Fast Pitch Makes Nonprofits the Star of the Show
Collective Power at Work for a Better Community
The power of unified purpose is undeniable. Working collectively in pursuit of common outcomes has over and again proved greater impact than any one organization could have individually. This has long been Valley Vision’s underlying premise. It’s also the driving philosophy of Social Venture Partners of Sacramento, a collective of corporate executives, community leaders, volunteers, philanthropists, and parents who work together to close the chasm between the challenges our communities face today and the society we wish to be tomorrow.
At the core is SVP’s Fast Pitch, an exciting speed contest that gives local nonprofit organizations a chance to win funds to advance their cause. What makes Fast Pitch brilliant and truly community driven is that it teams nonprofit executives with area professionals who work together to craft, coach and hone their presentation “pitch” delivered to a panel of judges. The result is a fast-paced competition involving invested and dedicated individuals who’ve formed a strong bond and deep alliance with the nonprofit they’ve helped prepare. Everyone’s invested.
10 finalists competed this year at Golden 1 Center, each hopeful that the judges would claim their organization the winner of one of three awards of $10,000, $2,000 and $1,000. Presentations were limited to just three minutes and delivered from the floor of G1C in front of an audience of roughly 500 fans cheering for their favorite. With organizations working in youth and adult education, building healthy communities, administering needed social services and delivering innovative learning projects, choosing just three was no easy decision.
Every team needs a coach
Valley Vision’s director of strategy & evaluation Evan Schmidt paired up with Daniel Kaufman of Third Plateau as pitch coaches to Ashley Simon from Roseville Home Start. Their job was to help Ashley deliver the best possible 3-minute pitch on why her nonprofit was more deserving than the competitors. Like the other nine teams, Evan and Daniel worked with Ashley over weeks, helping to craft her message and delivery. In this way, coaches become as invested in winning as their nonprofit partner. The experience—which both cited as highly rewarding—gave Evan and Daniel a platform to elevate their own impact for area nonprofits in a very applied, real way.
The competition was fierce
Presenters from Lilliput Family Services, the Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home, and the LGBT Center of Sacramento kicked off their pitches with a narrative detailing the impact that their organizations make for individuals and families. Children’s Choice for Hearing and Talking Center of Sacramento and 3Strands Global both shared testimony describing how personal life experiences inspired them to lead their respective organizations. City Year Sacramento energized the crowd with a “power greeting”, a clapping and chanting ritual that welcomes elementary students to school each day, while Fairy Tale Town vividly described their unique experience that countless children in our region have enjoyed since 1959.
Rundown on the results
First place was awarded to 3Strands Global Foundation, which works to combat human trafficking through education, reintegration, and mobilization. The second place winner was the Children’s Choice for Hearing and Talking Center of Sacramento (CCHAT), which teaches children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and develop a spoken language. KidsFirst, the third place winner, treats and prevents child abuse and neglect through education, advocacy and counseling services.
Wait, there’s more.Blanket Marketing Group selected Juma Ventures to receive their Movie Star Advertising Package, and the Ultimate Brand Package went to CCHAT Sacramento. Social Venture Partners also provided Social Media Maven Packages to each of the ten finalists. 3Strands Global was also awarded the Mayor’s Award to meet with Mayor Darrell Steinberg, and KJ2 Productions and Third Plateau Strategies chose CCHAT Sacramento for the Amplified Impact Award. OE Consulting chose the Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento for the Organization Transformation Award, and the Sacramento LGBT Center, CELI Inc., Lilliput Families, and Sierra Nevada Journeys received the American Advertising Federation FreeThink Award.
Last minute plot twist
With so many organizations providing much needed services for at-risk, LGBTQ and foster youth and young adults, it’s an impossible task to narrow down 10 finalists to just three winners. Apparently someone in the audience felt the same way. City Year Sacramento didn’t make the judges’ final cut, but was able to raise $2,000+ during the event from donors in the audience. But that’s not the end of the story. Just as Fast Pitch was coming to a close it was announced that an anonymous donor was so moved by City Year CEO Jeff Owen’s presentation that they would commit $15,000 to fund one year of service for a student success ambassador over the next three years. That’s a grand total of $47,000 for City Year, an impressive result for not being a top finalist.
Fast Pitch has awarded area nonprofits over $100,000 in funds and $50,000 in services
Social Venture Partners Sacramento was established in 2008 and has worked to unite the power of the business community with the passion of the nonprofit world ever since. SVP’s Fast Pitch is an extraordinary platform to learn about area nonprofit organizations making a difference, to become inspired by their work and impact, and to contribute yourself to making our communities stronger, more connected and more compassionate. Valley Vision was proud to partner in this year’s Fast Pitch and commends all the region’s nonprofit leaders, staff and those who support them in their work to improve people’s lives.
To learn more about SVP visit www.svpsacramento.org
Ruben Moody is Valley Vision’s Communications Intern.
