California Forward

Save the date! Join CA FWD for the 2025 California Economic Summit October 21-23, in Stockton, CA! The Summit is our flagship annual event where leaders from across the state come together to support economic advancement strategies that are regions-up and focused on the growth and stewardship of California’s valuable communities, land, and resources. We are thrilled to connect with leaders in Stockton and showcase all that the Northern San Joaquin Valley has to offer, including manufacturing, clean energy, transportation and logistics, agriculture, and more! ?? Stay in the loop on Summit news, registration opening later this summer, and more by subscribing to our newsletter: cafwd.org/newsletter/

CA FWD's very own Kate Gordon and Nuin-Tara Key contributed to this piece from Resources Legacy Fund, which focuses on building an enduring climate agenda that delivers economic prosperity. We know climate resilience is inextricable from sustainable economic growth and we are excited to see the next steps and actions that come from this work. https://lnkd.in/gz8PYAca

Congratulations to our regional partners in Fresno County on the certification of the Cornucopia Hybrid Project. The project will provide clean energy to power up to 300K homes, all while advancing the state’s energy goals and increasing economic growth. Governor Newsom’s action to streamline the certification of this project aligns with CA FWD's 2023 infrastructure report that outlined recommendations on how to best prioritize equity and climate resilience in infrastructure projects. These recommendations came from a set of regional infrastructure meetings CA FWD hosted, along with Antonio Villaraigosa during his time as Infrastructure Advisor for the state of California. During that time, we met with over 1,000 Californians from across sectors and industries to hear feedback on regions-focused infrastructure spending. Average infrastructure project time can be significantly reduced by building a new governance model and streamlining processes, permitting, and approvals for project delivery. We are excited to see the positive impact the Cornucopia Hybrid Project has on the Fresno region! #infrastructure #energytransition #climateresilience #regionsup #california #energy #climate #cleanenergy #jobs #batterystorage #cleanenergy #economicdevelopment https://lnkd.in/gauNwE23

CA FWD has long been an advocate for a regions-up approach to economic development. This approach is not without its challenges and opportunities, but we—along with our partners—are building an agenda toward policy advocacy that supports regional economic action. We invite you to take a look at our plan outlining the ways in which we're working to support successful economic development across California's regions! https://lnkd.in/gyzcwr8p?

ICYMI, applications for the CA FWD Young Leaders Program (YLP) are now open! This two-year program is open to California residents ages 20-25 from diverse backgrounds who are committed to?building a New California Economy that is resilient, sustainable, and inclusive. If you or someone you know wants to be part of this transformative movement, visit or share the link below! Application period closes on Friday, 3/21/25. https://lnkd.in/gNeeKRJ8

CA FWD CEO Kate Gordon will be speaking at the Berkeley Center for Law and Business's Berkeley Corporate + Climate Summit on March 11, where the theme is addressing the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility and climate action. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g7Pn6pgy University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, Sustainable & Impact Finance at Berkeley Haas

Don't forget to sign up for this Wednesday's informational webinar on CA FWD's Young Leaders Program! If you're interested in applying for the program and want to learn more, this webinar (3/5/25 at 5pm) is for you! More information here: https://cafwd.org/events/

If you're interested in applying for the next cohort of CA FWD's Young Leaders Program, but want to learn more, please join us for one of two upcoming webinars about the program. We'll share more about YLP’s core objectives and hear directly from current participants about how YLP has equipped them to drive equitable growth, foster sustainable solutions, and uplift diverse communities. More information and registration here: https://cafwd.org/events/

Following the much-anticipated release of the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint—a statewide plan to drive sustainable economic growth, innovation, and access to good-paying jobs over the next decade—we are sharing this article with our insights and the actionable steps we're taking as we, along with our partners, build a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive regions-up economy. This Economic Blueprint is the culmination of two years of work with 13 economic regions across the state as part of the California Jobs First program, an effort that began as the Community Economic Resilience Fund and was renamed California Jobs First at the California Economic Summit in 2023. CA FWD has been deeply involved in regions-up inclusive economic development with the Newsom Administration since the launch of Regions Rise Together in 2019 and we are excited to continue moving forward this important work with California's regions.

The application for the CA FWD Young Leaders Program (YLP) is officially open now though Friday, March 21st, 2025. This two-year program is open to California residents ages 20-25 from diverse backgrounds who are committed to?building a New California Economy that is resilient, sustainable, and inclusive. If you or someone you know wants to be part of this transformative movement to shape the future of California’s economy and communities, please visit or share the link below! https://lnkd.in/gNeeKRJ8