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The Most Important Infrastructure We Rarely Talk About

Every region invests in the infrastructure that supports economic growth – roads, transit, water systems, broadband, and energy. Unseen, and often unacknowledged is civic infrastructure – or systems that enables people and institutions to work together across sectors, jurisdictions, and perspectives to solve problems that no single organization can solve alone. The strength of a collaborative initiative depends on the civic infrastructure it builds, yet civic infrastructure itself is rarely treated as a primary investment or measure of success. 

As the We Prosper Together initiative enters its next chapter, our upcoming Summit on September 9th is focused on this important issue and asks the question: What will it take to preserve and strengthen this civic infrastructure so our region can continue advancing inclusive economic growth long after this initiative concludes? We believe the answer will determine not only the success of We Prosper Together, but our region’s ability to respond to whatever opportunities and challenges come next.

Over the past several years, We Prosper Together has done far more than produce a regional economic plan or invest in innovative projects. It has strengthened the region’s civic infrastructure by building trusted relationships across eight counties, creating governance structures for regional decision-making, aligning employers, educators, workforce organizations, community leaders, philanthropy, and local governments around shared priorities, and establishing new ways to coordinate action. While projects may conclude and funding may change, the relationships, trust, and shared capacity developed through this work can continue creating value for years to come.

That is why this year’s We Prosper Together Summit is focused not simply on celebrating what has been accomplished, but on exploring what comes next. Together with national experts and regional leaders, we will examine the ingredients of durable collaboration, explore how regions can build and sustain civic infrastructure, and consider how today’s partnerships can become tomorrow’s lasting institutions. The Summit is an invitation to everyone who cares about the future of our region – not simply to reflect on the work we have done, but to help shape the civic infrastructure that will enable our region to tackle its next generation of challenges. Because ultimately, the greatest legacy of any regional initiative is not the projects it funds – it is the region’s enduring capacity to work together.

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Evan Schmidt is Valley Vision’s Chief Executive Officer.

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.