What Are You Grateful for in 2025?

As each year comes to a close, 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 for continuing to support and collaborate with us!

Building Momentum Around Biomass as an Economic Driver and Environmental Necessity

Highlights from Valley Vision’s Second Legislative Roundtable

Launched in 2025, the Legislators’ Roundtable builds on the success of the annual Livability Summit, bringing together the twenty-one state and federal District Directors representing our region with civic and nonprofit leaders. Meeting quarterly, these bipartisan convenings provide a powerful platform for strategic communication, relationship-building, and collaboration to directly shape solutions that impact communities across Sacramento.

As the regional convener for California Jobs First, Valley Vision is providing legislators with exclusive, real-time insights into the region’s most innovative and impactful work. This roundtable offers a first-hand look at groundbreaking data, research, and cross-sector initiatives that can help align efforts with legislative partners and drive meaningful progress in areas such as housing, education, workforce development, manufacturing, and economic mobility. By ensuring alignment between legislative offices and community leaders, the roundtable fosters collaboration that drives meaningful, lasting impact, equipping policymakers with the insights they need while empowering regional partners to advance shared priorities.

Takeaways from the August 14th Roundtable

We appreciate the dedication of the Capital Region delegation who continues to show up for their communities and join us in the Legislators’ Roundtable series. This second convening was designed to strengthen partnerships between policymakers and regional leaders, highlighting the momentum behind the region’s bioeconomy as a driver of innovation, resilience, and good jobs.

Federal and state district staff explored the current landscape of biomass utilization projects, identified key challenges, and discussed legislative strategies to accelerate progress.

Elizabeth Betancourt, Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor with the California Department of Conservation, highlighted how biomass utilization aligns with several of the state’s most pressing priorities, including California’s commitment to carbon neutrality and zero-carbon electricity by 2025, while also addressing urgent wildfire prevention and forest management needs. She noted the potential to avoid more than $3.1 billion annually in public health costs by reducing wildfire damages and improving overall air quality. Her remarks underscored both the scale of the opportunity and the need to scale investments to realize these benefits.

A panel of industry and community leaders further highlighted opportunities in renewable fuels, grid resilience, rural manufacturing, and workforce development. They emphasized the importance of legislative and policy alignment to accelerate progress and overcome barriers in permitting, financing, and infrastructure that often delay project development.

Panel Facilitated by Lindsey Nitta, Camptonville Community Partnership

• Matt Boeger, COO, Regen Biofuels
• Dr. Matt Summers, COO, West Biofuels
• Sam Kang, COO, Pioneer Community Energy
• Amy Berry, CEO, Tahoe Fund

Attendees engaged in a candid exchange of ideas about the future of biomass in the Capital Region. Discussions reinforced the need for stable funding streams to scale projects, integration of biomass into California’s broader clean energy portfolio, and development of strong workforce pipelines so local communities can fully benefit from emerging opportunities. The Roundtable emphasized that sustained collaboration with legislators will be essential to scaling solutions and realizing these benefits.

Get Involved in Local Biomass Solutions

Encourage continued collaboration, investment, and advocacy to keep biomass at the forefront of the region’s clean economy strategies. 

Join us for the 2025 “Biomass & Beyond” Symposium on November 5th! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1571550532949

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Gretchen James is a Project Manager focused on the Leadership & Civic Engagement and Clean Air & Climate impact areas. Outside of work, Gretchen enjoys spending time in nature and supporting local artists.

We Prosper Together Awards an Additional $4 Million to Advance 11 High-Impact Projects in the Capital Region

This completes the distribution of $9 million worth of funding aimed at advancing sustainable industry growth and economic resilience across the eight counties

MEDIA CONTACT – Ronit Sholkoff (valleyvision@wearerally.com)

SACRAMENTO, CA — August 5, 2025 —We Prosper Together is investing $4 million in 11 transformative initiatives across the eight-county Capital Region to advance economic resilience and prosperity. This round of funding completes We Prosper Together’s latest effort to fund local and regional projects that create, attract, and increase access to quality jobs. Projects selected in this round cover a diverse range of critical focus areas — including biotechnology, small business support, community health, and accessible workforce pathways. These projects are poised to address key community needs, expand economic opportunities, and drive impact for residents across the region. 

“These community-led projects will help unlock the potential of the Capital Region’s most promising industries, while investing in our workers and economy in the process. We’re excited to see how these projects, combined with the ones we selected during our first round of funding, will help residents build a more secure, prosperous, and sustainable future for themselves and their families,” said Evan Schmidt, CEO of Valley Vision. 