International Delegation Will be Looking for Trade, Research, Partners
By Mark Anderson – Staff Writer, Sacramento Business Journal
An international delegation for entrepreneurship and innovation will tour Northern California this fall, ending with a week-long tour of Davis and Sacramento to study advanced food and agricultural business ecosystems.
The tour will also focus on innovation, science and research, said Trish Kelly, managing director of the local research and advocacy group Valley Vision. “This is food and ag in a big sense.”
This is the first time the Americas Competitiveness Exchange has visited Northern California. The 50 members of its tour group will include government ministers, academics and entrepreneurs looking to forge trade, business ties and research partnerships, she said.
“These events are very focused on outcomes. They want to make connections,” Kelly said.
The tour group will include members from Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, as well as Germany and Israel.
The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, which is based in Davis, is a primary sponsor of the tour, along with Valley Vision.
Some of the highlights of the local tour will be the University of California Davis, the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Sciences and Golden 1 Center, as well as some local food companies, beverage purveyors and briefings on local food systems, Kelly said.
Read full article on the Sacramento Business Journal website.
A New Beginning for Patrick Guild
Experts in All Things is something that Evan Schmidt and I started one day as a way of messing with our co-workers. It is a very real research organization (similar, but far superior to Valley Vision) that exists to learn a creepy amount about the behavior and mannerisms of our coworkers. We would put on comical glasses and then present our observations to the staff as some kind of roast and tribute to our colleagues. It is some kind of weird joke/serious birthday present that lets them all know that we are scrutinizing them heavily and we know little things about them – like how many times they got angry in all of 2016, or what kind of insane snacks they ate at their desks. It sums up my time at Valley Vision perfectly. It’s nerdy, but it’s fun and informed, and it pushes just the right amount of buttons.
But what kind of person would do that for fun?
Is it the same kind of person that would show up to an office everyday to do research projects and create large presentations/documents/media products on frustratingly slow Internet? Or the same kind of person that would choose to work in a building with no windows and bad a/c, that backs up to a busy alley, and is next to a recycling center where glass is being shattered ALL. DAY. LONG?
It’s exactly that kind of person.
As I found out after three years in that weird, stressful, fulfilling, confusing, and challenging environment, there are a lot of incredibly smart, dedicated, and compassionate people in this region that will deal with those conditions. There are people that are more than willing to show up day after day to work in any conditions necessary to make the Sacramento Capital Region the most livable region in the world. They’re doing it for those who live here now, and those whom will live here next. And it’s not only the people who work in that building – it’s the people who visit that building. It’s the lawmakers, the business leaders, the organizers, the activators, and the influencers. It’s the company that Valley Vision keeps.
But in the process of becoming the people that we want to be, we have to do some jumping around, and it’s time for me to go in a different direction. In December, I accepted a role with the Metro Chamber Foundation as a Program Specialist working on the Thousand Strong internship program and the Metro EDGE young professionals program. When I was made aware of the opening, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to use the skills I’d developed and relationships I’d formed to pay back the greatest gift I’d ever been given – the opportunity that comes from internships. I started as an intern with Valley Vision, and worked my way to Office Manager/Executive Assistant/Project Lead/Handyman/Director of Office Hijinks. It gave my ambition direction, and set me on a path of continual improvement and exploration. It got me in front of the right people and changed the way I think.
So that’s a wrap. My time with Valley Vision has come to an end. In the last three years there, I learned how to balance work and life by completing my Bachelors in Business from Drexel University while working fulltime. I learned about leadership as a Fellow of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders, Class VIII, and how to manage up by being the boss’ assistant. I’ve booked a thousand meetings, and I’ve rocked ‘em all. I’ve been a guest speaker, been on review panels, written grant applications, travelled for work, burnt the midnight oil, rubbed elbows, and accidently unloaded the contents of a Lagunitas keg all over the office (long story). I’ve conquered old fears, developed new anxieties, and have had an endless amount of other new experiences.
While I am not now, nor will I ever be an Expert in All Things, I am somewhat, kind of, a little bit, experienced in some things, and that’s because I had the good fortune of being part of the Valley Vision family. Thanks for everything.
Patrick Guild was Officer Manager/Executive Assistant at Valley Vision from February 2015 through January 2018.
Taking Your Career to the #NextLevel
Supporting Young Professionals Through Conversations, Inspiration, and a Few Mimosas
Valley Vision project coordinators Alejandra Gallegos and I attended Northern California’s largest conference for emerging leaders – the 2018 Emerge Summit on March 1st, an annual event produced by Metro Edge, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber Foundation. We were among hundreds of young professionals from Washington to Los Angeles, who descended into downtown Sacramento to listen, connect, and become inspired to take our careers to the next level.
Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, at only 27 years old, delivered the most vibrant exchange and kicked off a day of profound speakers. Alejandra, a Stockton native, agreed with Tubbs’ remarks on “the importance of not despising small beginnings.” She liked that he emphasized how easy it is to become frustrated at the start of a career when many are hungry for experience, responsibilities, and growing quickly—something many young professionals struggle with and often face in their careers. Alejandra admires Tubbs’ resiliency and persistence displayed throughout his political career, which he claims stem from his own “small beginnings.”
With several different sessions happening throughout the day, Alejandra and I first made our way over to “Engaging Broad Audiences with Mimosas.” This session was an entertaining and candid conversation between Christine Calvin of the Crocker Art Museum, Tonja Candelaria of the Sacramento Zoo, Emily Williams of the Sacramento River Cats, and Tracie Popma of the Sacramento Public Library. Moderated by Tina Reynolds of Uptown Studios, the women laughed and commiserated on the daily challenges they faced implementing PR strategies for the region and shared advice on how best to connect with broad audiences. We observed that of this panel of six dynamic women, all who hold top leadership roles focused on marketing strategies to the region’s diverse populations, none were representative of the diverse backgrounds they wish to reach. The panel admitted and recognized this dichotomy, and attributed their success in connecting to these audiences has been in part due to their dedication to empowering minority leaders and the work those leaders do. They explained that they could not claim to fully understand the culture of the demographics they are working with without including them on their team.
The panel discussed how young leaders, and organizations alike, should consider diversity as they grow. How do you address the “white elephant”? How can you best work towards inclusive community outreach? What steps can you take toward improving this system?” Altogether, these women are self-motivated leaders in their industries and were able to bring forward their experiences, giving the audience perspective and insight into the complexities of marketing and public relations.
We also stopped in the “Accelerate Your Career to the Next Level” breakout, hosted by Chris Dito, Senior Director of Career Development at University of California Davis Graduate School of Management. This session concentrated on professionally leveling up through social media platforms and the assertion that this avenue is no longer just for personal leisure. With first impressions now made at the click of a button, utilizing these tools has become imperative to invest in a professional future. Dito suggests making your accounts as dynamic as your personality—be charismatic, powerful and warm—do not stop at the general labels provided as descriptors, or follow cookie cutter instructions when marketing yourself.
For young professionals like us, it can sometimes feel daunting to enter the workforce; the notion that young adults lack wisdom and experience inhibits many from excelling early in their careers. However, Caliph Assagai, motivational speaker and Emerge emcee, stated at the closing of the event, “Fear of failure has killed more dreams than fear itself.”
The Emerge Summit spotlighted what empowerment can look like and how young professionals can take control of their careers. Overall this was a very constructive and exciting day. As staff members of Valley Vision, an organization dedicated to and passionate about making the region one of the most livable in the nation, Alejandra and I left feeling motivated and enthusiastic about investing in ourselves and careers.
We appreciate the sponsors and the nineteen organizations that came together to host the breakout sessions for supporting attendees’ goals to become active and engaged young professionals in the region. Also, a big thank you to Metro EDGE and Sacramento Metro Chamber Foundation for hosting such an astounding event for Sacramento and Northern California. We can’t wait for Emerge 2019!
Also a big thank you to Alejandra Gallegos who helped me put this together. Her writing is blended throughout this piece and would not have been possible without her insight and assistance.
Emma Koefoed is a Valley Vision Project Associate contributing to the 21st Century Workforce and Healthy Communities strategies.
Alejandra Gallegos is a Valley Vision Project Associate contributing to the Clean Economy and Healthy Communities strategies.
Traffic Congestion, Road Conditions Top Residents’ List of Most Pressing Transportation Concerns
New research shows 69% of respondents drive alone all or most of the time
SACRAMENTO, CA — Valley Vision and Sacramento State’s Institute for Social Research (ISR) released findings today from a public opinion survey that captured regional attitudes on transportation. Respondents overwhelmingly say that reducing traffic congestion is the region’s most serious transportation issue and the main reason to invest in transportation improvements.
When asked how important transportation infrastructure is to the region’s job and business growth, 93 percent of respondents reported it being ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ important. At the same time, 28 percent cited traffic congestion as a major barrier to obtaining or getting to work and another 20 percent said it was ‘somewhat’ of a barrier. From a jobs perspective, a long commute was seen as a ‘major’ (22 percent) or ‘somewhat’ of a barrier (19 percent) to obtaining employment.
This public opinion survey is the second in an ongoing series of studies conducted by Valley Vision and ISR that gathers insights into residents’ views about a variety of regional issues affecting quality of life and livability. The polls provide independent opinion research on matters important to the region’s future health and prosperity.
“The findings of this transportation poll offer valuable information to local policy makers on investments and priorities for advancing transportation and mobility infrastructure for our communities at a time when improvements are of increasing importance,” said Valley Vision chief executive Bill Mueller. “Valley Vision believes that having a greater understanding of residents’ transportation uses, needs and challenges will serve to better direct regional planning and goal-setting.”
