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Dear friends of ILG,
As the year draws to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on the past year, celebrate our successes, and express our gratitude to everyone we have had the pleasure of working with this year.
2024 has been an exciting year for Team ILG! We are wrapping up two multi-year projects - one focused on decreasing barriers to housing production, and one on community engagement to provide better access to clean and equitable transportation options. We have continued to train thousands of local government officials and staff on topics ranging from ballot measures, to meeting facilitation, to grant writing. And just last month, we launched an innovative new initiative to help address public sector workforce needs through non-traditional registered apprenticeship programs.
None of this would have been possible without the support of our board, affiliates, funders, partners, and of course California's cities, counties, and special districts.
We are grateful for our association affiliates - Cal Cities, CSAC, and CSDA - which we have the honor of collaborating with to make all of California's local governments stronger, more effective, and more resilient.
We are grateful to our funders and partners whose ongoing support allows us to continue to provide timely and relevant trainings, technical assistance, and resources to help local governments stay informed and explore innovative solutions to new and ongoing challenges.
And we are grateful to the local government leaders who continue to put their trust in us to help them navigate the ever-changing local government landscape.
So far, 2024 has been a year of growth and collaboration at ILG. As we wrap up the year, we’ll begin planning for 2025 with an emphasis on exploring how best to bring forward our collective resources to create even greater impact for California local governments. We’ll continue to elevate issues related to leadership, governance, engagement, land use, climate, and workforce, and we’ll dive even deeper into the key learnings, opportunities, and needs stemming from the recent election cycle. As always, we welcome your input on the programs we develop to support your important work and hope you’ll contact us with any suggestions
From the ILG family to yours, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!
In gratitude,
Erica L. Manuel
CEO & Executive Director
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NEWS & FEATURED OFFERINGS | |
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ILG Now Accepting Applications for Bridge Registered Apprenticeships Pilot
ILG recently announced the launch of Bridge, a new initiative to support California’s local governments in building their workforce pipeline through Registered Apprenticeship Programs in “non-traditional” fields like human resources, accounting, IT, health and human services, and more.
Bridge is open to cities, counties, and special districts. Jurisdictions interested in joining the pilot should complete this interest form. Pilots will be accepted on a rolling basis until space is filled and goals are met. After receiving the form, ILG will schedule consultations and information sessions with top candidates to discuss each jurisdiction’s workforce goals and needs, as well as any existing partnerships or projects.
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10th Annual National Apprenticeship Week
ILG was excited to celebrate 10 years of National Apprenticeship Week as a newly designated Apprenticeship Ambassador by the U.S. Department of Labor. Here are a few highlights from NAW 2024:
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Building Support for Ballot Measures: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from the 2024 Election
Tuesday, December 3, 11:30am - 1:00pm
Ballot measures can be valuable tools to enact or enable positive change, but their success is dependent on the community’s trust, support, and participation. In this webinar, we will look at local ballot measures that passed (and didn’t) in the November 2024 election—what can we learn about effective messaging, educational outreach, and building community trust?
Panelists will share best practices and innovative approaches for surveying communities, rallying resident support, and navigating the legal and political landscape of ballot measures. Attendees will come away with valuable tools for communicating about these measures and driving positive change in their communities. Register here.
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Stanford Local Governance Summer Institute
July 20-25, 2025
ILG is a proud partner in Stanford University’s Local Governance Summer Institute (LGSI). The Institute is currently accepting applications for next year’s cohort, scheduled for July 20-25.
This program offers city managers, county executives, regional directors, and other senior local government officials the opportunity to exchange ideas and acquire tools for improving local government performance and enhancing prospective analytical capacity to innovate and anticipate societal change. Attendees will learn new skills related to public finance, negotiating, and strategic planning, while hearing about innovative solutions and technological advancements supporting the emergence of smarter, more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities in California and around the world. LGSI is supported and endorsed each year by several professional organizations, including ILG. Learn more.
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CSAC Annual Meeting
ILG was thrilled to participate in CSAC’s Annual Meeting last month. Team ILG hosted a booth in the expo hall, facilitated the Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws Training, and connected with dozens of counties and county leaders, including ILG Board members Mona Miyasato, Santa Barbara County CAO, Graham Knaus, CSAC CEO, Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon, and Mono County Supervisor Rhonda Duggan.
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Stockton Mobility Collective Summit
Team ILG facilitated the Stockton Mobility Collective’s Elevating Mobility Summit in November. ILG has been working closely with the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), community-based organizations, project partners, the City of Stockton, and residents for the last three year to lead community engagement for the Stockton Mobility Collective. The Summit focused on project outcomes, data, lessons learned, and resident testimonials highlighting the importance and impact of increased mobility options in under-resourced communities. ILG was honored to share our experience and feedback as well as facilitate conversations with the COG, the city, the CA Air Resources Board (CARB), and community partners on strategies to maximize impact through collaboration, and policy considerations and recommendations for future projects, like the Stockton Mobility Collective, aimed at increasing equitable access to clean mobility options.
