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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.

Patrick racing to pick up cotton balls with a plastic spoon while blindfolded

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.

Overcoming Student Barriers Through Technology Integration

On February 21st and February 22nd, the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) hosted its annual School2Home Leadership Academy in Downtown Los Angeles. The goal of the Academy is to encourage continued executive school leadership to close both the School Achievement Gap and Digital Divide collaboratively. With support from CETF, Valley Vision assists Leataata Floyd Elementary (LFE) to implement its School2Home program. The school serves the Marina Vista and Alder Grove communities, two public housing projects near downtown Sacramento where residents face significant barriers to upward mobility. The School2Home program provides helps integrate technology in the classroom at the elementary school level, and supports teachers, students and families to improve digital literacy and learning outcomes.

Leataata Floyd Elementary continues to be a one-of-a-kind institution implementing School2Home – being the only school in Sacramento and the only elementary school state wide. As such, LFE has embarked on an ambitious and targeted goal. While at the School2Home Leadership Academy, a myriad of best practices were shared as were opportunities to interact with educational leaders from Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and other schools from across the state.  LFE left the Leadership Academy with a delineated action plan to increase the implementation impact of School2Home as well as a respective self-assessment tool. Some of the targeted actions LFE will be implementing include growing teachers’ capacity to integrate technology into all levels of teaching and learning, as well as using a variety of technology/web based platforms to support teacher collaboration and communication. This means LFE and Valley Vision will be working to implement further support for the teachers, including on-site coaching on the role technology can play in supporting learning outcomes and integrating technology into the way teachers collaborate with each other. Attendees were provided with the opportunity to participate through a web-based back channel. After partaking in this experience, it became clear that teachers can utilize technology in the way they collaborate and communicate with each other, which serves as an effective method to embed technology into school, instead of technology being siloed and compartmentalized, used solely by the students during certain hours.

During the self-assessment using this model, it became clear that LFE is making an effort in the augmentation and redefinition portion of the model with student showcases, but we are still in the initial stages of fully realizing the potential of the model.

Kenneth Shelton, an educator of over 14 years turned Global Keynote Specialist and Educational Technology Strategist for EdTechTeam, provided an inspirational talk. He discussed various pressing issues in the educational system, including the importance of having technology embedded in teaching and a matching rigor that is conscious of equity to ensure the entire potential success technology has to offer is expended. Ultimately, technology has the potential to raise student achievement in unprecedented ways, but these improvements will only come to fruition in the lives of students who are underserved if the teachers are aware of the socio-economic problems some of these students face, and form an instructional rigor that is equitable to these conditions. LFE has taken a step in this direction by implementing trauma-informed training to all teachers and staff, which provides insight to staff on what many students at LFE are facing and how certain traumas can impact student performance.

These are important issues to address and one that LFE and Valley Vision will continue to support in its implementation of School2Home.

Alejandra Gallegos is a Valley Vision Project Associate contributing to the Clean Economy and Healthy Communities strategies.

Sacramento Valley Manufacturing Initiative to Provide Job Training for Local Youth

by Mark Anderson, Sacramento Business Journal:

The local research and advocacy group Valley Vision and a group of Sacramento area manufacturing companies are working together to provide more job training for local youth.

The manufacturers hope to inform schools about their current technology and training needs, so that the schools can provide programs better suited to the local labor market.

“We want to develop a workforce to meet the needs of the 21st-century manufacturer,” said Dean Peckham, the project manager of the Sacramento Valley Manufacturing Initiative.

Many schools have ceased teaching industrial arts, and even the ones that do have programs might not meet the needs of local companies, Peckham said.

From a first scoping meeting that attracted 60 manufacturers in October, the volunteer group attracted 80 people to a formal organizational meeting at the end of February. That meeting included manufacturers and local high school and community college representatives, said Peckham, who retired from the city of Sacramento as a senior economic development project manager and is now a volunteer with Valley Vision.

“We’re going to make this thing happen,” said Kevin McGrew, director of quality management with Siemens’ Mobility division. Siemens’ (OTC: SIEGY) plant in South Sacramento employs more than 1,200 people who build locomotives, rail cars and light rail trains.

“We have as manufacturers had some individual relationships with some individual schools, but we have not had a common manufacturing voice out to all the workforce development groups and schools in general to help every high school program,” McGrew said.

The effort is intended to expand the workforce, and also to replace a wave of soon-to-be retiring workers, McGrew said. “If you walk through our places, there are a lot of gray beards.”…

Read the full article on the Sacramento Business Journal website.

Why Our Region Must Learn from Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is it’s own world. As much an idea as a place, it is our planet’s single most important tech innovation center. A place that contains companies with more cash reserves than whole countries; where cutely named firms that didn’t exist a few years ago are toppling whole industries. If you want to find the center for global business disruption, it is here, just 100 miles away from us. Yet more profound, Silicon Valley is also the place that, enabled by technology, is also disrupting cherished social contracts we have held between us for the past 300 years, and causing everyone to rethink them. Between employee and employer. Between student and teacher. Between residents and their government.