Top-level findings from the transportation poll include:
- Respondents feel transportation is critically important to the region’s business and job growth.
- The majority of respondents view transportation as a problem in the region and feel worse about conditions today than they did in 2014.
- Traffic congestion and conditions on roads and freeways were cited as today’s most notable problems, while 69 percent of respondents said they drive alone all or most of the time.
- For those who do not use public transportation options, the main reasons are that it takes too long, stops are too far from home or destination, or people have safety concerns.
“Considering that two-thirds of respondents cited they drive alone all or most of the time, focusing on road improvements alone is an incomplete solution,” Mueller noted. “Residents, transportation planners, and decision-makers must look at a broad suite of solutions capable of reducing congestion as the region plans for transportation improvements and investments.”
Findings suggest a willingness to increase use of public transportation if service frequency was improved and if there was more service near their home or end destination, two leading factors respondents named as barriers to public transportation use.
“Capitalizing on residents’ willingness to increase use of public transit is imperative to congestion relief strategies,” said Henry Li, Sacramento Regional Transit District General Manager/CEO. “As the region’s population continues to grow, our ability to coordinate planning, inject new investment, and assert needed policy actions are all vital to delivering public transit that serves residents’ needs today and in the future.”
“This research provides high-value information that will be helpful in framing the next Metropolitan Transportation Plan—supporting regional leadership to proactively address these expressed public priorities, values, and trends,” said SACOG CEO James Corless.
The transportation survey is the second in a series of studies being conducted by Valley Vision and ISR, a unique public opinion research program being fielded at a regional level. The first poll on civic amenities was released in June 2017. The next poll will gauge resident attitudes and preferences on livability factors and community values, scheduled for release in the spring.
The transportation survey respondent group consisted of 788 residents in Sacramento County and specific zip codes in Yolo, Placer and El Dorado, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter, and Yuba counties, with a margin of error of +/-4.7.
“Understanding local perspectives is critical to building responsive solutions,” said ISR Executive Director Shannon Williams. “Utilizing our state-of-the-art CalSPEAKS survey methodology allows ISR to serve the public interest by informing policy and catalyzing community conversation.”
###
Study Finds Workforce Shortage in Construction Sector
New research shows projected shortage of more than 7,000 workers annually over next five years
SACRAMENTO, CA — Valley Vision and the Center of Excellence at Los Rios Community College District released research findings today assessing the needs of the construction industry cluster, including a comprehensive workforce assessment.
“The impact of the recession that began in the late 2000s has cast a long shadow on the construction industry in California and its regions,” said Aaron Wilcher, Director of the Center of Excellence. “Unlike other sectors, overall construction value has not returned to pre-recession levels when residential construction was especially hard hit.”
Top-level findings from the research include:
- The construction cluster contributes about $34.8 billion in industry output, 221,300 jobs and $17.4 billion in labor income to the Sacramento region.
- For every job created in the construction cluster, 1.2 jobs are created elsewhere in the economy.
- The region is woefully undersupplied in terms of the number of skilled workers available.
- Workforce shortages pose a critical concern for the region and the industry.
- Occupations with the largest shortages include carpenters, construction managers, electricians, real estate professionals, and heavy equipment operators, engineers, and plumbers and pipefitters.
- Other occupational pain points include estimators, sheet metal workers, HVAC installers and mechanics, and welders.
- The construction industry provides numerous career opportunities in well-jobs; career awareness is one challenge industry faces in attracting workers.
These and other findings were revealed today to more than one hundred attendees at a forum in Rocklin where Valley Vision facilitated discussion with education, workforce and industry partners around critical skills gaps, projected employment needs, education and training resources, and supply gaps. An employer panel discussion included participants from the Associated Building Contractors of NorCal, the North State Building Industry Foundation, Otto Construction, the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104, Teichert Construction, and Villara Building Solutions. The event was also a forum for gathering input on how to align and coordinate a regional workforce system that betters supports the construction industry cluster and to explore how system leaders can partner in ways that best address industry challenges.
“As part of our mission to support a 21st-century talent pipeline for the Capital Region, we partnered with the Los Rios Center of Excellence on this groundbreaking analysis of the construction industry,” explained Valley Vision CEO Bill Mueller. “The forum that followed gave industry leaders an opportunity to weigh key findings and to identify priorities for education and workforce programs, Strong Workforce investments, and new partnerships to better meet industry needs for this important sector of our economy.”
Valley Vision’s interest is to better understand the occupational gap impacts on construction and its sub-clusters and to provide a starting point for engaging employers around workforce development strategy and joint action planning. This research provides vital information to educational institutions, construction industry employers, and regional workforce stakeholders, who are now better positioned to work together in planning investments, coordinating training and recruitment, and addressing short and long-term employment challenges.
The research was made possible by the generous support of JPMorgan Chase & Co, the Los Rios Community College District, the Sacramento Employment & Training Agency, Golden Sierra Job Training Agency, North Central Counties Consortium, and Yolo Workforce Innovation Board.