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Beacon Awards
ILG attended a wide range of Council meetings to celebrate the sustainability efforts of our Beacon Award winning jurisdictions. In November, we were excited to present 2024 Beacon Awards to the cities of Maywood, Martinez, and Rolling Hills Estates.
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San Diego Regional Energy Academy
ILG's Roberto Carlos Torres, was selected to participate in the Inaugural San Diego Regional Energy Academy in November, which was hosted by the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative and the University of San Diego's Energy Policy Initiative Center. Roberto joined other sustainability leaders from the San Diego region, including several local government representatives and community advocates, to learn about energy policy and initiatives taking place in the San Diego region and across California.
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The Case for Innovation in Housing: How Local Governments Can Drive Solutions
This white paper from Enterprise Community Partners, Terner Labs, and others features nine case studies that illustrate how local governments can create and foster environments conducive to housing innovation. It advocates for tailored strategies and frameworks that align with the unique needs and aspirations of communities across the United States. Read more.
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How Your City Can Help Secure Residents the Best Possible Fire Insurance Rates
Cities and their fire departments can play a crucial role in helping their communities secure better insurance rates. Fire departments can alleviate the financial strain on homeowners by driving community resilience initiatives, supporting wildfire mitigation programs, and ensuring defensible space compliance. Read more.
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Local Government Navigates Negative Impact of Political Polarization Better than Federal Government According to Survey
A new survey from Carnegie/CivicPulse finds that local governments are largely insulated from the harshest effects of polarization in America, and communities below 50,000 residents are especially resilient to partisan dysfunction due to greater participation in local activities and a shared focus on tangible needs and services. Read more.
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National Civic Review
Fall Edition
The Fall edition of the National Civic Review focuses on strengthening democracy, addressing this challenge through various approaches. It explores scaling and spreading effective local practices, enhancing inclusivity and participation, and tackling issues related to community health and public safety. Read more.
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Cal Cities Mayors and Councilmembers Academy
January 22 - 24 at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento
January 29 - 31 at the Delta Hotel, Garden Grove
Whether you’re a new mayor or city council member, or you’ve been serving your community for years, this academy is for you. The academy covers the legal, financial, and practical fundamentals to your job as an elected city official. Just as vital, you’ll have opportunities to foster relationships with your peers. Sessions also include an update on key legislative issues and an overview of your Cal Cities services. ILG will be hosting Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws and Principles (AB 1234) and AB 1661 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training at both conferences! Register here.
ILG is a State Bar of California minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) approved provider and certifies that each session/activity meets the standards for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California. Provider #13881
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CSDA's Special District Leadership Academy
April 21 - 24, 2025
La Quinta (Palm Springs Area)
CSDA's Special District Leadership Academy offers curriculum-based training built around the essential partnership between board members and general managers. Designed for both new and seasoned board members, the groundbreaking curriculum equips attendees with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead effectively and uphold vital governance responsibilities. This conference fosters collaborative leadership and sets a strong foundation for achieving shared goals within your special district.
Attend for the first time and complete all four modules of the Special District Leadership Academy:
- Governance Foundations
- Setting Direction/Community Leadership
- Board’s Role in Human Resources
- Board’s Role in Finance and Fiscal Accountability
Already completed the academy? Take a deep dive into common opportunities and challenges facing special districts by registering for the advanced track. Read more.
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The Link Between Fun Videos and Social Media Engagement
When creating video content for social media, engaging viewers is both an art and a science. With a sea of content vying for visual attention, it can be difficult to determine what will make your video stand out. Tripepi Smith recommends — and incorporates in their own marketing efforts — the following practices to create fun and informative videos that drive engagement. Read more.
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LCW Annual Conference
Registration for the Annual Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW) Conference is open! The conference will take place January 30 – 31, 2025 in San Diego.
The LCW Conference is an important public sector employment and labor relations educational event. The speakers are California labor relations and employment law attorneys who have dedicated their careers to representing and supporting California's cities, counties, special districts, public safety agencies, and public educational institutions.
For more information and to register today, please click here!
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National Business Institute Webinar: Boundary Law and Land Use Legal Toolkit
Hanson Bridgett’s Dana Dean, Wiemond Wu and Thomas Han are speaking at the National Business Institute’s upcoming webinar, “Boundary Law and Legal Land Use Legal Toolkit.” The session “Staying Within Legal Ethics Bounds,” will discuss special considerations for lawyers serving as legislators or board members, attorney fees, ex parte communications, due diligence and competence, and avoiding conflicts. December 4, 2024, 2-3:00 pm. Register here!
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