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We are excited to remind you of the transformative opportunity to shape Orange County’s economic future through Governor Newsom’s Regional Investment Initiative Catalyst Grant. This groundbreaking funding opportunity is designed to drive economic equity, sustainability, and prosperity in disinvested communities.
Funding Opportunity at a Glance
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Total Funding Available: In this first round, $3 million is available to support essential pre-development activities for impactful ideas. This funding is only meant for projects that are not yet implementation ready.
- Projects are classified into two categories:
o Job Creating Projects: Up to $2.1 Million
o Community Enhancing Projects: Up to $900,000
Projects must be in the pre-development phase (not yet implementation-ready) with all activities completed by September 30, 2026.
For Job Creating Projects, proposals should emphasize economic growth and creation of good paying jobs in priority industries.
For Community Enhancing Projects, proposals should focus on quality-of-life improvements, such as housing and environmental sustainability, or projects that create good paying jobs in non-priority industries.
Both types of projects can overlap but have distinct goals, one focuses on job creation, while the other aims for holistic community development. If you are unsure which category your project would fall under, please contact staff at jobfirst@ocbc.org.
Important Application Details
Friday, March 14, 2025 by 11:59 PM PST
All applications must be submitted to jobsfirst@ocbc.org. Please note that incomplete applications will not be eligible.
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Need Assistance?
- Benefit from up to five hours of mentorship via our California Jobs First Mentorship program. Simply email jobsfirst@ocbc.org to get started.
Recap of Past Webinars
For those who missed our webinars, here’s a summary:
Explored the work that laid the foundation for the Catalyst pre-development Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Provided an overview of the Job Creating Application, answered questions, and guided you through key aspects of the funding opportunity.
Offered an overview of the Community Enhancing Application, addressed questions, and highlighted the key elements of this opportunity.
Call to Action
Don’t miss this opportunity to secure funding for your innovative project and help build a more equitable, sustainable future for Orange County. For complete details on the NOFO—including the application, budget narrative, budget template, and FAQ—please visit our OCBC California Jobs First Webpage.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please email us at jobsfirst@ocbc.org.
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