Reflections from Barbara Gaskin, Co-President

As my two-year term draws to a close, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the TPC community for the honor of serving as President and Co-President. TPC is led and supported by a team of very talented women who make all that we accomplish possible. I’d like to thank the Board, Committee Chairs, and all the women who participate on committees and grant teams and volunteer so consistently for our grantees. Your ongoing commitment and involvement has been encouraging and inspiring. It has been a pleasure to work with all of you. 

The theme that emerged for me over the last two years has been “Out of challenges, opportunities arise.” Professionally and personally, it has been a difficult couple of years for everyone. But let’s take a moment to reflect on all that WE, collectively, have accomplished.

• WE adapted to the online COVID world, leading to more robust meeting attendance with more geographically broad and diverse participants. The creative and powerful videos used at our Grants Award event were captivating. And all this with no traffic jams.  
• WE launched the DEI spotlight, created the Statement of Solidarity, and led more than 50% of our members through the Racial Equity Challenge, deepening our understanding of structural racism. The impact of this initiative extends far beyond TPC, with numerous members extending the Challenge to their places of employment, book groups, churches, temples, and other nonprofits and community foundations with whom they are affiliated. We have much more to do but we have come a long way in our efforts to embed DEI throughout TPC.
• WE developed, approved, and began to implement a new three-year strategic plan.
• WE changed the structure of Board committees and the President’s role to a shared leadership model to ensure sustainability and minimize burnout.
• WE revised our grants application process, carefully reviewing and questioning each step with an eye toward adhering to Trust-Based Philanthropy principles. The next challenge is to determine how to finance and issue multi-year grants.
• WE launched the new TPC membership investment structure, opening the door to a more diverse, equitable TPC community. The success of this new structure is evident: we have gained many new members at every level, lapsed members have rejoined, and many members have increased their giving level. Happily, we are poised to potentially exceed our grant pool target. 

Next year will bring more exciting changes and new initiatives…I can’t wait to see what the New Year brings! Thank you again for your support and commitment and best wishes for a joyful holiday season. 

Upcoming Education and Volunteer Events

Have you ever missed one of our Dialogues and wished you’d been there? Many are recorded and available to view under “Past Virtual Events” on our website. Coming soon is “Why Is Citizenship Important?” with Dr. Mitra Shavarini, Executive Director of Project Citizenship, and “The Systemic Struggle for Food and Housing,” a conversation between Linda Zimmerman, Executive Director of Neighbors in Need, and Yesenia Gil, Executive Director of Bread & Roses Housing. Our next Dialogue will be held in February…stay tuned for details.

Help Wanted: Looking for a new way to get involved with TPC? The Education Committee needs one or two women to lead a Book Club this spring. We have a book list to choose from and will guide you through the specifics of hosting a virtual discussion. Please contact Osa Osagie or Jenny Morrison if you are interested in learning more.

Volunteer Opportunities! TPC members continue to shine as volunteer opportunities with our grantees arise. Please see the Member Impact section below for current opportunities to support our grantees.