The funding represents the second and final 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 ready for full implementation and position them to compete effectively for future federal, state, or private funding. In total, the Catalyst Phase awarded $9 million to a total of 22 high-impact projects throughout the Capital Region’s eight counties. 

The selected projects of this round tackle critical regional challenges through activities like creating remote work opportunities for full-time caregivers, hiring Spanish-speaking small business advisors, laying the groundwork for a thriving local biotechnology workforce, and developing a sustainable program to train justice-impacted individuals for careers in fire service. 

“As someone who works with disinvested communities, especially mothers with children and caregivers, it was really affirming for me to be in a space where that population was being prioritized. In addition to that, being a part of this project broadened my perspective as to what economic development is, and reaffirmed for me that the work we’re doing at my organization is helping families across our region prosper and thrive.” said Jeneba Lahai, Executive Director of Yolo County’s Children Alliance (YCCA).

The full list of funding recipients is as follows: 

• AgHIRE Expansion Planning Initiative, Center for Land-Based Learning 
• Bio-Mass Recycle to Energy 7 County, Nevada-Sierra Connecting Point Public Authority 
• Colusa USDA and CDFA Certified Meat Processing Facility, City of Colusa 
• Community Health and Working Lands Workforce Pilot, Yolo County Children’s Alliance 
• Justice-Involved Fire Service Planning Project, Future Fire Academy 
• NextGen BioFab: AI-Powered Training for Tomorrow’s Biotech Innovators, University of California, Davis 
• Project IGNITE (Investigating Growth Needs in Inclusive Technical Education), Green Technical Education and Employment (Green Tech)
• Rooted to Rise: Working Lands Economic Master Plan, El Dorado Economic Generator & Germination Fund (Our EGG) of the El Dorado Community Foundation
• Tahoe Business Catalyst Pilot, Tahoe Prosperity Center 
• Working Lands Workforce Development Pipeline, Yuba College 
• WorkReady: Remote Careers for Moms and Caregivers in Business Services, Playzeum Yuba Sutter 

To learn more about the projects listed, visit our website: weprospertogether.org/catalyst-projects. 

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.

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.

MEATing the Moment: Valley Vision Attends 3rd Regenerative Meat Summit

By Grace Kaufman & Ethan Mermell

On November 18th, Trish Kelly, Grace Kaufman, and Ethan Mermell of Valley Vision’s Food and Agriculture team attended the 3rd California Regional Regenerative Meat Event hosted by Roots of Change, UC Davis Institute of the Environment, and IC-FOODS, in collaboration with Mulvaney’s B&L and Cream Co. This event was a celebration of three-years of USDA-funded work to develop high-value regional meat supply chains in Northern California. As the lead for coordination and communication for USDA’s Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Valley Vision has participated in this effort to learn about supply chain and market challenges and opportunities for regenerative ranchers in California and support the project through a variety of ways.  This includes facilitating connections with several of our food and agriculture partners who work across the region and throughout the state; sharing information about the resources of the Center and the state-funded California Jobs First Initiative which Valley Vision manages for the region – We Prosper Together; and coordinating on institutional procurement activities led by the University of California and the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

The event kicked off with a panel discussion about the launch of the University of California Market, emphasizing the outcomes of launching system-wide purchasing of regional and regenerative meat for the UC system’s schools and hospitals. Marilyn Biscotti, UC Office of President; Clifford Pollard, Cream Co Meats, and Kathy Webster, TomKat Ranch and Beef2Institution Collaborative spoke on their experiences procuring regenerative meat in University and K-12 school districts. Major barriers include long-term contracts to meet demand of conventional food suppliers, processing and aggregation, as well as market channels for whole animal usage. As an aggregation and distribution hub for ranchers throughout the state, Cream Co Meats provides the “missing middle” in supply chain infrastructure for institutional procurement. Cream Co Meats has purchased 1.3 million pounds of regenerative, West Coast meat from ranchers in the past year, and plans to procure an additional 30 percent annually, serving as an aggregator for resale to institutions. The panel ended with an exciting announcement – starting in 2025, the University of California will purchase 400,000 pounds of regenerative meat from Cream Co Meats. 

