COMMUNITY ECONOMIC RESILIENCE CONSORTIUM | |
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Nearly four years ago, we were forced to change the way we do business. Responding to the COVID pandemic, economic and community development organizations, local governments, and other groups forged an unprecedented multi-county collaboration to support our communities and each other.
We are still committed to our mission of "providing updates, sharing resources and ensuring consistent communication to our community's businesses and public at large."
But the CERC only works with your participation. It's not a top-down or centralized entity. Think of it like a potluck, we set the table and bring a dish. But the meal is only good if we all contribute. And as anyone who has attended a potluck knows, a "varied" selection of dishes make the meal even better. We look forward to your continued partnership as we move forward on the pressing issues of the region.
Plus, we have fun too...
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Next Meeting 3/6/24: Randy Weaver - Labor Market Researcher - Employment Development Department
We're pleased to have Randy Weaver return to talk about the local labor market and how we fared over the past year. His presentations are always interesting and spark lots of discussion.
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We've got some great programs scheduled for March. These include:
- March 13 - Scott Adair, County of Humboldt - Update on the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
- March 20th - Jenn Capps and Chrissy Holliday, Cal Poly Humboldt - Update on Enrollment and other topics of interest.
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Last Meeting - 2/28/2024: Kristin Johnson, Northern California Small Business Development Center Network | |
Executive Director Kristin Johnson shared some interesting history of both the NORCAL SBDC Lead Center & the SBDC Service Center. She also highlighted the many diverse programs from the NORCAL SBDC including the Tech Futures Group, California Shop Small, E-Commerce, Pittsburg Eats, Clinician to CEO, Inclusivity Project, HOLASBDC, and International Trade Programs.
The best part... some great conversations were had and some potential collaborations were discussed!
Learn more at https://www.norcalsbdc.org/
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Did you miss one of the excellent Wednesday CERC presentations?
Don't fret. We save them for you. Click to watch and enjoy at your convenience.
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Do you have something you'd like to share in the CERC Update? We have an email list of over 250 key individuals in the region, at state agencies, and in supporting organizations.
Email Stacy or Gregg with your news items.
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Cal Trans Offers Training for Regional Businesses | |
Film Commission Hosts Oscar Gala | |
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The Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission is partnering with the historic Eureka Theater and the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission to present the community-favorite 9th annual Red Carpet Gala on March 10th, 2024.
The Gala includes community awards for private/public entities and individuals that have excelled at being film friendly in our region. For over 100 years, filmmakers have captured the region’s unique locations, embraced local talent, and energized the local economy with a steady stream of productions in every type of media. Most recent and noteworthy being the BC Project starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.
The doors will open at 3:30pm as glammed and dressed up folks in our community arrive to walk the red carpet into the Streamline Modern lobby of the Eureka Theater. Inside the lobby, guests will mingle and schmooze along with fellow fans of cinema and social butterflies, savor delightful hors d’oeuvres, and taste magnificent cocktails from the no-host bar, while enjoying music. In the Eureka Theater auditorium, a mouthwatering buffet will be served for your enjoyment. Pesky commercials will be replaced with the community Film-Friendly awards, videos, and music by RLA Trio.
A free screening of ABC's live telecast of the 96th Annual Academy Awards will begin at 4:00 PM, projected on the big screen.
Gala advance tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at the link below. Tickets at the door will be $45. VIP Tables will also be available for $300 seating six and $400 seating eight. VIP Tables include tickets, priority entry, a bottle of champagne, plated appetizers, and bar table service. Tables are limited.
You can purchase tickets on Brown Paper Ticket: https://bpt.me/6246565
The event is generously sponsored by Redwood Region Economic Development Commission, The Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission, and The Eureka Theater. More information on the event can be found here.
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County Adopts Economic Development Legislative Platform | |
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The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors recently adopted its Legislative Platform that includes priorities for economic development, housing, cannabis, and aviation. Economic Development positions include:
- Planning and collaboration
- Seek or support legislation and efforts aimed at enhancing regional collaboration.