###
For 25 years and with offices in Sacramento and Stockton, Valley Vision has brought people together from across a political and geographic spectrum to design solutions to big regional problems. Valley Vision is a trusted interpreter, commentator, forecaster and work partner for community inspired solutions and widely recognized as a leading research, civic planning and action agency that takes an independent and systemic approach to economic, social, and environmental issues.
What Are You Hopeful for in 2018?
The New Year is upon us – read on for thoughts, predictions, and wishes on what Valley Vision staff hope will come to pass in 2018.
Kari Hakker: “I am hopeful for peace, grace, love, health, and wellness in 2018.”
Tammy Cronin: “I’m hopeful for new opportunities and challenges in 2018 as well as many travel adventures!”
Emma Koefoed:
- To travel somewhere new at least twice
- Run a marathon
- The rise of equality for women
- One less year of the current administration
- Read a few good books
Meg Arnold: “I am hopeful that friends and family currently facing personal challenges will find strength, resolution and peace during 2018.”
Adrian Rehn: “I hope for the world to become just a little bit more aware of the need to work together in addressing our collective challenges.”
Alejandra Gallegos: “I am hopeful for fun times.”
Evan Schmidt: “The world to get more sane, the region to get plenty of rain, and to go someplace cool on a plane (or train!).”
Patrick Guild: “The continued prosperity of Valley Vision and the Capital Region in 2018 and beyond!”
Alan Lange: “I am hopeful that I will clean up my desk at some point in 2018.”
Jennifer Romero: “I am hopeful for a peaceful and uneventful year in these tumultuous times. Let’s hope nothing BIGLY happens!”
Christine Ault: “I am hopeful that Oprah will run in 2020.”
Agplus Generates New Ideas for Access to Capital
What can funders – bankers, lenders, government program administrators, fund managers, and others – do to help California’s vital food and agriculture businesses more easily access capital?
Over 65 leaders from business, finance, government, and the nonprofit sector gathered at the AgPlus Funders Forum on December 12th to address the critical issue of access to capital, hosted at the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources offices in Davis.
Meg Arnold, Managing Director of Valley Vision, kicked off the Forum, calling on attendees to leverage other leaders in the room, and to liberally share best practices. She then introduced Justin Emmi with Chase Bank – a presenting sponsor of the event – who specializes in agribusiness and food banking for nearly the entire State of California.
Glenda Humiston, Vice President of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), provided the keynote address and set goals for the day. She described the work done to organize, categorize, and describe different types of financing for California businesses, resulting in the California Financial Opportunities Roundtable’s (CalFOR) 2012 Access to Capital publication. For years, this comprehensive guidebook has been the best resource available for information about financing and community investment in California. The CalFOR team is currently working on a 2018 update, which will include additional innovative and creative financing strategies that have arisen since 2012. The AgPlus Funders Forum is an important step toward collecting these innovative models and strategies for inclusion in the next iteration of this fantastic resource!
Following the keynote, a panel of experts spoke about the challenges they face in supporting or lending to food and ag businesses. Carrie Ellinwood, Lead Lender Relations Specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration, observed that her SBA district is up 300 loans in the last year, and that average loan sizes are increasing, strongly indicating the need for more support programs for smaller businesses. Ismael Herrera, Associate Director of the Office of Community and Economic Development at Fresno State, talked about the interest that Silicon Valley is taking in the San Joaquin Valley, and the opportunities that provides to food, ag, and agtech businesses. Catherine Howard, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Northern California Community Loan Fund, noted that borrowers often need meaningful assistance in addition to, and complementing, financial resources, which could help accelerate projects to market more quickly. Marc Nemanic, Executive Director & Chief Credit Officer at 3CORE, pointed out that entrepreneurship among millennials is made even more challenging due to deep student loan burdens, and that this area is not being addressed by existing business support programs.
During the afternoon, participants took part in four working sessions based on key areas of opportunity identified in the original CalFOR report, addressing a set of questions designed to identify tangible next steps:
Session #1: Supporting Economic Development: What are the emerging best practices in support of economic development in California’s communities? Are roles changing, are tools being added or updated? What hurdles, either in policy or in practice, are slowing progress, and how can they best be mitigated? This session will identify current and emerging examples, such as CALED’s statewide revolving loan fund, as well as the use of appropriate metrics to assess local economic development work.
Session #2: Supporting Small Business & Micro Enterprises: The smallest businesses in any community can be among the most challenging to both identify and then to serve, including access to capital. What is proving most effective in supporting these businesses, and what challenges remain?
Session #3: Effective Intermediaries: A variety of intermediaries already help to “close the gap,” offering access to capital with different terms and structures intended to expand its accessibility. What policy constraints do intermediaries face, and what changes would strengthen the roles they fill?
