December 2025

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

Dear Friends of ILG,

As we approach the end of 2025, I’m struck by how quickly the year has passed but also how much meaningful work has taken place across California’s local governments. ILG has accomplished a tremendous amount alongside you, and we’re excited to deliver even more tools, training, and personalized support to local governments in 2026.

Some of our 2025 highlights include:

• Launching our Bridge Public Sector Apprenticeships initiative in earnest, and developing resources for agencies interested in developing their own non-traditional public sector apprenticeship program.
• Providing technical training for local government officials, staff, and community-based organization leaders on grant writing, public meeting design & facilitation, and community collaboration.
• Releasing the “Bridging the Gap: Strategies for Restoring Public Sector Employment in the Sacramento Region” report we collaborated on with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office's North Far North Center of Excellence.
• Through our BOOST Imperial Valley Program, providing 1,000+ hours in technical assistance, helping local agencies in the region collectively apply for $31 million in grants, and securing nearly $4 million so far.
• Recognizing and celebrating 21 different agencies for their voluntary efforts to take climate action, via our 2025 Beacon Awards.

Our work took us across California and beyond, from city halls and county chambers to national gatherings in Florida and international exchanges in Sweden. Each engagement reinforced the same truth: local government work is complex, vital, and deserving of strong, reliable partners. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with so many of you, and hope you feel the same. As always, we welcome your input on the programs and resources we develop to support your important work.

Our next monthly newsletter won’t be until February, but we are going to kick off 2026 at full speed with: the final webinar in our Advanced Wildfire Risk Reduction series; meeting and training newly elected officials at the 2026 Cal Cities Mayors and Council Members Academy; hosting conversations about the new legal parameters on employment laws and open meetings; and providing guidance on ballot measure DOs and DON’Ts. Stay tuned to our website, emails, and social media sites for announcements.

From the ILG family to yours, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

In gratitude,

Erica L. Manuel

CEO & Executive Director



NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Photo courtesy of Amalgamated Transit Union

Public Sector Apprenticeships Focus in November Western City Article

Could non-traditional apprenticeships be the key to solving local government's workforce challenges? Our very own Amanda explores this critical question in her first piece for Western City Magazine. 

2023 Beacon Award Winner OneShoreline Touted for Promoting Interagency Collaboration

Check out this Western City article for an overview of the impressive OneShoreline program: an effort of all 20 cities in San Mateo County to respond collaboratively to the water-related impacts of climate change. In the article, Nikita offers her insights on common roadblocks to this level of collaboration between agencies.



Photo courtesy of OneShoreline

WEBINARS & TRAININGS

ILG Webinar – From Surveys to Solutions: Leveraging Feedback to Power Community Engagement

Monday, December 8, 2025

1:30 – 3 PM

Understanding your community begins with asking the right questions and turning the answers into meaningful engagement. This December 8 webinar brings together experts who collaborated on an award-winning community survey that informed strategy and supported a more engaged, better-prepared community process in the City of Yorba Linda. 

Inclusive public engagement is a cornerstone of ILG’s work. We will guide the panel’s conversation and share our experience and expertise in community engagement as we explore effective engagement methods, modern tools, interpretation techniques, and ways to use community input to inform decisions, strengthen relationships, and demonstrate accountability.

In collaboration with ILG Partner Tripepi Smith

ILG Webinar – Expanding Public Access: SB 707’s Updates to the Brown Act

Thursday, January 29, 2026

12 – 1 PM

With the signing of SB 707 in October, California is modernizing how local agencies conduct public meetings, including two-way telephonic or audiovisual platforms, real-time translation assistance, and outreach for greater public participation.

In this “Lunch and Learn” webinar, our expert panel of local government legal advisors will guide you through the new Brown Act landscape. You will gain a clear understanding of your agency’s obligations and leave with action steps to ensure your meetings are inclusive, accessible, and legally compliant in the post-pandemic era.

ILG AFFILIATE UPDATES & EVENTS

Cal Cities 2025 Fire Chiefs Leadership Seminar
and 2025 Municipal Finance Institute*

Wednesday, December 10 – Thursday, December 11, 2025

The Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel

888 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Designed for fire service leaders — including fire chiefs, battalion chiefs, senior command staff, and union leadership — this seminar offers sessions on leadership, succession planning, labor relations, emergency response, changes in fire insurance, and more. Learn more about the Fire Chiefs Leadership Seminar here.

Designed for city officials and staff involved in fiscal planning for municipalities, the Municipal Finance Institute connects finance directors and other municipal finance professionals with the essential information they need. Learn more about the Municipal Finance Institute here.

*These two events are happening simultaneously in the same location.

Cal Cities 2026 Mayors and Council Members Academy

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Friday, January 23, 2026 

Hyatt Regency Sacramento, Sacramento, CA 

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 facilitate two training sessions:

• Wed, Jan. 21, 9–11 AM: Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors and Officials (AB 1661)
• Fri, Jan. 23, 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM: Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws and Principles (AB 1234)



Register on the Cal Cities website.

The Institute for Local Government is a State Bar of California minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) approved provider and certifies each activity meets the standards for MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the total amount of 2 hours (general credits). Provider #13881.

PLATINUM LEVEL PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Richards Watson Gershon (RWG)

RWG delivers practical advice and cost-effective solutions tailored to the unique needs of public entities. Working seamlessly across offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Temecula, the Central Coast, and Sacramento, their dedicated team of experts provides the full scope of public law services.



With more than 70 years of exceptional service to their clients, RWG is proficient in virtually every public law area. Their integrated team of highly specialized lawyers is able to draw upon a wealth of experience and expertise to deliver optimal results tailored to the unique needs of their public and private sector clients. This cross-disciplinary approach allows them to leverage resources while also effectively managing time and costs.