Following a delicious lunch of local produce and regenerative meat from PT Ranch, Sarah Keiser, Wild Oat Hollow, Jim Kleinschmit, Other Half Processing and Growing GRASS, Nick Anicich, CDFA Farm to School, and Steve Schwartz, Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative, spoke of new market opportunities for regenerative growers. Steve Schwartz’s presentation highlighted new policies such as AB 888 that support on-farm harvesting for cultural practices. Nick shared a list of CDFA’s funding opportunities and encouraged ranchers to get involved in farm to school and institutional procurement. Sarah discussed the market opportunities, and ecosystem services that cows, sheep, and goats provide through fire management grazing. Jim discussed new market opportunities for ranchers, such as regenerative leather products.  

IC Foods then presented a demo on their Regional Regenerative Meat Resource Portal which provides a directory of the regional regenerative meat community, such as contact information and resources on markets and opportunities. 

The last panel of the event focused on remaining challenges and solutions for regenerative meat. This panel’s speakers, Michael Delbar, CA Rangeland Trust and Loren Poncia, Stemple Creek Ranch discussed marketing and how the community’s awareness of regeneratively grown meat is growing. Challenges discussed included the dwindling amount of processors and the need to increase producer awareness of available grants, as economic feasibility persists as a challenge across the board faced by ranchers. It is important for these businesses to be viable given that regenerative grazing differs from conventional meat production through practices that improve soil structure and build soil organic matter, leading to carbon sequestration. 

 Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, discussed a broad range of funding opportunities from USDA and new initiatives that support small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers, such as the USDA Regional Food Business Centers- 12 multi-state centers across the country providing new resources to support farmers, ranchers and food producers and more resilient regional food systems.  As part of this effort, USDA has hired 40 fellows to support food system transformation, including programs to support regenerative agriculture. Jenny noted that supply chain infrastructure such as processing facilities are a major challenge for small to mid sized ranchers. As part of Valley Vision’s role in the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, we actively share information about upcoming funding opportunities and resources for supply chain infrastructure and new market channels, and the Center’s network of partners provide capacity building support to access these resources. We also include the Regional Regenerative Meat Portal in Center resources.

The event ended with CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, who provided an optimistic and forward-looking view of regenerative agriculture in California. Secretary Ross discussed the future of regenerative agriculture, which planted the seed for creative networking discussions that were paired with regenerative meats, including goat from Neuman Family Ranch, and local, seasonal produce prepared by Chef Mulvaney and staff. 

To learn more about Roots Of Change and the regenerative meat project, visit: https://www.rootsofchange.org/projects/transformation-of-californias-meat-processing-capacity/

To learn more about the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, visit www.swfoodbiz.org and sign up for the newsletter here: http://bit.ly/SWRFBC-Newsletter

Community Innovator, We Prosper Together, Shares Strategies Primed to Increase Economic Growth in the Capital Region

The Regional Plan: Strategies for a Thriving and Inclusive Economy charts a bold path to a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous future
 
SACRAMENTO, CA — October 28, 2024 — We Prosper Together unveiled its Regional Plan: Strategies for a Thriving and Inclusive Economy, a community-driven framework providing the blueprint for a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable economy for the Capital Region. This strategic plan—the result of a two-year-long collaboration—identifies key priorities that will shape future investments, including those supported by We Prosper Together through California’s Regional Investment Initiative.

“The completion of We Prosper Together’s Regional Plan is another step towards building an equitable and sustainable regional economy,” said Evan Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Valley Vision. “Shaped by economic research and input from communities across our region, this economic framework will create more quality jobs by helping to move innovative ideas to fruition, bring projects to life, and accelerate the region toward a future where all families can thrive.”

The Regional Plan outlines actionable strategies to achieve more high-quality jobs, lower barriers to access, and foster more equitable outcomes for local families. The plan identifies two primary strategies:

• Target Sector Strategies: Strategies focusing on investments in four high-growth sectors with the greatest potential for quality job creation. These sectors include Business Services, Precision Manufacturing, Working Lands, and Research & Development.
• Economic Mobility Strategies: Approaches connecting disinvested communities with existing high-quality job opportunities ensuring future economic growth results in equitable outcomes for the region’s residents. These approaches include workforce development, outreach and awareness, transportation, childcare, and housing.

Developed through robust community feedback, stakeholder interviews, surveys, and comprehensive research conducted by Brookings Institute-affiliated Cities GPS, the Regional Plan takes into account the distinct needs, strengths, and opportunities across the region to create a collective vision for the future. 

“The Regional Plan not only exemplifies the strength and opportunity of cross-regional collaboration but also sets us up to make targeted investments that can transform our region,” said James Corless, Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. “Only by coming together can we create a local economy that works for everyone and ensures all have access to the resources they need to prosper.”