Session #4: Regional Finance Fund: Targeted financing vehicles, often defined in terms of regional or industry focus, can fill critical gaps while also providing funders a means of “investing in Main Street” to support local economic growth. What might a Regional Finance Fund supporting food and agriculture in the Central Valley look like? How has the California FreshWorks Fund evolved in the five years since its founding, and what lessons does its experience, as well as that of similar funds, provide?
Group participants then reported out to the full group and had an in-depth discussion around next steps in each of these areas. The CalFOR team is synthesizing the information gathered and preparing it for inclusion in the forthcoming 2018 CalFOR update intended to be a leading-edge resource for California’s entrepreneurs, businesses, and governments in securing financing.
For food and ag businesses and nonprofits who want to participate in the conversation around innovative financing structures, we invite you to join us for two AgPlus events on January 30th. The first event will take place in Woodland, and will feature a morning panel discussion around the importance of establishing an Ag Innovation Hub in Northern California, in proximity to UC Davis. The second event, in the afternoon, serves as the West Coast launch of Harvesting Opportunity: The Power of Regional Food System Investments to Transform Communities. This new publication from USDA and the Federal Reserve Bank delivers the latest insights on innovative strategies and resources to:
- Supporting the next generation of farmers and food economy entrepreneurs
- Models for collaboration between policymakers, practitioners, and the financial community
- Research addressing how to improve regional food systems
- Strategies for improving food access and security
Please register for both events to join Valley Vision, the AgPlus Consortium, and our local partners in contributing to this important work. Let’s support our vital food and ag businesses and nonprofits!
The Central Valley AgPlus Food and Beverage Manufacturing Consortium is managed by Valley Vision (Sacramento region), the Office of Community and Economic Development at CSU Fresno (San Joaquin Valley), and the Center for Economic Development at CSU Chico (North State) as part of a federal designation as a manufacturing communities partnership, or “IMCP.” This work is funded by the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) to drive growth in the region’s food economy.
Adrian Rehn is a Valley Vision Project Manager leading the Cleaner Air Partnership and managing the organization’s communications.
What Are You Grateful for in 2017?
It’s that time of year again!
Every Holiday season, Valley Vision staff reflect on what we have been grateful for over the past year. It’s an annual tradition, and we are excited to share our reflections with you. Thank you!
Tammy Cronin: “I am thankful for my awesome coworkers, and the opportunity that we have to make this a great place to work, live and play.”
Emma Koefoed: “Grateful for a new job, new friends, and to have spent the summer traveling.”
Patrick Guild: “Happy, as always, for great family, friends, colleagues, and to live in such a beautiful part of the world.”
Bill Mueller: “As I grow older I am most thankful for my family — immediate and extended.”
Kari Hakker: “Every day I harbor a goldmine of gratitude for everything around me; especially the things I often take for granted like clean water, safe food, my health, electricity, family, strong values, the ability to learn, love, read, think, see, hear, smell, talk, touch, teach, and laughter!”
Alejandra Gallegos: “I am thankful for all the learning and growth opportunities I have experienced this year, the opportunity to able to work towards social improvement in my hometown, and for the exposure to the strong and inspiring work ethic from the Valley Vision family. Most importantly, I am grateful for the kind individuals who I have the pleasure of interacting with on a consistent basis.”
Anessa Chacon:
- “I’m grateful to have be given the opportunity to work in a place as accepting and wholesome to work at like Valley Vision.
- I’m grateful to have such a wonderful family whom I hold dearly.
- I’m grateful to be here on earth with all of you.”
Evan Schmidt: “I’m grateful for my family and supportive and fun communities at home and at work.”
Adrian Rehn: “I am grateful for a fantastic year of personal growth, accomplishment, and awareness.”
Trish Kelly: “I am grateful that I live and work in a region where many wonderful partners are working together to support inclusive growth and prosperity for all, drive innovative approaches to our shared complex challenges, and help our region be a model for a healthy and clean workforce economy. To quote our partner Brian Bedford (Align Capital Region) “we are better together.”
Robyn Krock: “I am grateful for dogs. And my family’s health. Maybe not in that order.”
Lucie-Anne Radimsky: “I am grateful for:
- Nature and simple pleasures.
- My family and true friends.
- My health and those of my loved ones.”
Jennifer Romero: “I am grateful and lucky to have an amazing wife who supports and encourages me to pursue my dreams. I am grateful for my family who without them I couldn’t be who I am, and to the furry babies in our lives who complete our family circle.”
Alan Lange: “I’m grateful for my family. Both my wife and my son have a knack for making every day even brighter.”
Christine Ault: “I’m grateful that my path lead me to Sacramento, a small and connected community full of bright, passionate people with good intentions and big aspirations.”
Meg Arnold: “I’m grateful for soup, and for all the colleagues who make fun of my eating it every single day.”
Growing Entrepreneurial Communities
In the last week of November, 2017, a group of thought-leaders on entrepreneur-led economic development from across the nation gathered in Kansas City for a gathering called Growing Entrepreneurial Communities.
