We Prosper Together Awards $5 Million to Advance 11 High-Impact Projects in the Capital Region
This marks the first of two rounds of funding aimed at catalyzing economic resilience in the eight-county region
MEDIA CONTACT – Sabina Li (valleyvision@wearerally.com)
SACRAMENTO, CA — March 6, 2024 — We Prosper Together is investing $5 million in 11 transformative initiatives across the Capital Region to advance economic resilience and create high-quality jobs. Spanning a diversity of sectors—including biotech, clean energy, food and agriculture, and precision manufacturing—these projects are poised to strengthen key industries, foster innovation, and expand economic opportunities for residents across all eight counties.
“We’re creating a pipeline of transformative projects that address our region’s economic challenges, leverage promising industry sectors, and create equitable economic growth. This funding is just the beginning. We’re excited to continue supporting high-impact projects that will help residents earn a living wage and build a more secure future for themselves and their families,” said Evan Schmidt, CEO of Valley Vision.
The funding represents the first round of investments in the Catalyst Phase, a critical step in enacting the strategies outlined in We Prosper Together’s Regional Plan: Strategies for a Thriving and Inclusive Economy. The Catalyst Phase funding is designed to get projects and ideas ready for full implementation and position them to compete effectively for future federal, state, or private funding. The second round of Catalyst Phase funding will open within the next three months and distribute an additional $4 million to projects across the region.
The selected projects tackle critical regional challenges from multiple angles, including expanding workforce training programs to address labor shortages, building opportunities in future-ready jobs, strengthening the local agricultural ecosystem through food hubs and incubators, and providing students with hands-on learning opportunities in high-demand careers.
“We Prosper Together is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring communities together to chart the future of good jobs in our region. This funding lets us take our workforce development programs into eight counties and work with community members of all ages to introduce them to jobs available now and the jobs that are coming up next,” said Orville Thomas, CEO of the California Mobility Center.
The full list of funding recipients is as follows:
- Building a Healthcare Talent Pipeline: Quality Jobs for Stronger Communities, Los Rios Community College District
- Capitol Region Biotech Talent Partnership, Sacramento Employment and Training Agency
- Cultivating Resilient Rural Food Ecosystems, Sierra Commons
- District Ranch Agritourism and Workforce Pilot, Nevada Joint Union High School District
- EPIC on the Road, Cal EPIC [California Energy, Power, and Innovation Collaborative], formerly the California Mobility Center
- Forest Biomass Business Center – Feasibility Study and Business Planning, Camptonville Community Partnership
- Greater Sacramento TPM Manufacturing Collaborative: Digital Tools Initiative, Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce
- Growing Quality Working Lands Jobs: Last-Mile Development of the Yolo Food Hub to Benefit Rural Agricultural Workers, Small Farms and Food Businesses, New Season Community Development Corporation
- Skilled Trades Workforce Pipeline Project, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
- The Plant Food and Agriculture Innovation Center Pre-Development Project, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Yuba Sutter Food Hub Feasibility Study, Yuba Sutter Food Bank
The work of We Prosper Together is supported by the statewide initiative California Jobs First and builds on the newly released California Jobs First Economic Blueprint.
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About We Prosper Together
Representing eight counties in the Capital Region, over 150 organizations, and hundreds of community leaders and residents, We Prosper Together is driving a community-led approach to building a stronger regional economy. We Prosper Together is working to elevate diverse voices, encourage investments, amplify local solutions, and create living-wage jobs for families in Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties. Visit weprospertogether.org to learn more and get involved.
