MESSAGE FROM ILG CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Greetings from ILG and Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Right now, the majority of employers in the U.S. are experiencing workforce challenges related to recruitment and retention. In a recent ILG survey of local agency leaders, more than 63% indicated their agency is struggling with retirements, resignations and limited hiring pools of qualified candidates. That’s why it seemed fitting that for our May newsletter, we’d focus on public sector workforce development. May 1-7 was Public Service Recognition Week and an important time to recognize the public servants in the 1000s of cities, counties and special districts doing great work every day. ILG continues to highlight Local Government Champions and we’ll accept new nominations throughout the year to honor our commitment to celebrating a job well done.

In this issue, we spotlight a few workforce-related resources, innovative programs and new funding opportunities to help attract and retain a 21^st Century workforce. I’m especially excited to be hosting an upcoming webinar in partnership with the California Department of Industrial Relations where we’ll discuss a new registered apprenticeship program for local governments that could provide an innovative solution to pervasive public sector workforce pipeline challenges.

The next generation of public sector employees has evolving expectations and a different mindset about their career pathways. Public sector employers must be ready to address this head on. Recently, I was honored to participate in the MMANC Women’s Leadership Summit where we discussed this very topic and how it impacts women in the workplace. For a slightly different perspective, I interviewed ILG intern Alison Shea who offered some insight about her recent experience working with local governments as a college student and the lessons she learned during her internship with ILG.

ILG’s Workforce Development and Civics Education team can provide a wide range of trainings and services to help local agencies develop and maximize cross-sector partnerships to build capacity, develop career pathways and engage the next generation. Please contact us to learn more about creative workforce solutions that may work for you.

Last, but not least, I would be remiss if I did not reflect on the recent tragedies in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. Coincidentally, May is also Mental Health Awareness Month and as leaders, we must acknowledge that traumatic events like those can have a profound impact on individuals, families and communities, even if they take place many miles away. Our hearts go out to all the families and loved ones affected by those horrific events, and the many more acts of violence that received less mainstream attention. At ILG, we stand committed to advancing local policies that keep our communities free from violence and racism. We salute the educators and the mental health and public safety professionals working tirelessly to move the needle.

In gratitude from all of us at ILG,

Erica L. Manuel

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

Latest News

Interview with ILG’s Spring Intern, Alison Shea

ILG Welcomes 3 New Team Members

ILG CEO Erica Manuel Speaks at MMANC Women’s Conference

Upcoming Webinars & Trainings

Leading Local: Civility in Local Government – June 2, 2022

Leading Local: Depolarizing Within – June 8, 2022

Regional Planning Commissioner Trainings – June 16 & June 17, 2022

How Apprenticeships Can Work in Your Local Agency – June 22, 2022

Personal and Organizational Wildfire Preparedness and Prevention – June 23, 2022 

Leading Local: Managing Conflict Through the Lens of Equity – June 29, 2022 

Webinar Recordings Now Available

Local Gov’t Taxes: Budgeting, Forecasting & Future Trends – May 4, 2022

Leading Local: Communication Skills for Bridging the Divide – May 11, 2022

Ballot Measures & Municipal Elections – May 24, 2022

Leading Local: Developing the Language of Cultural Intelligence – May 25, 2022

Funding Opportunities

Regional Climate Collaboratives (RCC)

Environmental Enhancement & Mitigation Program

Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF)

Affiliate Updates

CSDA General Manager Leadership Summit – June 19-June 21, 2022

Cal Cities is Hiring!

Classes from the CSAC Institute

Workforce Development Highlight

Cal HR Employee Recognition Toolkit

Partner Program Updates

May Partner Feature: Peckham & McKenney

Other Partner News

Partner with ILG

LATEST NEWS

Interview with ILG’s Spring Intern Alison Shea

In honor of Public Service Recognition Week and in recognition of California’s past, present and future public servants, Erica L. Manuel interviewed Alison Shea, a college intern with ILG. In this video interview, Alison talks about her internship experience as a NextGen employee and her plans for the future. Watch here.

ILG Welcomes New Team Members

ILG continues to grow and evolve. We’re excited to welcome three new staff members to support our organizational priorities and manage a variety of current and new projects. This week we welcomed Program Manager Taylor Buck.