The Regional Plan: Strategies for a Thriving and Inclusive Economy serves as a unifying roadmap cultivating a resilient, sustainable, and equitable economy empowering all local residents. The Regional Plan builds upon July 2023’s Capital Region Economic Assessment, a holistic assessment of the Capital Region’s economic, climate, and public health as part of the California Jobs First program. The Regional Plan concludes a two-year planning phase that included establishing We Prosper Together’s Collaborative, extensive community engagement, and the development of a shared regional strategy. We Prosper Together will now transition from planning to implementation, leveraging existing strategies and subregional efforts to drive progress.

The full Regional Plan can be found at https://www.weprospertogether.org/our-regional-plan.  

The Global Shapers Sacramento Hub Aims to Erase Millions of Dollars in Medical Debt Through “Shred the Debt” Campaign

This Youth-led Effort Aims to Eliminate Medical Debt for Thousands of Residents in the Greater Sacramento Region for Pennies on the Dollar

Sacramento, California November 4th – Today, The Global Shapers Sacramento Hub announces the launch of Shred the Debt, a project aimed at erasing medical debt across the Greater Sacramento Region. Through this initiative, the Global Shapers Sacramento Hub aims to purchase and eliminate millions of dollars in medical debt, focusing on those disproportionately burdened by medical debt. 

“Our goal is to alleviate some of the financial stress that medical debt imposes on our neighbors,” said Gustavo Garcia, Curator of the Global Shapers Sacramento Hub. “Through Shred the Debt, we’re not just erasing numbers on a balance sheet—we’re giving people a fresh start and lifting a heavy burden that affects health, families, and futures. We have an ambitious goal to buy a medical debt portfolio worth $3.7 million, and are confident that our region will come together to tackle this.”

Shred the Debt is made possible through a partnership with Undue Medical Debt, which specializes in purchasing medical debt at a fraction of its original cost. Through this partnership, a donation of just $1 has the power to erase over $200 of medical debt, amplifying the impact of each contribution. 

The Global Shapers Sacramento Hub will be collecting donations through the middle of February, and will match the first $500 donated – eliminating over $100,000 worth of medical debt for our neighbors, families, and communities in the Greater Sacramento Region. For more information, and to sponsor our efforts, please contact David Sievers at sacramento@globalshapers.org.

For more information on how our project works or to make a donation, please visit our donation page.

Valley Vision has been fiscal agent for the Global Shapers – Sacramento Hub for several years. Through this formal partnership, the Sacramento Hub has access to a high-performing and trusted local nonprofit that manages its finances and records, keeping things running smoothly. For Valley Vision, the Global Shapers bring a unique connection to the global community not found in other young leaders groups, which further boosts VV’s toolset in advancing the livability of the Sacramento region.

Valley Vision Helps Showcase Sacramento As Co-Host of California Economic Summit

Valley Vision helped co-host this year’s California Economic Summit, organized by California Forward and held for the first time in Sacramento since 2016. Held October 8-10, 2024, the latest iteration of the annual Summit proved to be an incredible showcase for the Sacramento region’s leadership on inclusive economic development, workforce, innovation, and more.

Valley Vision organized a set of regional tours on the first day of the Summit, which gave participants an on-the-ground perspective of how local communities are tackling some of our biggest economic and environmental challenges. By showcasing everything from sustainable food systems to novel workforce training programs, these tours highlighted the solutions that are helping to build a more resilient, inclusive future for California. See below for photos highlighting the tours:

The welcome reception followed the tours, and served as a kickoff for both the California Economic Summit and the Growth Factory’s GFX Summit. In addition to showcasing our region’s topline facility for advancing clean mobility, attendees could taste several gourmet foods created with plant-based, lab grown meat alternatives. Innovative!

The main days of the Summit (October 9 and 10) featured plenary sessions, action-packed workshops, networking events, and more. See below for a few highlights:

Finally, the Summit ended with a “handoff” from Valley Vision’s Evan Schmidt to leaders in Stockton, California, which is hosting next year’s Summit the week of October 20th, 2025. We wish Stockton the best and look forward to learning how they are building a vibrant economy. Subscribe to California Forward’s email newsletter for more updates! Thank you to California Forward, its staff, and partners for a fantastic showcase of Sacramento.

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Adrian Rehn is a Senior Project Manager overseeing air quality and environmental projects as well as Valley Vision’s communications.

