The six-county Uplift Central Coast Coalition — led by
REACH, the
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) and Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) — is excited to announce its continued partnership to develop an application and secure our region’s share of California’s new $600 million Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF).
The purpose of CERF is to support new plans and strategies to diversify local economies and develop sustainable industries that create high-quality, broadly accessible jobs for all Californians.
The CERF strategy is based on triple bottom line principles and values — economy, equity and environment — and calls for input from and ultimate benefit to disadvantaged, disproportionately impacted and under-represented communities.
Moving forward, our broadened Uplift Central Coast initiative will identify, prioritize and invest in a wide range of workforce and economic development projects, while contributing to a comprehensive approach to regional economic resilience. Our efforts and partnerships will continue to cover the six-county region: Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Grants of up to $5 million per region will be awarded this fall to support inclusive engagement and planning efforts to inform regional investment opportunities.