California Jobs First (CERF) Collaborative Meeting: Summer of Collective Learning- August 24, 2023
This was the final Collaborative meeting in the “Summer of Collective Learning” series on August 24th from 3:00pm – 4:30pm. The meeting was held virtually via Zoom and was open to current Collaborative members as well as those interested in getting involved. The session featured the Salinas Inclusive Economic Development Initiative and collaborative partners with Mujeres en Acción learning about their efforts to influence inclusive recovery and economic development, especially as it relates to the preservation and creation of quality, family-sustaining jobs in Salinas. Additionally, we introduced our identified Subregional Hub Partners and provided updates on our region’s progress, including the announcement of the Leadership Council nomination and selection timeline. In addition to viewing the recording below, you may also download the VV slides and meeting minutes.
Livability Summit – 2023
The 2nd annual Livability Summit on October 30th, 2023 will help inspire regional unity through engaging dialogue, inspirational perspectives, and collaborative idea generation. Together, we’ll take a deeper look at Valley Vision’s research findings and participate in a series of conversations about how we can come together to improve the quality of life for all residents.
Through sharing new data, welcoming dialogue, and practicing honest conversation, the Livability Summit creates a space where all voices and perspectives are heard and an opportunity to align goals and vision, build trust across diverse groups, and establish a common foundation for action. At the Livability Summit – your voice belongs and your voice makes change.
To read more about the event and register, visit the official Livability Summit website at www.livabilitysummit.org
California Jobs First (CERF) Collaborative Meeting: Summer of Collective Learning- July 27, 2023
This was second Collaborative meeting in the “Summer of Collective Learning” series on July 27th from 3pm – 5pm. The meeting was held virtually via Zoom and was open to current Collaborative members as well as those interested in getting involved. The session featured a panel of Economic Development Pilot Project awardees discussing innovative projects advancing California Jobs First (CERF). Additionally, there was a presentation from our Lead Research Partner, Brookings, providing an overview our research progress and plan. The Summer of Collective Learning series will give us time to learn and plan together around the California Jobs First (CERF) program. From June to August, each monthly meeting will feature a collective learning session on topics related to the California Jobs First (CERF) program’s values and goals, as well as time dedicated to advancing our region’s efforts. In addition to viewing the recording below, you may also download the VV slides and meeting minutes.
California Jobs First (CERF) Collaborative Meeting: Summer of Collective Learning- June 22, 2023
This was our first official Collaborative meeting! On June 22, 2023 from 1pm – 3pm, we kicked off our “Summer of Collective Learning” series with a presentation from guest speaker Dr. Manuel Pastor. We made some major announcements regarding changes to the California Jobs First (CERF) program (California Jobs First (CERF) Catalyst Fund Program) and other updates. The Summer of Collective Learning series will give us time to learn and plan together around the California Jobs First (CERF) program. From June to August, each monthly meeting will feature a collective learning session on topics related to the California Jobs First (CERF) program’s values and goals, as well as time dedicated to advancing our region’s efforts. In addition to viewing the recording below, you may also download the VV slides, Catalyst Fund slides, Dr. Pastor’s Slides and meeting minutes.
California Jobs First (CERF) Planning Phase Plan
California Jobs First (CERF) Collaborative Organizations
Below you’ll find a list of organizations that are a part of our California Jobs First (CERF) Collaborative. You can also sort by the subregion and stakeholder type columns.
The Built Environment Poll (May 2023)
The Built Environment Poll is a comprehensive view of the public’s priorities with respect to their built environment, particularly transportation, housing, telework, perceptions of safety, and public health.
The Poll was in the field from October to December of 2022. It is demographically representative of the Capital region, encompassing Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percent.
This poll is a project of Valley Vision and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), in partnership with the Institute for Social Research at Sacramento State.
CERF RFP Communications Partner
CERF RFP Research Partner
Nevada California Jobs First (CERF) Roundtable – February 2023
On February 7, 2023, Valley Vision hosted a roundtable on the California Jobs First (CERF) for Nevada County. The session included an overview of the California Jobs First (CERF) Program (slides below) as well as a discussion about the concerns, needs, and opportunities for the county. In addition to the slides below, you may also view the discussion notes and handout.
Building A Community-Centered Clean Economy Event Materials
On February 13, 2023, Valley Vision hosted Building A Community-Centered Clean Economy, a hybrid event that acted as both the second Climate, Justice, and Jobs Summit as well as the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) kick-off event.
The event featured a video from CJJ’s Community First Listening Series and a live Community Panel discussion that shared perspectives on effective community engagement and ways to remove barriers to accessing jobs. Our Keynote Speaker, Stewart Knox, Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, kicked-off the CERF program by sharing the state’s vision for high road careers in a low-carbon economy and some of the strategies our region can utilize as we begin the planning process. His session concluded with a brief Q&A moderated by Valley Vision’s CEO, Evan Schmidt and transitioned into her presentation on next steps and upcoming opportunities for our region’s CERF efforts.
View the Recording & Slides
Want to follow along with the slides? Please download the event slides here.
Community First Listening Sessions Highlight Video
During the event, a video was shared of previously held Community First Listening sessions across Sacramento, Yolo and Placer counties. The video was a great way to show off the work of the Climate, Justice, and Jobs program as well as set the tone for the community panel that followed.
Community Panel Main Takeaways
Panel members expressed a clear need to meet people where they are. From youth to experienced adults, panel members discussed a lack of understanding of clean economy careers. Targeted outreach, engagement and education strategies need to be developed with specific populations in mind considering verbiage choice and modality of communication. Examples given included youth primarily using online platforms to access resources and information, and older adults benefitting from clearing houses to help them navigate the same. Another description of this disconnect was the lack of education and training provided to incarcerated individuals in the clean economy and other viable industries to prepare them for immediate, gainful employment post-release.