So when the annual “State of the Valley” conference comes each February, hosted by Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a Valley Vision-like organization led by my good friend Russ Hancock, I make a point to attend.  This is where I get a heavy dose of what’s coming – the future we want, and things with foresight we might avoid.

Over 1,000 attendees from business, government, education, nonprofits, and neighborhood groups sat at attention to hear the latest update of the Silicon Valley Index – a wide-ranging set of measures that look at the health of Silicon Valley from all angles.  It’s similar to checking your vital signs with your doctor each year, only it’s for a whole community.

The Bay Area added 107,000 new jobs since last year; 47,000 in Silicon Valley.  The unemployment rate is now 2.3%, a rate never seen in the 20-year history that Joint Venture has issued reports; effectively full employment.  Twenty-five percent of the Silicon Valley workforce is composed of tech company employers, but Russ acknowledged that business categories are blurring, making counts like these unreliable.  His example?  Uber is officially classified as a transportation company, not a tech company.

In the past 12 months Apple and Facebook alone account for half of all tech job growth.  It seems we are going back to the future, quipped Russ, when firms like HP and Intel dominated the Valley in the 70s and 80s.

As for life in Silicon Valley, a person’s average annual earnings (all forms of compensation) is now $130,000.  That’s double the national average.  Same for the median household income.  But with this stratospheric growth and wealth comes huge challenges.

Silicon Valley has the nation’s highest housing prices.  Five of the nation’s top 10 housing re-sale markets are in the Valley.  With the outlay required for just an average down payment, a family could buy an entire house in one of the square states, Russ said.  Silicon Valley cities permitted just 12,000 new housing units, yet the area added nearly 4x the jobs in the same period.  Sadly, just 287 of those 12,000 new units are affordable to median income residents there.  Most are high-end homes.

Mobility is the Valley’s other major challenge.  Daily traffic congestion continues to rise – it now takes the average commuter 58 minutes to get to work every day, one-way.  He explained that 117,000 people per day leave San Francisco for work in Silicon Valley, and 120,000 people leave Silicon Valley to work each day in San Francisco, crossing paths on deadlocked streets and highways.  Transit ridership is in decline but – in a bit of good news – CalTrain daily ridership has risen steadily each year.

This conference was not just a window into an advanced economy with all its societal opportunities and problems that we can learn from, but a message from a near neighbor whose forces directly affect us.  There’s evidence that our home and rental markets are feeling the effects of the Bay Area’s troubles.  Yet data also shows that our high quality of life, energetic urban spaces, desirable communities, and amazing recreation and open spaces are recruiting growth, especially from young professionals.

What does this mean for us?

Valley Vision is holding meetings with experts and bringing together business, government, and community leaders to grapple with these issues.  An example:  this week the Valley Vision board met with the leader from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, James Corless, and his team, together with Barry Broome from the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Darrell Teat from the Sacramento Metro Chamber, and Pat Fong Kushida from the Sacramento Asian Chamber.  The 3-hour discussion centered on the Blueprint for Transportation and Land Use and its agreements about growth, the upcoming $35 billion Metropolitan Transportation Plan, our region’s competitive growth strategy, and our connections to the Bay Area.

These discussions are being informed by data and evidence.  On behalf of the region, Valley Vision recently hired the Brookings Institute, a global research group based in Washington, DC, to conduct an “economic stress test” on our region to outline our competitive strengths and risks, both short and long-term.  GSEC, Valley Vision, the chambers, SACOG, and other workforce and community groups are supporting this shared effort, and banding together to use these findings to inform action.

I love the quote from Robert Kiyosaki that “your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.” It’s a truth we should all live by in this profoundly disruptive age, on full display at the State of the Valley this year.  This is also why Valley Vision exists – to help us plan and act to build the future we want.  We hope you join us.

To collaborate or stay up-to-date with Valley Vision’s work, please subscribe to Valley Vision’s newsletters or contact us.

Bill Mueller is Chief Executive of Valley Vision.

Harvesting Opportunity Through Local Food System Investments

Valley Vision, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and USDA Rural Development hosted over 125 people on January 30th, 2018 for a forum on the economic power associated with investing in regional food systems.

Harvesting Opportunity: The Power of Regional Food System Investments to Transform Communities, was published in 2017 as a partnership between the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The book illustrates regional food systems as a tool for community and economic development; offers unique financing models and case studies of financial investments that are supporting today’s smaller food-related businesses and entrepreneurs; and profiles successful collaborations among the financial sector, government, philanthropy, academic, and others.