Valley Vision Takes On Longstanding Regional Climate Collaborative

We are thrilled to announce that the Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative (CRC) has officially transitioned from CivicWell to Valley Vision. CRC was established in 2014 to improve collaboration and coordination between government, business, and community as it relates to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Valley Vision joined the Collaborative in 2015 and has had leadership roles in the Collaborative since.

This transition marks a new and exciting chapter for CRC, as Valley Vision is already working to advance climate resilience and collaboration in the greater Sacramento region through several programs such as the Cleaner Air Partnership and We Prosper Together, a California Jobs First Initiative.

As CRC’s new home, Valley Vision will continue to facilitate regional conversations to improve coordination and take action on climate adaptation and mitigation. The Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative has long been a crucial platform for bringing together a diverse set of stakeholders, including local governments, businesses, nonprofits, and community groups, to address climate challenges facing the region, such as warming air and water temperatures, risk of wildfire, more extreme heat waves, variable precipitation and seasonal shifts, and loss of ecosystem habitat, to name a few. Now, with Valley Vision’s leadership, we are positioned to build on these efforts and bring even greater capacity to support regional resilience and collaboration.

We invite Valley Vision’s partners to learn more about the Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative and consider joining the Collaborative as a member. Whether you are a business leader, government agency, academic institution, or community organization, your participation will help strengthen our collective ability to build a climate-resilient future for all.

Upcoming Events You Don’t Want to Miss

To kick off this new chapter, we’re excited to host/cohost a series of events designed to engage our community and provide opportunities for learning, networking, and collaboration.

November 20th, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM, Biomass Workshop, Folsom Community Center 

• Join for an in-depth workshop focused on the role of biomass in climate resilience. This event is in collaboration with the Cleaner Air Partnership, the Los Rios Community College District, and CRC. With over 100 attendees expected, this workshop will establish a shared understanding of biomass utilization, explore the future of forest management and agricultural careers in our region, and mobilize leaders and decision-makers for action. It’s an incredible opportunity to connect with regional experts, researchers, and policymakers.  Registration link.

December 12, 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM – CRC Members-Only Meeting, Sierra 2 Center – 2791 24th Street, Sacramento CA 95818 (Room 10) 

• This meeting, exclusively for CRC members, will feature presentations on the state of climate adaptation in the Capital Region. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in roundtable discussions, identify collaboration opportunities, and explore how CRC can better support members’ efforts in addressing climate challenges. If you are already a member, this is your chance to help shape the future of climate action in the region. If not, consider joining to be part of this important conversation! Registration link 

Join the Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative

There has never been a more critical time to take action on climate resilience. CRC is a diverse and growing collaborative, and with Valley Vision’s leadership, we are ready to take CRC’s impact to the next level. We invite you to join us as a member and be part of the solution as we work together to create a more climate-resilient Capital Region.

To learn more about membership opportunities, visit https://climatereadiness.info/about-us/join-the-collaborative or contact Grace.Kaufman@valleyvision.org.

Investments Towards Equity: Supporting Device Access and Digital Literacy with Leataata Floyd Elementary School

Valley Vision, joined by community partners, announced a $50,000 digital equity grant award from AT&T that is being used for support device distribution and training. The AT&T Neighborhood Transformation Grant is supporting digital literacy and access to new computers for unserved and underserved residents of two public housing projects in the city of Sacramento, Marina Vista and Alder Grove.

Additionally, the grant is supporting the development of a Community Resource Center, with access to devices for families and a laptop lending program, to be managed by Leataata Floyd Elementary School. The Community Resource Center will feature digital literacy training provided by community partners.

As part of the grant, Valley Vision acquired 133 new laptop devices through partnership a with Human I-T. The next step for the project, led by Leataata Floyd Elementary and supported by Valley Vision and the Sacramento Housing and Development Agency, includes conducting a community needs survey, launching the Resource Center, and hosting the laptop distribution event.

Supporting Leataata Floyd Elementary School

The AT&T grant builds upon the investment of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), to implement the School2Home project, initiated in 2015, at Leataata Floyd Elementary School, with the support of Valley Vision.

As the first elementary school in the state to join the program, School2Home helped to provide the infrastructure and support services needed to increase both student achievement and family success, including chromebooks for every student to use in school and at home; enhanced teacher professional development and training on integration of technology into instruction; increased parent engagement; and student Tech Expert Development. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for affordable high speed internet access at home, along with more devices for families.