- Seek or support legislation that positively impacts the county’s ability to engage in and implement economic development programs and policies.
- Financing tools, districts
- Seek or support legislation that maintains and strengthens tax increment financing tools for communities.
- Workforce training, administration
- Support efforts that increase proper planning, administration and supervision of comprehensive local systems of workforce training and employment.
- Seek or support additional workforce development programs throughout Humboldt County to expand opportunities to businesses and residents, including collaborations with small business development programs.
- Business retention and growth
- Seek or support the development and implementation of a statewide “proactive” California business retention strategy, led by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). The county supports partnerships with local economic development organizations.
- Seek or support legislation that supports the private sector and the development of new or expanded businesses in communities.
- Seek or support legislation that incorporates renewable energy and preparedness in economic development efforts.
The entire Legislative Platform can be found here.
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The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors recently adopted its Legislative Platform that includes priorities for economic development, housing, cannabis, and aviation. Economic Development positions include:
- Planning and collaboration
- Seek or support legislation and efforts aimed at enhancing regional collaboration.
- Seek or support legislation that positively impacts the county’s ability to engage in and implement economic development programs and policies.
- Financing tools, districts
- Seek or support legislation that maintains and strengthens tax increment financing tools for communities.
- Workforce training, administration
- Support efforts that increase proper planning, administration and supervision of comprehensive local systems of workforce training and employment.
- Seek or support additional workforce development programs throughout Humboldt County to expand opportunities to businesses and residents, including collaborations with small business development programs.
- Business retention and growth
- Seek or support the development and implementation of a statewide “proactive” California business retention strategy, led by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). The county supports partnerships with local economic development organizations.
- Seek or support legislation that supports the private sector and the development of new or expanded businesses in communities.
- Seek or support legislation that incorporates renewable energy and preparedness in economic development efforts.
The entire Legislative Platform can be found here.
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Middle Mile Broadband Initiative Moves Forward - Maps Revealed | |
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California Broadband for All is strengthening broadband connections to improve access to education, health services and employment opportunities throughout the state. The Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative is the first step to creating an open-access, middle-mile network that will build infrastructure to bring high-speed broadband service to unserved and underserved communities, regardless of technology used, on equal economic and service terms.
The middle-mile is the physical fiber optic infrastructure needed to enable internet connectivity. It is made up of high-capacity fiber lines that carry large amounts of data at high speeds over long distances. An open-access network gives providers and entities access to broadband infrastructure that will allow any networks to connect on equal economic and service terms.
The State has developed the Statewide Middle-Mile Network Map that displays where routes are planned and in development. The MMBI team continues its work to close the digital divide through an innovative approach that includes broadband construction, leasing, and joint build.
Completion of the middle mile will open opportunities for new "last-mile" service for communities throughout the Redwood Region.
Learn more here.
Browse the interactive map here.
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Department of Energy Convenes Meetings on Offshore Wind Transmission | |
The U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Development Office (GDO) and Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will be holding a series of will host a series of Convening Workshops with subject matter experts and decision makers, including Tribal Nations, state governments, and regional transmission operators to gather input about West Coast offshore wind transmission planning needs and challenges. Following the Convening Series, DOE and BOEM will develop a set of recommendations that outline immediate actions needed to connect the first generation of West Coast offshore wind projects onto the electric grid, and longer-term efforts to support needed transmission over the next several decades.
The kickoff webinar on January 17, 2024, previewed the goals and plan for the upcoming Convening Series.
This is an important topic for the Redwood Coast, as current transmission infrastructure is inadequate to support proposed Offshore Wind (OSW) projects off of the Humboldt County Coast. A recent Shatz Energy Research Center report concluded:
"The northern Coast of California and the southern coast of Oregon have some of the best wind resources in the United States, and development of these resources can contribute to meeting the clean energy goals of California, Oregon, and other western states. Because the existing transmission grid infrastructure that serves these coastal regions is limited in capacity, major investments in new transmission grid infrastructure will be needed."