What is entrepreneur-led economic development? It is the idea that the creation of businesses by entrepreneurs is the most sustainable and equitable way to facilitate economic prosperity in any community, no matter the size. But, enabling entrepreneurship involves an “ecosystem” approach – or the development of a rich support system for entrepreneurs, led by entrepreneurs, and supported by community organizations, economic developers, workforce, government, education, and others.
This gathering was hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and SourceLink, and supported by the Kauffman Foundation – all entities that are focused on supporting entrepreneurship and economic development. The ~30 leaders who attended came from small communities or networks, such as the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, national or international networks, such as the International Economic Development Council and the National Center for Economic Gardening, and educational and research entities who are interested in supporting entrepreneurship, such as Brookings and the Institute for Work and the Economy at DePaul University in Chicago. These far flung entities all have something in common – advancing the way local entities can both support entrepreneurship and document and measure the ways that entrepreneurs are transforming communities across the nation for the better.
Some of the key take aways from the gathering:
- There is a committed network of practitioners working throughout the country to build, advance, track, and measure entrepreneurial ecosystem success.
- The core goal is to create wealth and equity within communities and regions by supporting entrepreneurs.
- A high impact action that the group is pursuing is a paradigm shift for economic development practitioners, from a focus on talent recruitment to entrepreneurship ecosystem development. Credentialing, continuing education for economic developers, and advancing research and metrics that show a relationship between local economic prosperity and entrepreneurship are all strategies that the group is pursuing.
- This small group gathering supported the development of larger Growing Entrepreneurial Communities Summit in April 2018 to bring together more communities from across the nation to explore these topics further.
Valley Vision has a vested interest and strong role is supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Capital region. Through our work on SlingShot, Valley Vision has managed, for the four regional Workforce Development Boards (SETA, Golden Sierra, North Central Counties Consortium, and Yolo), efforts to grow entrepreneurial supports here. In Spring 2017, through SlingShot, SETA released $750K to support entrepreneurs and develop an online resource locator for services that support the region’s entrepreneurs. These services and the locator will help grow our communities’ entrepreneurs by creating new mentorship services, new physical spaces, and make support services more accessible and transparent for users.
Sacramento has seen increased activity for entrepreneurs – two immediate examples are the opening of a new space by Urban Hive and the recent expansion of Hacker Lab in Rocklin. Gatherings like this one in Kansas City help us learn what is working in other communities and help communicate our success to others across the country.
Evan Schmidt is Valley Vision’s Director of Strategy and Evaluation.
707 Is Rising
Region Rising. That’s what Valley Vision branded our first-ever regional town hall back in 2015, produced with our government partner SACOG.
But it wasn’t this innovative conference that drew 1,000 participants that kept coming to my mind at last week’s California Economic Summit in San Diego. It was a single region. The counties of Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa, Lake, and Solano now working jointly. People and institutions rising after the wildfires that killed 43, destroyed 8,400 structures, and laid waste to a land mass equal to the size of 13 cities – each the size of San Francisco.
A special session organized by Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore one evening drew dozens of political and business leaders from across the state, matched by their own school, business, government and community service leadership. We sat in a circle, looking eye-to-eye at each other, seeking to understand the extent of the damage to lives and property, and what was needed next. The stories were riveting.
One story hit me deeply: A mother admonishing her teenage son on his way home from college to keep his eyes on the road when driving down Highway 101. The devastation is so jarring, drivers get fixated on the apocalyptic scene, lose track of where they are, and crash into each other. Another: A wife and husband, already struggling to make ends meet, pay their mortgage bill this month on a house that is now an ash heap.
While you couldn’t help but be deeply moved by countless stories of personal loss and suffering, the conversation didn’t stay there long. The focus instead was on action.
Attending as a friend of Sonoma County leaders and as co-chair of the California Stewardship Network, it was clear to me that this is not a disaster impacting a few, but instead thousands. Area residents are making decisions now (or over the next few weeks) about whether they will stay and rebuild their lives or leave the area or even the state. I asked Supervisor Gore, “How are you and others staying in touch with residents to know their needs and to make decisions based on real-time information?”
His response drew the room quiet, “Our first action was to teach community organizing,” he said. “In town hall meetings attended by hundreds of people across the fire-impacted areas we placed big blown-up maps of the cities on easels and trained people to organize at the block level to form a support network,” Gore explained. Neighbors selected their own leaders to support and serve them. People stepped up. Communication is disseminated instantly using Facebook or Twitter… emerging needs are raised. “It’s just how we do things in Sonoma County,” Supervisor Gore said matter-of-factly. “I stay in touch with these new community leaders – we all do…” as he looked around the room.
