Template revised April 12, 2018.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
11b
BRIEFING ITEM
Date of Meeting
July 11, 2023
DATE: July 3, 2023
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Bookda Gheisar, Senior Director, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Dan Thomas, Chief Financial Officer
SUBJECT: Equitable Spending and Accountability Project (ESAP) Briefing
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this briefing is to discuss with the Commission the Equitable Spending and
Accountability Project (ESAP). Staff would also like to seek the Commission’s feedback on the
proposed ESAP pilot program for 2024.
BACKGROUND
During the spring of 2023, a cross-departmental team worked together to develop a definition
for equity spending. This team then worked with all departments to conduct an audit of budget
items from the past four years to measure the percentage of Port expenses that met the equity
spending definition. The team also worked to separate equity spending into distinct categories
to tell a more complete story of what investments we are making with the goal of advancing
equity, diversity, and inclusion. This work serves as a baseline for tracking our progress in
subsequent budget cycles.
For the pilot program, we are collecting information at both the division and department level.
Each division will be responsible for identifying and compiling the equity spending in their
proposed budgets and reporting it to ELT and Commission as part of their budget presentations.
The divisions will also track equity spending during the year and report out annually. This
information will be used to help us understand how our budgets are aligning with our equity
values and where we are spending money to advance equity.
In addition to tracking equity spending at the division level, all departments must answer several
questions about their 2024 budgets. These questions provide insight into how a department’s
budget aligns with Equity Goals, who was included in the budget creation process, and what
additional support or resources are needed to help departments meet their equity goals.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING
(1) Presentation
COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 11b Page 2 of 2
Meeting Date: July 11, 2023
Template revised September 22, 2016.
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
None