Valley Vision board member Shawn Harrison of Soil Born Farms opened the meeting, followed by a welcome to Sacramento and Council District 3 from Sacramento City Councilmember (and beekeeper) Jeff Harris, and comments from Yolo County Supervisor and food access champion Don Saylor, who also introduced keynote speaker Kim Dolbow Vann, the new California Director for USDA Rural Development. Director Vann spoke about the need for increased broadband in rural communities, her office’s ability to facilitate communications and partnerships, and getting food processing and manufacturing “back to where the farming is.” She emphasized that our region has “transportation on our side” with easy access to rail, ports, and multiple freeways.

The event was followed by a reception opened by Assemblymembers Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) and Cecilia Aguilar-Curry (D-Winters) who spoke as champions for rural communities including the importance of agriculture to our state and regional economies, economic development, and bridging the digital divide.

Expert panelists focused on topics addressed in the publication including:

  • Innovative strategies and financing for the next generation of farmers and entrepreneurs
  • Turning the risk-return model of investing into a three-pronged approach that includes social impact
  • Addressing social equity in the food system through investments

Panelists included (listed alphabetically):

  • Anthony Chang, Kitchen Table Advisors
  • Catherine Howard, Northern California Community Loan Fund
  • Reggie Knox, CA FarmLink
  • Ami Naik, Radicle Impact
  • Allison Paap, American Ag Credit
  • Olivia Rebanal, Capital Impact Partners
  • Meredith Storton, RSF Social Finance

Shawn Harrison and Managing Director Trish Kelly moderated the panels.

Topics addressed in questions from the audience included the need for transparency in the investment community, how CDFIs and other investors make decisions to match lending tools with specific projects, and further conversation about the need for social equity in food system investments.

Valley Vision will continue to work with our funding partners, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs to create real opportunities for people on the ground. As stated by Leilani Barnett of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in closing out the event, there are some very real projects that come out of these important discussions, and we will continue to elevate them.

Robyn Krock is a Project Leader managing Valley Vision’s food and agriculture portfolio.

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.”

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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.

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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.”

Sacramento Takes Next Step On Solar

Sacramento has taken a significant leap forward in establishing itself not only as a driving force in California’s commitment to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but also in highlighting Sacramento’s capability and true potential behind being a 21st century economic hub.

On Thursday, December 14th, the Sacramento International Airport unveiled its Solar Farm, which lies over two solar array fields. The environmental and economic implications for Sacramento following the solar farm are monumental. Built on land that was previously underutilized, the Solar Farm, will now be responsible for providing about one third of the electricity needs of the Sacramento International Airport and equate to an average annual cost savings of $850,000 over the next 25 years. This solar facility is now the largest on any airport in California and one of the largest airport-based solar facilities in the entire U.S. The message that seeps through to employers, employees, businesses and residents is one of Sacramento’s dedication to sustainability, and above all, commitment to a ‘community of livable quality.’

The newly constructed solar farm is the fruition of a joint partnership between Borrego Solar Systems Inc. and NRG Energy Inc.  Borrego provided the capital infrastructure, while NRG provided the financial support and will continue to own and operate the facility. Under a Power Purchase Agreement, NRG will sell electricity to the Sacramento International Airport at below-market rates—a mutually beneficial agreement for both parties. The infrastructure financed for the solar farm by NRG came with no up-front costs to the Airport of Sacramento County. Instead, NRG will be reimbursed over the 25 year period through the Power Purchase Agreement.

A particularly important benefit of this solar farm is that solar electricity is a renewable source of energy and does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The annual environmental benefit generated by the solar facility is quantified as having a carbon reduction equivalent to that of removing more than 2,300 cars from the road, not consuming 25,000 barrels of oil, or not burning 11,500,000 pounds of coal. Using more than 23,000 solar panels, all of which are mounted on tracking equipment that follow the suns path over the course of the day, ensures ultimate efficiency and productivity.

Discussing these remarkable attributes at the press conference were John Wheat, Jackie Pitera, Kevin Prince, David Tamayo, Supervisor Don Nottoli, Senator Richard Pan and Assemblymember Kevin McCarty. A common theme stressed among these officials was the important role the solar farm plays in asserting and depicting Sacramento’s commitment to its communities. These leaders explained the importance behind a city’s commitment to community health by describing how at the heart of economic growth and prosperity lies health at the community level. In order to thrive economically, communities and the residents must be healthy.  Seeing this solar facility project through is a step in the right direction—as Assemblymember McCarty stressed, “pushing hard to make California clean only leads to a multiplier effect”, and the implications for community health behind the ‘multiplier effects’ are critical.

Valley Vision manages the Cleaner Air Partnership, which helped the Sacramento region attain the federal particulate matter standard (PM 2.5), experiencing a  66% reduction in smog-forming emissions and a 63% reduction in smog-forming reactive organic gasses. This solar farm will help further reduce regional emissions. It is great to see progress being made by other entities and it is exciting to see what the future holds for environmental health improvements.

Subscribe to Valley Vision’s Cleaner Air Partnership newsletter to keep up with our region’s efforts to ensure clean and livable communities!

Alejandra Gallegos was a Valley Vision Project Associate working on the Cleaner Air Partnership and broadband initiatives.

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.”