In the wake of events like these, I was reminded again of the very best aspects of humankind. Selfless acts. Neighbor helping neighbor. Government moving smartly and swiftly to provide the right safety net services to those who need it most, coordinating closely with nonprofits doing the same. Businesses mobilizing and rebuilding, providing both the philanthropy and investment capital necessary for forward progress. More real-world proof of the power of networks to improve people’s lives.
The devastation is also driving unprecedented conversations and collaboration across city and county boundaries. California, the nation-state, is actually a state of regions – areas with distinct but connected economies, transportation networks, workforce, and food systems, all interlaced. It’s a truth upon which the California Economic Summit is based and policy advanced.
I witnessed this again and again over two days with my peers from across California on affordable housing, water and workforce, punctuated this year by new needs rising from the wine country fires. These local leaders aren’t talking about rebuilding communities that once were, but instead seizing this awful moment to accelerate well-thought-out plans that pre-existed the fires to transform their communities to be more prosperous, just and sustainable – but 5-15 years faster than earlier envisioned. They need the State’s help to do so, and the State is responding.
We will see this on display when the California Economic Summit is held in Sonoma County next fall. They will have much to teach us about resiliency.
James Gore ended the meeting with a comment that this region might be called “707” for short after the area code that covers them all. Short. Memorable. Everyone smiled.
707 is rising.
Bill Mueller was Chief Executive of Valley Vision.
Visit Sacramento & Valley Vision Announce New Farm-to-Fork Partnership
Organizations will work in tandem to promote and grow the region’s food and agricultural efforts
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Visit Sacramento announced today that it will partner with regional leadership organization Valley Vision to enhance the Sacramento region’s America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital identity.
Visit Sacramento took on the development of a program around farm-to-fork after the region was declared America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital in 2012. Since that time, the destination marketing organization has led the effort to grow farm-to-fork into a year-round national identity that has been embraced throughout the greater Sacramento area. Over the last five years, Visit Sacramento has shared the region’s farm-to-fork story with tour operators, visitors and travel media across the country, while helping to guide local programs and endeavors that bring farm-to-fork to life for the community.
“When we set out to make a year-round initiative around farm-to-fork, we never would have believed how far the concept would have come in just five years,” said Visit Sacramento President and CEO Mike Testa. “As we moved into our fifth year, we were looking for a strategic partner that could help us take farm-to-fork to the next level. The partnership with Valley Vision will allow Visit Sacramento to concentrate on our strength areas of sales and marketing, while Valley Vision simultaneously continues the growth of the program in other areas.”
In its new role, Valley Vision will work to extend the reach and impact of farm-to-fork, with the organization taking over Visit Sacramento’s farm-to-fork committees and expanding the network of partners, continuing research work around regional food and agriculture, and helping to facilitate solutions to related issues. Visit Sacramento will continue to lead marketing for the region’s farm-to-fork identity, along with hosting the annual Legends of Wine event, Farm-to-Fork Festival and Tower Bridge Dinner in September. Proceeds from the Tower Bridge Dinner will also continue to be used to fund initiatives such as the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services’ fresh produce drive and the Visit Sacramento CAMP scholarship at Sacramento State.
“We are excited to lift up all the people, the data, and the inspirational stories that make us the nation’s farm-to-fork capital,” said Valley Vision CEO Bill Mueller. “By drawing on Valley Vision’s two decades of work supporting the growth of the food and agriculture sector – from close ties with local farmers, restaurateurs and food access organizations to statewide associations and our ties to federal agencies, Valley Vision can bring additional breadth and depth to this initiative.”
###
About Visit Sacramento
Visit Sacramento is a non-profit, destination marketing organization funded by the City of Sacramento, the County of Sacramento a local hotel self-assessment and business membership throughout the greater Sacramento region. As the premier economic development and services organization for the region’s convention and tourism industry, Visit Sacramento develops and executes sales, marketing and customer service programs to help strengthen the regional economy, as well as the bottom lines of our member businesses and marketing partners. Brands operating under the Visit Sacramento umbrella include America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital, Sacramento Sports Commission (Sac Sports), Sacramento365 (a joint partnership with Convention & Cultural Services and the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission), Sacramento Film Commission (Film Sacramento) and Sac Event Crew.
About Valley Vision
Valley Vision has inspired change for a better, more livable future across California’s capital region for more than two decades. Using our expertise in research and collaborative strategies, along with our expert knowledge of the region’s food and agriculture sector that we’ve built over two decades, Valley Vision has long been committed to growing the many assets found in our local food economy. We work on a variety of food system initiatives and are known as a regional leader in food, agriculture and related health systems. Valley Vision led the creation of the Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan, the region’s roadmap for advancing the food system, and we are the regional lead for the federal designation of the Central Valley as a manufacturing community, AgPlus Food and Beverage Manufacturing Consortium. Our initiatives focus on pioneering innovations to make food and ag sustainable, healthy, productive and accessible, from strengthening our agricultural heritage to expanding our food processing and manufacturing sector to helping increase markets for local goods.