You can find the Schatz report by clicking here.
More information on the GDO/BOEM Convenings can be found here.
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Redwood Region RISE Holds Monthly Meeting | |
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RRRISE kicked off their February monthly Collaborative meeting with a warm welcome to all familiar and new faces. For our 1-year anniversary meeting, we asked the icebreaker question “What was your first job?” and saw the chat light up with an impressive array of first-time gigs: from scooping ice cream; working at Kmart; teaching music to kids; navigating disability services; waiter; grocery store “bag boy”; to rollerblade instructor. ;-)
After some housekeeping notes, sharing of the February Partner Directory and the promise that they’ll distribute a draft vision statement soon, the group received Planning Phase updates. RRRISE is currently over mid-way through their Planning Phase, and on track with the two main objectives:
- Create a regional, balanced, and inclusive Collaborative to direct economic planning efforts;
- Build a Regional Roadmap (a 10-year vision) to guide inclusive, sustainable economic development investments in our region—and a Collaborative empowered to shepherd this process.
All five of “core” Tables are officially up and running. Our first main research deliverable, the Regional Roadmap Part 1 that was delivered in December 2023, will be disseminated into short and sweet issue briefs (with accompanying slide decks, short videos, and social media posts) for easy digestion. Over the few months, the Collaborative’s various tables and working groups will elevate key criteria (metrics) that will guide the strategies and investments we want to see as a Region. This will inform the Planning Phase’s final deliverable due at the end of August 2024: our Regional Roadmap Part 2.
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Note that the CERC Housing Group meets every Monday at 11:00 a.m.
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Small Business Majority Offers Assistance to Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
Scheduled and On-Demand Webinars Offered
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Small Business Majority is a national small business organization that empowers America's diverse entrepreneurs to build a thriving and equitable economy. They engage their network of more than 85,000 small businesses and 1,500 business and community organizations to deliver resources to entrepreneurs and advocate for public policy solutions that promote inclusive small business growth. Their work is bolstered by extensive research and deep connections with the small business community that enable us to educate stakeholders about key issues impacting America’s entrepreneurs, with a special focus on the smallest businesses and those facing systemic inequities.
Small Business Majority hosts frequent free events for small businesses in all stages and across industries. Here you will find upcoming events, training seminars and webinars hosted by Small Business Majority and our partners.
Check out their events and seminars page.
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The NorCal Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will receive a $350,000 grant from Wells Fargo and launch their 2nd year of partnership with the Inclusivity Project.
The Inclusivity Project creates collaborations between like-minded organizations to provide no-cost mentorship, advising, workshops, and networking opportunities to diverse small business and the entrepreneurial community. Since 2021, the Inclusivity Project has been instrumental in expanding access, pathways, and assets for diverse small businesses by conducting over 70 workshops, facilitating nearly 500 loans and grants, and cumulatively amassing $16.9 million in capital for more than 700 entrepreneurs.
Learn More Here
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Events Galore!
Local Chamber Gather to Inform, Celebrate
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3/10/24 - Humboldt/Del Norte Film Commission Red Carpet Gala Learn More
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3/22/24 - McKinleyville Chamber Awards Dinner Learn More
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4/10-12 2024 - CALED Annual Conference in Santa Rosa Learn More
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Extreme Weather Shelter Volunteers Needed
The Arcata House Partnership will be coordinating the Extreme Weather Shelter and Warming Center(s) for the Arcata/McKinleyville area.
If you are interested in volunteering for this year's Extreme Weather Shelter and/or you have volunteered with us in the past. Please follow this link https://arcatahouse.info/m/EWS and select the "Sign up to Volunteer" button. This will get you entered into our volunteer database which will allow you to update your information, select your preferred method of contact, select the volunteer options that interest you and opt out of all communications if you no longer wish to participate.
Thank you for considering to volunteer with Arcata House Partnership, where even the smallest acts can make a world of difference.
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Help Build the CERC Collaboration
Forward this email to potential partners and interested parties. They can sign up for updates using the button below.
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