ILG CEO Erica L. Manuel Speaks at MMANC Women’s Leadership Summit

The Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) held its 2022 Women's Leadership Summit and ILG CEO & Executive Director Erica L. Manuel was featured on the Professional Empowerment Panel focused on lifting up women in their careers. The panel discussed how public employees can empower themselves and others around them, from salary negotiations and career development to tips on working smart.

UPCOMING WEBINARS & TRAININGS

Leading Local Webinar: Civility in Local Government

Strategies to Improve Civil Discourse in Public Meetings

Thursday, June 2, 2022

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Local governments across the state are experiencing increased vitriol, polarization and disruptions at their public meetings. Local officials and staff alike are eager to find policies, practices and other tools to manage public meetings that balance local governments’ ability to conduct effective meetings while also ensuring the public’s right to participate and desire to be heard. Join ILG for a discussion of communication strategies, governance policies and other resources to help promote civil discourse, encourage effective meetings and navigate disruptions.

Speakers:

• Shirley Concolino, Former City Clerk, City of Sacramento
• Amy Howorth, Former Councilmember, City of Manhattan Beach
• Melissa Kuehne, Senior Program Manager, Institute for Local Government
• Erica L. Manuel, CEO & Executive Director, Institute for Local Government

Register here.

Leading Local: Depolarizing Within

Part 2 of the Bridging Divides Webinar Series

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

In Session 2 of the Bridging Divides webinar series, we’ll explore depolarizing within. Recognize your inner polarizer and focus on affirming the value and humanity of the other side, even among people you disagree with. Learn and practice skills to intervene in polarizing conversations without risking accusations of disloyalty or naïveté.

This training is free to attend, but space is limited, and RSVPs are required. Unlike other ILG webinars, this training lasts two full hours and attendees must participate for the full duration of the session. Due to the highly interactive nature of the training, late arrivals will not be admitted.

Register here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the session. Attendees should also review the e-learning materials for this course in advance.

https://braverangels.org/online/online-depolarizing-within-workshop/.

This webinar is hosted by ILG in partnership with Braver Angels.

Regional Planning Commissioner Trainings

2022 – 2023

Next Trainings:

Imperial County, June 16, 2022

San Diego County, June 17, 2022

ILG is hosting a series of regional planning commissioner trainings throughout the state in 2022 and 2023. These sessions are offered free of charge exclusively for city and county planning commissioners and designed to benefit both new and seasoned professionals. 

The interactive training sessions help planning commissioners better understand:

• The role of a planning commission
• How to work effectively with staff and the governing board
• Effective community engagement
• CEQA basics
• Required planning documents
• Local planning challenges and opportunities

In each training session, we reserve time to network and discuss local planning challenges and opportunities, that are specific for each region. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with experts in the field and learn from fellow planning commissioners about best practices, emerging trends and lessons learned.

All sessions will run from 9:30am to 4pm, with coffee and networking beginning at 9am.

Please click on your region below for more information and to register. Must be a current planning commissioner or planning commission staff and pre-registered to attend. If you miss a session in your community, Planning Commissioners or staff can attend any upcoming training of their choice. Sessions are all in-person and will not be recorded. Please send an email to pctrainings@ca-ilg.org for any questions you may have.

For a list of upcoming sessions and to register click here.

These trainings are hosted by ILG in partnership with PlaceWorks and the California Department of Housing & Community Development.

How Registered Apprenticeships Can Work in Your Local Agency

Learn About the Workforce Development Model Designed to Attract and Retain a 21st Century Public Sector Workforce

Wednesday, June 22

1:30 pm

Many public sector employers are struggling to attract and retain a high-skilled, inclusive, 21^st century workforce because of evolving employee and employer expectations and workforce needs. In this virtual workforce summit, attendees will learn how to transform their local agency’s workforce development, recruitment and retention strategies through registered apprenticeship. The presentation will provide an overview of the new, innovative registered apprenticeship opportunities from the state of California, which leverage a modern registered apprenticeship program (RAP) model. Panelists will discuss how this re-imagined workforce development strategy can help local government employers strengthen the next generation workforce pipeline by moving incumbent workers into good-paying, high-quality jobs while still serving in their current roles.  

