What Makes CA Climate Programs Work: 8 Lessons From Jessie Buendia

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The Triangle’s Corner

In the past six months, I’ve been interviewing leaders across the globe about the “secret sauce” behind programs that deliver real impact. Each one reflects on their own experience, offering unique lessons on what worked and why.

That’s what inspired Behind the Impact: a series to capture those lessons and share them more widely.

In this first edition, I’m featuring Jessie Buendia’s reflections on California’s Transformative Climate Communities program (TCC), along with my own takeaways.

TCC is one of California’s boldest experiments in climate and equity. It funds place-based projects: from affordable housing and transit to solar, tree planting, and workforce programs.

The TCC goal: Reduce greenhouse gases while improving health, housing, and economic opportunity in neighborhoods that need it most.

This quick 5-minute video dives into my conversation with Jessie Buendia, highlighting reflections on the “secret sauce” that made TCC work.

From our conversation, these were the takeaways that stuck with me:

Lessons from Jessie Buendia & TCC:

1. Start Small, Build Big

TCC began with just a few paragraphs of legislation. That light framework gave space to experiment, co-design, and evolve.

2. Evaluation Isn’t Just Measurement

UCLA evaluators helped communities set up data systems. Evaluation became capacity-building, not just reporting.

3. Equity Needs Politics Too

At first, only the “most polluted” communities were eligible. Expanding to the top 25% of disadvantaged areas kept the program politically viable.

4. Trust + Structure = Impact

The secret sauce: real community feedback, strong leadership from the Governor’s office, and shared metrics everyone could rally around.

5. Don’t Try to Be Everything

TCC was a climate program first. Jobs, anti-displacement, and workforce plans were important — but they worked best as add-ons, not the main event.

6. Community Engagement Works Best Locally

Big statewide programs often struggle to connect. TCC’s place-based model made engagement more real and meaningful.

7. Pilots Beat Perfect Plans

Instead of waiting for the “right” design, Jessie says: put out your best thinking, get feedback, run pilots, and refine.

8. The Real Legacy: Community Infrastructure

Beyond solar panels or bike lanes, TCC left behind something bigger: stronger local organizations ready to win future grants and shape their own future.

This is just the beginning of Behind the Impact. In the months ahead, I’ll share more reflections from leaders across the globe— each offering their own perspective on the “secret sauce” behind impactful programs.

I’d love to hear what resonated with you. Just hit reply and share your thoughts. Or forward this to someone who’s working on programs that could use these lessons.

👉 Missed it? Watch the 5-minute video here, highlighting reflections on the “secret sauce” that made TCC work.

The Triangle’s Corner is to help organizations design place-based programs with clarity, measure results with rigor, and build trust with communities.