Visit their website to find out more

SUPPORTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE FIELD

Connecting with County Leaders at the CACE Annual Conference

Team ILG joined county executives from across the state at this year's California Association of County Executive's Annual Conference for discussions around economic forecasting, resilient leadership, and the impacts of federal legislation on the local delivery of health and human services programs. It was great to meet with so many county leaders and partners to connect them to ILG program, trainings, and services. We look forward to connecting with you all again soon!

Instructing Future Leaders at the 2025 MMASC Annual Conference

Thank you to the amazing local government up-and-coming leaders who participated in our three-hour Credentialed Government Leaders (CGL) session on "Fostering Civil Discourse" at the recent MMASC Annual Conference in Indian Wells. Melissa, Jon, and ILG consultant Jennifer King co-led the deep dive into how to turn debates into productive dialogue between staff and elected officials. We hope the information helps you form more cohesive teams back home in your agencies!

Melissa and Jon also had a great time celebrating MMASC President and ILG Board Member Jonathan Royas’s final event as president, and a special thanks to ILG Board Member Pat Martel for her contributions to the conversations in our CGL session.

Inspiring Youth Commissioners at the CAYC Fall Youth Summit

Erica spoke at the virtual California Association of Youth Commissions (CAYC) 2025 Fall Youth Summit, which brought young leaders together with local government partners to strengthen youth voice in civic decision-making. Erica presented on the current erosion of trust in local government and practical ways to rebuild that trust through transparency, engagement, and shared problem-solving. She highlighted how empowering youth with meaningful roles, leadership opportunities and a clear understanding of how local government works can strengthen communities today and foster the next generation of public servants.

Photo courtesy of California Association of Youth Commissions

Sharing the Power of Apprenticeships at CALPELRA’s Annual Training Conference

Amanda and ILG consultant Dr. Jeffrey Mrizek attended the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association’s (CALPELRA) 50th Annual Training Conference in Monterey. Bridge Public Sector Apprenticeships was an official conference sponsor, as we connected with local government HR leaders on their workforce challenges and how non-traditional registered apprenticeships could offer potential solutions. We are already looking forward to growing our presence at this conference next year!

Equipping Imperial Valley with Tools for Grant Application Success

As part of our BOOST Imperial Valley program, Melissa, Nikita, and Hanna co-led a grant development and writing training in Brawley. This training offered local government and nonprofit staff in Imperial County practical guidance on: how to identify and evaluate grant opportunities that align with their priorities; assess their organization’s readiness to apply; and develop standout proposals with compelling narratives. Attendees also heard directly from the Strategic Growth Council about what funders look for in high-quality applications in regional, state, and federal grants.

Encouraging Clean Air Collaboration in Imperial County

Melissa and Hanna also co-led a community convening for members of Calexico-Heber-El Centro and Brawley-Westmorland-Calipatria-North Imperial AB 617 communities. These convenings are part of ILG’s Community Air Grant work to identify promising practices for collaboration. Community stakeholders and local government partners shared key elements of successful collaboration and explored steps to strengthen existing and future collaborative efforts.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING

Career Compass #118: Overcoming the Emotional Burden of Leading Others

Leading others often takes an emotional toll. In this ICMA Career Compass article, learn best practices to minimize the emotional burden, replenish your energy, and navigate the “paradox of authenticity.”

San Jose Is Introducing New AI Skills Training for Residents

A public-private partnership among the City of San Jose, Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the Bay Area Council has introduced the AI for All project. Read this GovTech.com article for a brief overview of the initiative.

Photo courtesy of GovTech.com

Santa Monica’s Groundbreaking Path to Water Self-Sufficiency

In 2011, Santa Monica (a multi-year Beacon Award winner) was importing almost half its water; now, it’s 85% of the way to complete water self-sufficiency. Check out this Governing.com article to learn how the city’s vision led to a state-of-the-art water recycling system.

Photo courtesy of City of Santa Monica

National Civic Review: Expanding Youth Civic Engagement Strategies

This thoughtful National Civic Review piece muses on the potentially harmful mindset of only viewing youth as “future” participants in local government decisionmaking processes, as well as solutions for overcoming roadblocks in offering youth more engagement opportunities.

Photo courtesy of National Civic Review

ILG PARTNER NEWS, UPDATES & EVENTS

Webinar – Built to Last: Safeguarding Affordable Housing in Public-Private Partnerships

Thursday, January 15, 2026

10 - 11 AM

Public-private partnerships can be powerful drivers of affordable housing development — but without the right safeguards, they may jeopardize long-term affordability. This essential webinar explores how public agencies can structure smart, sustainable partnerships with private developers while ensuring long-term protection of deed-restricted units. Discover how to build resilient partnerships, avoid common pitfalls, and implement proactive strategies that safeguard affordability — even when projects encounter unexpected challenges. Register here.

Navigating the New EEOC Landscape: What Investigators Need to Know

In the ever-evolving world of employment law, few agencies have as profound an impact on workplace investigations as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). For decades, the EEOC has served as a bulwark against discrimination, guiding employers and investigators through the complex terrain of civil rights enforcement. But recent political shifts and executive orders have dramatically reshaped the EEOC’s priorities, leaving investigators to recalibrate their approach in real time. This article explores what these changes mean.

Choosing the Right Social Media Archiving Platform for Your Agency

As the year draws to a close, public agencies often review accomplishments, challenges and internal processes. Social media has become a primary method of communication, and as a public record, these posts must be available to the public upon request for a certain period of time. Properly storing social media content in a logical and accessible way can be complex, and many services now exist to help local governments with this regulatory requirement. This article details considerations to keep in mind while choosing. 

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