Community Partners

Valley Vision is thankful for the support of our partners from the Office of Representative Doris Matsui, city of Sacramento Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, and the Food Literacy Center, in celebrating the launch of the AT&T project grant award.

Event recap – Leading With Equity: Tribal Food Sovereignty & Inclusive Engagement

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On July 17th, the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center hosted an informative webinar titled “Leading With Equity: Tribal Food Sovereignty & Inclusive Engagement.” This event featured Center partners, including the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Local First Arizona. Speakers Kimber Lanning and Rafael F. Tapia, Jr., of Local First Arizona, and Thea Rittenhouse of CDFA, discussed equity-centered initiatives and strategies to bolster food sovereignty for Tribal Nations and other underinvested communities. The webinar is part of the Center’s quarterly webinar series, where Center partners share best practices and innovative projects on essential topics related to business development and capacity assistance for local producers, farmers, and ranchers.

view the recording

Over 60 participants from across the nation attended the webinar, including representatives from other USDA Regional Food Business Centers. Attendees were actively engaged throughout the webinar and speakers were able to address dozens of questions throughout the session. 

One of the key takeaways from the webinar was the emphasis on food security, traditional food practices, sovereignty, and self-determination. Speakers discussed best practices for incorporating Indigenous knowledge and highlighted the unintended consequences of policies and funding that do not consider Tribal interests or approaches. They suggested pathways to build communication, develop partnerships, and establish trust. Additionally, the speakers addressed the critical infrastructure needed for Tribal communities, such as new wells, aggregating and distributing facilities, food-to-market distribution, and technical assistance, including business and market development skills.

The next webinar will take place on October 16th and will focus on farm-to-school partnerships.

register

About Valley Vision and the Southwest Regional Food Business Center

Valley Vision leads coordination, communication, and network development efforts for the Southwest Regional Food Business Center. The quarterly webinar series is part of Valley Vision’s efforts to share best practices and to foster a collaborative network among Center partners and other participants. 

The Southwest Regional Food Business Center, representing Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah, is one of twelve USDA Regional Food Business Centers nationwide developed in 2023 to provide coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building to help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and initiatives, as well as navigate federal, state and local funding and resources. With an extensive network of partners from academic, government, and community-based organizations, the Southwest RFBC is dedicated to prioritizing historically underrepresented communities and small to mid-tier businesses.

For more information about the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center and its initiatives, visit www.swfoodbiz.org. To stay updated on future webinars and events, be sure to subscribe to the Center’s newsletter: http://bit.ly/SWRFBC-Newsletter. 

USDA disclosures and guidance can be found at https://bit.ly/USDAdisclosures.

Visit the Center’s socials here.

Transforming Food Systems Across the Southwest Region

At the beginning of May, leadership of the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center convened in Reno, Nevada, providing the opportunity to further advance the Center’s mission, objectives, and programmatic activities, as well as share insights and best practices across emerging opportunities for food system transformation. 

During the two-day convening, hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), leadership representing the Southwest Region (Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah) discussed the unique assets, needs, and activities within each state, and solidified the Center’s workplan. Day one featured collaborative working sessions oriented towards internal Center values, capacity, and timeline, as well as a tour hosted by the UNR Desert Farming Initiative (DFI), showcasing climate-smart crops and farming practices, local food-to-market successes, and active research initiatives.

USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Senior Advisor, Kate Fitzgerald, joined Day 2 for an interactive brainstorming session regarding opportunities for collaboration between the USDA and the 12 Regional Food Business Centers nationally. Leadership from each state also provided teach-ins across emerging opportunities, such as equity in technical assistance, market access structures such as institutional procurement and food hubs, and microloan funding development.

This gathering provided Center Leadership with solutions, insight, and connections to drive the Center forward in its mission to transform the region’s food system through investment in small and mid-sized food and farm businesses by providing coordination, technical assistance, and capacity-building for the Southwest Region.

About the Center:

The Southwest Regional Food Business Center is a five-year $35 million program funded by the USDA Regional Food Business Centers Program, connecting Food and Agriculture Initiatives across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. As part of the network of USDA Regional Food Business Centers, the Southwest Center is a hub for the region’s small and mid-tier food and farm businesses and local and regional food sector development initiatives. 

In collaboration with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), Valley Vision supports the Center as part of the Center Management Team, leading communications, partnership development and programmatic operations.

Subscribe to the Center’s Quarterly Newsletter here.

Visit the Center’s socials here.