Another clear imperative of the panel was to support organizations already doing the work. Nonprofit and grassroots organizations on the ground, in neighborhoods and working with specific, high barrier populations can reach these individuals more effectively. Additionally, these organizations frequently provide more holistic services, meeting basic needs including housing, transportation and other supports to enable historically underserved community members to take advantage of training and employment opportunities.
The community panel described feeling fatigued and disconnected from making a real impact on decision making. When describing the communities they represented, several panel members used the word resilient. As clarified by Executive Director Kiara Reed of Civic Thread and the panel moderator, “When we say something is resilient, we also have to acknowledge that it has been knocked down and that it’s not sustainable.” The panel gave another clear mandate, to have a genuine seat at the table and influence when decisions are being made that affect them. They do not only want their voices to be heard, but also have them meaningfully considered and result in action.
Acknowledging this fatigue, we are incredibly grateful to our panelists who offered their honest thoughts with us once again.
Panelist Bios
(from left to right in recording/photo appearance):
Farmer Alfred Melbourne is owner and operator of Three Sisters Gardens and a longtime resident of West Sacramento. Their mission is to teach at-risk youth how to grow, harvest, and distribute organic vegetables and get the community involved in supporting the at-risk youth population in Yolo County.
Roy Ballard is an Advocacy Fellow at the Center for Employment Opportunities, where he dedicates himself to finding employment and ministry opportunities for individuals impacted by the justice system. He developed a passion for serving others during his incarceration, where he spent 10 years volunteering in faith-based prison recovery programs.
Richard Falcon is a talented local artist who established Teatro Nagual, a group of artists that promote civic engagement utilizing various forms of art. He values community involvement and expresses it through his role as Lead Organizer at United Latinos and has been recognized as one of Sacramento’s Top 25 Latino Change Makers.
James Mayle is a retired law enforcement professional who was born and raised in Sacramento. As a lifelong resident, James is dedicated to encouraging young people to get involved in their communities and become informed citizens.
Janie Rankins-Mayle is also a retired law enforcement professional who was born and raised in Sacramento. Throughout her career, Janie has been actively involved with the local school district and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to being an active member of their community.
Tommy DeLuna is a Life Coach for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a nonprofit that supports formerly incarcerated individuals and advocates for criminal justice reform. Tommy also has experience working in construction. He is dedicated to raising the level of success with each employer and employee that he works for.
Anna Maria Thomas is a student at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento and is part of the Zero Carbon Champion Program, a youth-led climate ambassador program. Leveraging her passion for building a better community by promoting legislation that addresses the needs of our environment, Anna Maria is actively involved in Student Government and Environmental Club, in addition to other clubs at her high school.
Last but not least, a huge thank you to Kiara Reed who facilitated the panel. Kiara is the Executive Director for Civic Thread, a nonprofit planning and advocacy organization focused on achieving health equity in the built environment. Kiara brings over eight years of community engagement and leadership experience and has strong community connections and a vast network across multiple sectors. She leverages her own lived experiences as she works to build equitable outcomes by empowering marginalized voices and championing community-led solutions.
Live Polling Results
As part of the event, Valley Vision used a live polling website called mentimeter in order to gauge perspectives on two important questions to help establish a common vision as we enter the CERF planning process. Highlights from the two questions are below and the full results are available here.
What does it look like to be community-centered?
- Organized and transparent decision-making that allows time for people to understand and the issue and voice their opinions
- Meeting people where they are because each community has varied needs
- When the visible development of a neighborhood reflects the desires, needs, and identity of the people that live and work there
What do you envision for our region when you think about a clean economy?
- Economy focused on and using renewable resources where employees earn livable wages, healthy working conditions, and have opportunities for growth
- Looking throughout the region for reliable long-term solutions. This includes understanding existing partnerships
- Reduced climate impacts with a particular focus on communities and individuals most vulnerable to these impacts
What Comes Next?
We’re looking forward to continuing this work through the Community Economic Resilience Fund. If you are already a part of the coalition, keep an eye out for information as we begin to convene our subregional roundtables. If you haven’t but are interested, please fill out our CERF Interest Form. We also plan to release multiple RFPs to bring in additional partners over the coming months, including:
- Data & Research Lead
- Community Engagement & Tribal Leads
- Capacity Building Lead
- Business and Labor Engagement Leads
- Communications Lead
Economic Development Pilot Projects
Program Background
The state has released the SFP for the Economic Development Pilot Projects program. This program will fund projects that align with the values of the California Jobs First (CERF) program, demonstrate potential uses of California Jobs First (CERF) implementation funds, and are part of a plan approved or adopted by a local or regional entity within the past five years.
The Pilot Projects program is occurring outside of the planning phase and do not require a letter of support from the Collaborative. Projects that are not eligible for pilot funding may still be eligible for funding as part of the California Jobs First (CERF) Planning Phase.
Valley Vision’s Role
As the manager of the Prosperity Strategy — our Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the counties of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba — Valley Vision is sharing information regarding the Pilot Projects and encouraging those with eligible projects to apply. We are also drafting letters of support as requested for all eligible projects.
In December, Valley Vision submitted public comment in response to the initial framework released in November.
Regional Conversation
On January 27, 2023, Valley Vision hosted a regional conversation on the pilot projects to:
- To provide an overview of the California Jobs First (CERF) Economic Development Pilot Projects program and eligibility requirements;
- To provide clarification on the SFP and program guidelines;
- To provide a space for information and knowledge sharing in order to strengthen and best position our region’s proposals;
- To open avenues for potential collaboration.