SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Sacramento Region scored a significant win via an award of $5 million dollars in planning money from the Community Economic Resilience Fund program. 

The program — developed and led by the Employment Development Department, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research — advances regional economic recovery and resilience strategies that prioritize the creation of accessible, high-quality jobs in sustainable industries.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance our region’s economic recovery and resilience, and will demonstrate the collective value and impact our region has when we work together,” said Valley Vision CEO Evan Schmidt in a statement.

Planning dollars will be used to stand up a High Road Transition Collaborative — a planning group that consists of balanced and meaningful representation from throughout the region — and a regional economic development plan. 

In a months-long grant application process, Valley Vision convened multiple open-to-all webinars, workshops, subregional roundtables, and activity-based committees to inform our region’s application. 

In particular, the Prosperity Partnership, the Tahoe Prosperity Center, the Sierra Business Council, Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation, the Nevada County Economic Resource Council, and the counties of Colusa and Yuba were instrumental in bringing regional stakeholders and community partners to the table. 

As the designated regional convenor and fiscal agent for the Sacramento region — which includes Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties — Valley Vision is charged with standing up a planning process that engages meaningfully across subregions, sectors, and communities, to advance the goals of the CERF program.

Heidi Hill Drum, Tahoe Prosperity Center CEO added, “the Envision Tahoe Prosperity Playbook, just completed in June 2022, outlines Tahoe-Truckee’s regional, inclusive and collaborative economic resiliency strategy. We’re ready to hit the ground running now to begin our economic development strategies for future diversification and community improvement.”

“This announcement signifies a major step forward in economic development, as regional coalitions have come together across California ready to roll up their sleeves and build regional economic development strategies that will create more inclusive and vibrant economies built on a foundation of equity,” said Dee Dee Myers, senior advisor to Gov. Newsom and director of the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development.

A Sacramento region virtual kick-off event will be held in early 2023.