This virtual discussion is tailored for senior management and human resources practitioners at California cities, counties and special districts. 

Attendees will learn: 

• The framework for this 21^st century registered apprenticeship model
• How this apprenticeship model can be customized for a public sector workplace 
• How local governments can develop registered apprenticeship programs that attract and retain talent
• What funding and other resources are available to help develop and maintain programs

Session will be moderated by ILG CEO & Executive Director, Erica L. Manuel.

Register here.

This virtual event is hosted by ILG in partnership with the California Department of Industrial Relations.

Personal and Organizational Wildfire Preparedness and Prevention

Thursday, June 23, 2022

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Extreme heat events and continued drought, have made devastating wildfire events a year-round concern. With this increased threat, local leaders are eager to find ways to better protect and prepare their agencies and communities. Join ILG, our partners and your local government colleagues for a discussion of tools, strategies and resources to help you, your team and your agency be better prepared for wildfire events. 

Topics will include:

• Grid Hardening Efforts
• Outage Notifications
• Defensible Space
• Local Alert Systems
• Evacuation Routes
• After Action Reports
• Risk Assessment and Analysis
• And More

Speakers:

• Rahim Nathoo, Manager, Business Resiliency, Southern California Edison
• Nora O’Brien, CEO, Connect Consulting Services 
• Jorge Rodriguez, Community Alert and Warning Coordinator, Sonoma County 

Register here.

This webinar is hosted by ILG in partnership with Connect Consulting Services and Southern California Edison.

SAVE THE DATE

Leading Local: Managing Conflict Through the Lens of Equity

Part 3 of the Cultural Intelligence Training

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

When organizations begin the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) journey of transformation, there will likely be conflict and communication “breakdowns”. Local agency leaders will face barriers as they work to create an inclusive workplace and community. The third session of ILG’s Cultural Intelligence Training (CQ) is designed to support local government leaders by providing tools and resources for navigating conflict related to sensitive topics with individuals, groups of people and other organizations. 

This interactive session is free to attend, but registration is required. Space is very limited and a waitlist will be created. Registration will open soon. 

This series is hosted by ILG in partnership with Impact Foundry.

RECORDINGS NOW AVAILABLE

If you missed one of our webinars, consider downloading one of our recent sessions on topics covering local campaigns and elections, bridging the divide in an increasingly polarized environment, budget forecasting and trends and more. The webinar recordings, presentations and additional resources are available on our website and below.

• Leading Local: Developing the Language of CQ (May 25, 2022)
• Ballot Measures and Municipal Elections: What Local Leaders Need to Know (May 24, 2022)
• Leading Local: Communication Skills for Bridging the Divide (May 11, 2022) 
• Local Gov’t Taxes: Budgeting, Forecasting, and Future Trends (May 4, 2022)

Access all ILG webinar recordings here.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Regional Climate Collaboratives



After three years of planning, the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) has launched its Regional Climate Collaborative Grant Program. This new capacity building grant program will fund community-rooted and cross-sectoral partners to develop the processes, plans and projects that will drive and sustain climate action in their communities. 

In this first round, SGC has allocated $8.35 million for grant awards and applicants will have flexibility to request between $500,000-$1,750,000. This innovative program will provide funding to build unique, community-driven partnerships in underserved communities to help them build capacity and access state funding for climate change mitigation and adaption projects. ILG was selected to be part of the technical assistance team for this program, so interested local agencies are encouraged to reach out to Karalee Browne at kbrowne@ca-ilg.org for more information. 

Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program



The California Natural Resources Agency is offering grants of up to $500,000 for projects that mitigate the environmental effects of transportation facilities. Such projects may include:

• Urban Forestry - such as planting of trees and other plants along urban streets and medians, greening existing public lands and structures, including school campuses and urban parks, greening vacant lots and abandoned sites and restoration of urban creeks.
• Resource Lands - such as the removal of invasive and restoration of natural plant species and acquisitions to preserve in perpetuity resource lands for agricultural uses, open space, wetlands, biodiversity, etc.
• Mitigation Projects Beyond the Scope of the Lead Agency - projects to mitigate the impact of proposed transportation facilities or to enhance the environment, where the ability to effectuate the mitigation or enhancement measures is beyond the scope of the lead agency responsible for assessing the environmental impact of the proposed transportation improvement.

