How can we ensure SMC boards and commissions represent the demographics of San Mateo County? ...‍

One of the Community Acceleration Projects (CAP) completed by the 2024 CORPS Class was for San Mateo County’s Chief Equity Officer Shireen Malekafzali. The project goal was to support the County initiative to ensure that SMC Boards and Commissions are accessible to, and reflective of, all members of the communities they are meant to serve. 

Boards and Commissions are the formally selected groups of SMC citizens who advise the Board of Supervisors and County agencies on the work of the County.  There are more than 40 different Boards and Commissions supporting a wide variety of topic areas and communities within SMC.

The CAP goals included researching the current Board and Commissions structure and practices, and identifying strengths and areas for improvement. The team also considered best practices and innovative solutions for ensuring representation and inclusivity.

To accomplish this, they:

• Researched demographic data and best practices followed in other jurisdictions across SMC and beyond
• Interviewed current and past Boards and Commissions members
• Met monthly as a team, working together to generate ideas and continuously iterate based on what they learned
• Attended monthly meetings with key stakeholders in the Equity Office and County Executive’s Office to share ideas and get feedback

The team also participated in bimonthly meetings of County staffers who serve as liaisons to Boards and Commissions where they tested ideas and possible recommendations. As part of wrapping up their project, they drafted and presented more than 10 recommendations to the County Equity Officer and the County Executive’s staff. They also presented their learnings to the Equity in Government Community of Practice, convened by the Equity Officer and comprised of local leaders from across SMC.

Recommendations included:

• Develop targeted education programs through existing networks to raise awareness in underrepresented communities
• Engage in strategic outreach, offering workshops, community events, and accessible resources
• Cultivate belonging as a cultural competency and offer community communication platforms that enable and increase engagement and share best practices

Equity Officer Malekafzali described her experience with the CAP Team:

“The CAP Team brought fresh eyes and diverse expertise to help the County identify ways to improve representation on our Boards and Commissions. It was clear that they were just as invested as we were in creating a more inclusive democracy, which made for a strong partnership. It also helped that they were just good people to learn from and with. We really appreciate the Team’s work and the Leadership Council SMC for offering us this opportunity.”

This CAP Team also encouraged their fellow Leadership CORPS participants to explore several avenues to civic participation. They created the “V.E.S.T Framework” to communicate the most important calls to action to their colleagues, based on learnings from their CAP experience:

• Vote - Give input to the CAP Team on draft recommendations based on their own personal, lived, community, and/or work experience. 
• Engage by volunteering to participate on SMC Boards and Commissions 
• Share information about Boards and Commissions in their County, organization, or community spaces‍
• Take time to practice servant leadership and be fully vested in their own community
  

Ravi Jagtiani, Real Estate Agent, member of the Foster City Planning Commission, and Leadership CORPS Class of 2024 alumnus, shared his experience on this CAP Team:

“This was a great experience. I gained so many insights into the number of commissions in the County, how recruitment is handled, and the goals to diversify participation. Our CAP Team worked well together, met regularly, and formed bonds that I believe will be long-lasting.”

When asked if the CAP Team will continue to be involved in this County initiative, Jennifer Fenoglio, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Genentech, and Leadership CORPS Class of 2024 alumna, said:

“Our entire CAP Team sees this project as the start of an ongoing relationship where we stay connected, serve as a resource and stand with Shireen and her team and their important work. For example, we presented to her Equity in Government Community of Practice and have been sharing resources to support their efforts to help County staff create and deliver on their own equity goals. We’re all in this work together, in any way that we can support.”

SMC Organizations Served in 2023-2024

Nonprofit and public organizations interested in participating in the Community Acceleration Program apply annually, and qualifying organizations and projects are selected by Leadership Council SMC. Once the slate of projects is complete, CAP Teams are formed through a matching process with class participants. Project Leads meet monthly with their CAP Teams. 

The Class of 2024 CAP Teams served these organizations:

Nonprofits:

• El Concilio
• LifeMoves
• REACH Coalition of SMC
• Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
• Senior Coastsiders/Thrive Alliance
• Women's Coaching Alliance (WCA)

Public Agencies:

• City of South San Francisco, Economic & Community Development Dept.
• SMC Executive’s Office
• SMC Chief Equity Office (within SMC Executive’s Office)
• SMC Sheriff’s Office
• SMC Supervisory District 1
• SMC Supervisory District 2
• SMC Supervisory District 3
• SMC Supervisory District 5

How Do SMC Organizations Apply for a CAP for 2024-2025?

Community Acceleration Program Applications for 2024-2025 are open until Friday, September 20, 2024, at 5 p.m.

Interested parties can watch our CAP Information Session for more details or email questions Leadership Council SMC Co-President Kaarin Hardy at kaarin.hardy@leadershipcouncilsmc.org.

CAP Program Timeline 2024 - 2025

• 9/20, 5:00 p.m.: Applications are closed.
• 10/4: Applicant Organizations notified of Project Selection no later than 10/4. 
• 10/14 or 10/23: Mandatory Orientation Session for the Organization's CAP Project Lead. 
• 1/24 or 1/31: Project Kick-Off: Organization Leads must be available to meet with their teams on 1/24 (Emerging Leaders Program CAP Projects) or 1/31(CORPS Program CAP Projects) 
• Monthly (from February to May): Meetings with CAP project teams 
• May 2025: Final Deliverables Completed ‍
• June 2025: Program Graduation