By Maya Kuppermann, CEO & Co-Founder of Temelio
In this blog post, Temelio CEO & Co-Founder, Maya Kuppermann, interviews Angelina Chacon-Garcia, Grants Manager at the Chamberlin Education Foundation (CEF). The Foundation supports educators and community partners to advance educational equity and excellence in West Contra Costa public schools. Their vision is to create a free, high-quality public school ecosystem that values student intellect and identity, encourages students to reach their full potential, and delivers equitable outcomes—particularly for Black, Latinx, and other historically under-resourced students.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): Could you give us an overview of the S2C collective, its mission, and your grantmaking programs?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): S2C is a relatively new organization, though our team has over 20 years of experience in grantmaking and philanthropy. We wanted to develop a program that funds initiatives directly impacting students and schools. S2C now serves as an umbrella for various projects, including the local work of the Chamberlin Education Foundation, as well as other philanthropic programs. Our structure allows us to do very targeted work within the West Contra Costa school district.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): What challenges were you facing with your previous paper-based grants management system? What prompted you to consider transitioning to a web-based solution?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): When I joined, it was clear the existing team didn’t have the bandwidth or expertise to tackle the grants management system. I was brought on to explore a better system, and my prior experience in using databases highlighted the need for a digital solution. As a new staff member, understanding the existing programs and navigating paper-based processes was overwhelming. Transitioning to a database system was critical to improving our workflow.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): How did you come across Temelio's grants management software, and what factors influenced your decision?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): We gathered requirements from our five or six core departments, highlighting key features we needed. Given our unique setup as a family-based philanthropic organization, flexibility was the most important factor. I was also looking for a system that could integrate smoothly with our existing tools—Temelio’s flexibility, both for users and on the backend, made it the right choice for us.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): How was the implementation process for Temelio’s grants management software? Were there any particular challenges or integration needs?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): I wouldn’t say we faced challenges, but rather complexities—things that needed careful thought. Overall, the rollout was straightforward and aligned with the timeline provided. We started with our Community Giving initiative, which involved fewer than 60 applications—manageable enough to test the system without overwhelming our processes. The main complexity came from integrating our existing systems, like DocuSign, but these were welcome challenges that helped us improve data management.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): Have you noticed any unexpected benefits since implementing the system?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): Absolutely. Moving away from email-driven processes has boosted morale across the team. The user-friendly nature of the system reduces decision fatigue, which was a big issue with other platforms like Salesforce. The structured decision-making within Temelio’s ecosystem has made it easier for our team to adapt. For those transitioning from paper to digital systems, the shift has been especially seamless.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): How has your experience been with Temelio's customer support?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): The support has been excellent. I regularly use the chat feature, which gets responses quickly and efficiently. The team is very responsive, and if a question needs more in-depth attention, it’s routed to the right person. Overall, the communication has been well-timed and very helpful.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): Were there any unexpected challenges or lessons learned from using the software?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): One unique complexity for us is managing multiple organizations under one umbrella. The challenge was understanding how to talk about these organizations and legally represent them. Temelio’s flexibility, especially in managing multiple instances, made this much easier. Your team made sure everything felt seamless for the user.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): What advice would you offer to other foundations considering a grants management system?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): I’d recommend gathering clear requirements upfront. While other systems might have extra bells and whistles, Temelio’s clarity and flexibility made it the better choice for us. The Temelio team is genuinely invested in your success, and their personalized support is invaluable.
Maya Kuppermann (Temelio): Anything else you'd like to add?
Angelina Chacon-Garcia (S2C): I’m excited to see how Temelio continues to evolve. You’ve earned a lot of credibility with the quick improvements and visible impact on our work. It’s clear your team takes pride in sharing progress, which has been really appreciated.
Working with you globally
from NYC
115 Broadway
New York, 10006