Community Economic Resilience Fund
Overview of the CERF
The CERF, sourced from the State General Fund, will distribute $600 million across, in a competitive process, to 13 regions across California. The program will fund planning and implementation efforts to help communities economically recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and advance the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
The CERF will:
- Support efforts to plan and implement inclusive and low carbon economic growth strategies;
- Focus on the creation of high-quality jobs and inclusive pathways into those jobs, as well as strategies that will support the transition to a carbon-neutral future; and
- Seek planning and implementation processes that focus on those who have often been left out of traditional economic development strategies.
CERF Phases
CERF will be executed in two phases. The first phase is the Planning Phase. The State has designated which counties will work together, constituting a total of 13 regions. Each of the 13 regions receive $5 million to establish a “High Road Transition Collaborative.” These collaboratives need to include a diverse group of stakeholders who will develop a regional economic plan and identify projects to support in the second phase.
Valley Vision is the Regional Convenor & Fiscal Agent for the Planning Phase for the Sacramento region, which means we’re responsible for forming an inclusive Collaborative.
The second phase is the Implementation Phase in which the remaining funds (upwards of $500M) will be awarded to projects that are supported by the Collaborative.
CERF Region and Current Timeline
The Sacramento region includes the following eight counties: Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba Counties.
Ongoing Work
Outreach and Engagement:
- Continuing to grow the Collaborative through listening and learning sessions, 1:1 meetings and presentations to stakeholder groups.
Launching the Planning Phase:
- CERF Kick-Off event on February 13, 2023
- Establishing a Launch Committee to vet the governance structure and seating process
- Releasing RFPs to support the activities of the planning phase
Providing feedback to state agencies:
- Submitting public comment and other feedback on CERF timelines, deliverables, and guidelines
- Staying engaged with the Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) around our region’s needs.
Subregional Hub Partner RFP
Valley Vision is seeking Subregional Hub Partners to lead subregional planning tables as part of the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) program. The Subregional Hub Partners will be responsible for regularly convening a subregional planning table; drafting and executing a community engagement plan; representing the subregion to the Collaborative and Leadership Committees; and producing a final report on priority and strategy recommendations for their subregion.
Lead Communications Partner RFP
- Valley Vision is seeking a Lead Communications Partner to develop branding, assets, a website, and a communications strategy for our Sacramento Region Community Economic Resilience Fund. The Lead Communications Partner will be responsible for leading a collaborative branding process that effectively communicates the values and goals of our region’s CERF efforts. The Lead Communications Partner will be responsible for managing any subcontractors needed to complete this work, such as design agencies, translation services, etc. Products will be reviewed by a committee to ensure quality and accuracy.
Join the Collaborative!
Collaborative Overview
To foster an inclusive and equitable process, each region is tasked with building a High Road Transition Collaborative (“Collaborative”). These Collaboratives will help inform the Planning Phase and should be made up of diverse stakeholders across industries, geographies, and other demographics.
By joining the Sacramento Region Collaborative, you will contribute to our region’s economic plan, whether that be by attending meetings, completing surveys, or meeting with us 1:1. This is our least time-consuming level of commitment and is flexible to you or your organization’s capacity. You will also receive Collaborative-specific communications.
Those who join the Collaborative also have the opportunity to join Activity-Based Committees or get elected to the Leadership Council. The Committees are open to all in the Collaborative but have an increased level of involvement. The process for establishing the Leadership Council is still being determined.
How to Join the Collaborative
To join the Collaborative, we ask that you review our Collective Partnership Agreement Letter, which outlines our proposed values and governance structure. Please keep in mind that this is subject to change as we continue to build and receive input from Collaborative members.
After reviewing, please complete the Partner Support Agreement by filling out the template. The information you’ll need to provide is:
- Contact Person + Contact Information,
- A very brief description of you or your organization’s role in the community or region, and
- A very brief description of what you or your organization can contribute to the CERF planning phase.
- Letterhead/Logo (Optional)
To submit your completed Partner Support Agreement or If you have any questions about CERF, the Collective Partnership Agreement, or the Partner Support Agreement, please email us at cerf@valleyvision.org
Contact Us
If you’d like to get in touch with us, please fill out the contact form below.
Other Ways To Stay Engaged:
- Subscribe to our CERF Newsletter to receive updates around the program and our region’s efforts.
- If you’d like to discuss further, please reach out to our team at cerf@valleyvision.org
Additional Resources:
- CERF Planning & Application Workshop (June 2022)
- Lunch and Learn: Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) (May 2022)
- Sacramento Region CERF FAQs
- Prosperity Strategy Press Release about the CERF
- Valley Vision’s response to the Request for Information
- The Prosperity Partnership + SMUD’s joint Public Comment in response to the Draft Planning Phase Guidelines