Proposals must be submitted by June 3, 2022. For more information, register for one of the upcoming technical assistance workshops.

Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF)

The Employment Development Department (EDD) in collaboration with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development recently announced the availability of up to $65 million in the Community Economic Resilience Fund Program (CERF) Planning Phase 1 Program Year (PY) 2022-24 Solicitation for Proposals (SFP).

Planning projects will develop meaningfully inclusive regional planning processes that produce regional roadmaps, which will outline plans to bolster economic resiliency and increase access to quality jobs for those who traditionally have been left behind. Regional plans will meet regions where they are, understanding there is no one-size-fits all path toward a more resilient, equitable and sustainable economy. The High Road Transition Collaboratives must incorporate perspectives from stakeholders such as labor, business, community groups, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, economic development entities, education institutions and other key groups in the region.

Proposals must be received by 3 p.m. on Monday, July 25, 2022. An informational webinar will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Preregistration is required. For registration information, email a request to WSBCERF@edd.ca.gov by June 13, 2022. The EDD encourages applicants to submit a notice of intent to apply to WSBCERF@edd.ca.gov by 5 p.m. on June 22, 2022. To view this SFP, visit the EDD Workforce Development Solicitations for Proposals webpage.

ILG AFFILIATE NEWS

ILG is the non-profit training and education affiliate of Cal Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association.

2022 CSDA General Manager Leadership Summit

Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa

Saturday, June 19 – Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Stay current on governance best practices, state laws, human resources, operations, pensions, budgeting, risk management, policies, procedures and more at the General Manager Leadership Summit designed for general managers or emerging leaders of a special district. The Summit brings together special district leaders from throughout the state to network and learn more about specific job responsibilities and emerging trends.

The ILG Team will be leading a workforce development session during the Summit.

Register here.

Cal Cities is Hiring!

Cal Cities is seeking candidates for the following exciting career opportunities serving California cities:

• Professional Event Program Manager. Help develop and coordinate educational conferences that provide value to city leaders throughout the state.
• Governance and Leadership Manager. This role involves managing activities and facilitating processes to advance effective and efficient operations relating to the Cal Cities organization’s governance.

Visit http://calcities.org/careers to learn more and apply.

For additional careers in California local government, check out the latest updates to the Western City Job Board. Open positions include:

• City of Laguna Beach - Government Finance Director
• City of Carlsbad - Parks Planning Manager
• City of Glendale - Director of Community Development

Visit http://jobs.westerncity.com for more information.

Classes from the CSAC Institute

Check out upcoming classes covering the remainder of the Winter-Spring 2022 semester. Browse the CSAC Institute’s course catalog and see what’s ahead here.

June Classes

• Manage Conflict (Even Hostility) in Comfort
• IT Demand Management
• Contract Management and Procurement
• Emotional Intelligence – A Leadership Master Class

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHT

CalHR Employee Recognition Toolkit

In honor of Public Service Recognition Week from May 1-7, ILG is featuring a new toolkit from CalHR, a partner with the Innovative Pathways to Public Service collaborative that ILG administers. The Toolkit offers strategies for recognizing public servants. Employee recognition is more important than ever as public sector employers grapple with employee attraction and retention.

Learn more and access the toolkit here.

MAY FEATURED PARTNER

May Featured Partner: Peckham & McKenney

The great resignation, continued retirement wave and lingering impacts of the COVID pandemic are having significant and lasting effects on local government staffing. Trends related to remote and flexible work, community engagement, training and mentorship and compensation all impact an agency’s ability to recruit and retain talent.

New ILG Partner, Peckham & McKenny, offers recruitment and retention strategies for local government. Peckham & McKenney provides executive search services to local government agencies throughout the Western United States. Their professional service and a personal, hands-on approach helps guarantee the best “fit” in the candidates they place.

For more information, visit Peckham & McKenney.

PARTNER WITH ILG!

ILG’s Partner Program provides a great opportunity to demonstrate your organization’s commitment to good governance at the local level, all while connecting with and engaging local decision-makers. Join us!

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