talking to leaders in the field, we found we’re already making equity-advancing efforts other foundations were making before we knew they were part of the DEI process. Internally there’s been progress, too, in sharing our experiences in leadership development programs and what we’re learning by participating in different webinars.
Jasmine: I also appreciate our anonymous biannual surveys through the Center for Effective Philanthropy. Those give grantees and declined applicants an opportunity to voice opinions about our grantmaking process and how it might be improved.
Tanisha: We’ve taken small improvement steps, but I hope we get to where we’re all committed to staying educated and learning within our organization and from others. For me, that means focusing more on equitable grantmaking and trust-based philanthropy, which includes a lot of values we can learn from.
Jasmine: I hope we get to a place where there is greater trust between funders and grantee partners, and step away from the current power dynamics that exist. I see that happening, but we need to have more candid conversations and it takes time to build those relationships.
Brett: Considering Foundation grants that have been DEI-focused, do any stand out based on outcome and impact, or a particularly creative approach?
Jasmine: I appreciate the leadership grants that we’ve done, like ASA RISE, which focus on building diverse leaders in the field of aging.
Tanisha: So far, we’ve only had a few grants specifically designated as DEI-focused. As staff, we looked back at previously funded grants to see which had an equity-enhancing or disparity-reducing component. Project Open Hand did great work creating the first statewide medically tailored meals pilot program that targets low-income underserved older adults with congestive heart failure and Nourish California, formerly California Food Policy Advocates, is reducing hunger among low-income underserved older Californians by increasing food resources through policy and advocacy efforts.
Jasmine: Another is the AC Care Alliance’s Advance Illness Care Program, which is focused on addressing disparities in health care predominately for people in the African American community with serious illnesses and their caregivers. Instead of trying to take an existing program and attempting to tailor it to fit the needs of people in the Black community, the program was developed by a consortium of African American faith leaders who know firsthand the needs of their congregants and community members. The program hires and trains community care navigators, who are trusted faith and community members that provide the free, holistic, wrap-around support intervention. Now it is becoming a model of care in Los Angeles.
Brett: The next DEI-focused capacity building round of grants will be announced this month. Have you been able to apply what you have learned to make the application process more equitable, inclusive, or accessible to a broader range of potential grantees?
Tanisha: We heard from prior applicants that the amount of paperwork involved was a barrier, so we’re asking for less documentation than before. But we still have more work to do to make sure BIPOC leaders in the field believe they’re being heard and have access to funding. We have an opportunity to reach out and find them, and with the Capacity Building grants we are starting to see new organizations coming through. Hopefully we’ll learn from them, and they’ll spread awareness to others.
Brett: Are you planning to participate in any upcoming leadership and learning programs or fellowships?
Jasmine: I recently started with the Racial Equity Action Institute, through Northern and Southern California Grantmakers. Our convenings are people not just from philanthropic organizations but also business, government, and nonprofit organizations. A lot of these lessons apply across sectors, so it’s helpful to learn from people who are doing similar racial equity work in different fields. What I like about this group is the emphasis on utilizing our time together to build relationships and provide support to each other in a BIPOC-led space. The most recent meeting focused on reflection, healing justice, and how that gets translated into our workplace and reflected in the work we do.
Tanisha: I will be participating in the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ Change Leaders in Philanthropy Fellowship program with a cohort of 21 others. It is a 10-month peer learning community program that looks at effective change management and internal culture in organizations. All the programs I have been involved with have provided a sense of community, which I like to call a “safe space” for candid conversations. This is another opportunity to develop a strong network of peers for mutual support and to identify and share best practices.
Brett: What is your vision for increasing the Foundation’s impact on equity in grantmaking?
Tanisha: It’s just continuing to listen, learn, and make equity a part of everything we do. That means in our internal culture, how we can improve as a team, and in our external culture, the impact we make.
Jasmine: My vision is to ensure that what I’m learning is translating our work and that Archstone Foundation is advancing equity through grantmaking. We may not have the largest endowment, but what we do have we can use in partnership with others to make the biggest impact. This means not only partnering with other foundations, but also building partnerships in the community and working to empower community leaders.
