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From The Executive Director
Jason Schwenkler
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Welcome to the Summer edition of The Collective Voice, your quarterly update from the North State Planning and Development Collective at Chico State. It’s a favorite time of year here at the Collective, as we watch the campus come alive with new and returning students. Supporting their success is at the heart of what we do.
In this edition, we launch the first of our ongoing series, “North State Innovates.” In these monthly feature stories, we’ll be taking a look at the innovative projects that were funded as part of the CA Jobs First, $9 million Catalyst awards earlier this year. It’s an exciting time in Northern California, and at the Collective, we’re dedicated to continuing our work co-convening the region as part of the CA Jobs First, fostering collaboration between our educational, economic development and industry partners. The regional work being done now creates thriving, healthy communities for generations to come.
It’s been a busy few months for our GIS vegetation mapping teams. Their work, and the data they gather, is critical to agencies and landowners as they make land use decisions. Read on to learn more about what they’ve been up to. Also in this edition, you’ll get a recap of the second Tribal Summit which was hosted by the Office of Tribal Relations on campus, a look at the technical assistance we have available for small businesses, and have a chance to participate in an important Broadband Workforce Study we are conducting.
We are all about finding solutions. If your campus department, municipality or community organization is interested in learning more about how we can help with grant writing, idea scoping and more, I’d love to hear from you. Let’s work together for our students, communities and a thriving North State.
Jason
Jason Schwenkler jschwenkler@csuchico.edu
Executive Director, North State Planning and Development Collective
California State University, Chico
www.nspdc.csuchico.edu
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North State Innovates:
How a Major Push Behind Outdoor Recreation is Fueling a Healthy Northern California
By Alice Patterson
There’s a powerful tourism movement underway in California’s far North—an effort designed to support new and existing businesses in the outdoor recreation industry, while honoring the sacred history inherent to the region’s mountains, rivers and trails. Spanning Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc and Trinity counties, the effort harnesses the power of collaboration and aims to elevate Northern California’s outdoor recreation industry to new heights, attracting visitors and promoting the North State as a first-class outdoor destination all its own. Read the full article here.
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Hands-On Training Keeps the Collective's Vegetation Mapping Team Up-to-Date on Current Practices
The Collective's biologist team continues its work mapping vegetation across the state. This summer, biologist interpreters from the Collective took part in two trainings to stay up-to-date on current practices in the field. In May, they completed a two-day training with California Department of Fish and Wildlife VegCAMP ecologists. During this training, staff focused on learning the flora of Mono and Inyo counties as well as the California Native Plant Society’s protocol for Rapid Assessment and Releve vegetation surveys. The biologist interpreters will use the knowledge acquired from the training to complete 1600 vegetation surveys over the course of 2025 and 2026. These survey data will be used to create a vegetation classification for the ecoregion.
In June, training focused on learning the California Native Plant Society’s protocol for Accuracy Assessment vegetation surveys. The team will use the knowledge acquired from the training to complete accuracy assessment surveys across the Modoc – Warner vegetation map that was completed in April 2025. These survey data will be analyzed by CDFW VegCAMP to provide insight into the map’s accuracy.
For more information about the Collective's vegetation mapping efforts, email Project Manager Kristin Quigley at kquigley@csuchico.edu
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Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria Awarded $500,000 as part of California Jobs First Initiative
The Collective and Office of Tribal Relations, in conjunction with the Mechoopda Indian Tribe (MIT) of Chico Rancheria, are pleased to announce a $500,000 award to MIT to as part of the California Jobs First Initiative. The Collective wrote and submitted the application in collaboration with the tribe and with the Office of Tribal Relations offering additional support.
MIT of Chico Rancheria was one of 14 California Native American tribes, tribal coalitions and tribally-led organizations who received a total of $15 million in grants as part of California Jobs First. The official announcement was made on June 25, 2025, by Governor Newsom and the California Jobs First Council. The grants support projects aimed at spurring economic growth, providing job training, cultivating business development, protecting the environment, and conducting research and development.
The funding will support the pre-development work necessary to establish a Resilience Hub and Multi-Functional Community Center (the Hub Center), intended to support Tribal members through planning, withstanding and recovering for and from disasters, while also providing space to deliver educational and wrap-around services.
“This important award will allow our tribal partners to further advance important resources for their communities,” said Jason Schwenkler, Executive Director for the Collective. “We appreciate the opportunity to work in tandem on projects like these that support our shared vision of a strong, vibrant economy for all.”
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Promote Your Organization at 26th Annual Economic Forecast Conference
Save the date and plan to attend the Collective's 26th Annual Economic Forecast Conference, scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2026! The event takes place at the Bell Memorial Union on the Chico State campus.
Sponsorships are available now. Contact Alice Patterson for a sponsorship packet.
Early bird ticket sales launch October 1, 2025.
Special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor:
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Businesses Benefit From Grant-funded Technical Assistance Programs Led By The Collective
Eligible businesses can take advantage of a variety of technical assistance programs offered through the Collective. Services include website development and optimization, customer demographic reports, customer spending reports, funding and market research, social media campaigns and more. Technical Assistance is provided through a variety of partnering agencies. Email Heather McCafferty at hmccafferty@csuchico.edu to learn more.
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Technical Assistance Spotlight: Oke's Busy Bees
Oke’s Busy Bees Apiaries was founded in 2020 by Oke Iyeke (pictured) to serve a clear need for healthier bees and better support for beekeepers. To this end, they offer queen bees, nucleus colonies (nucs), pollination services, mentorship, and access to local raw honey responsibly harvested from their hives.
The Collective team is assisting the business with a number of services made possible with funding through a SW Regional Food Hub grant. Services include website updates, social media strategy and targeted marketing and consumer spending research that will provide information to assist in increasing honey sales locally and expanding Queen Bee sales regionally and nationally.
For more information about how the Collective can assist your business, contact Heather McCafferty.
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Tribal Summit Fosters Connection, Collaboration
The Collective was pleased to collaborate on, and participate in, the second Tribal Summit, held July 28, 2025 on the Chico State Campus. Hosted by the Office of Tribal Relations in conjunction with Chico State Enterprises and Butte Community College, the event drew more than 50 representatives from North State tribes and the education community together for a chance to connect, share priorities, and strengthen partnerships between Tribal communities and institutions. Representatives from the Collective shared updates on ongoing initiatives, and opportunities were given throughout the event to share perspectives and thoughts to guide future endeavors.
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Collective's Leadership Team Takes Part in Campus PIONEER Grantwriting Workshop
In early August, The PIONEER Center and Chico State Enterprises hosted the PIONEER Grant Writing Workshop, a three-day event designed to build faculty capacity, strengthen partnerships, and expand opportunities for students and regional collaboration. The workshop was part of a larger initiative funded through an NSF EPIIC grant pursued by Chico State alongside the University of Central Oklahoma, Central Washington University, SUNY Oswego, and Weber State University. Together, these institutions are leveraging shared expertise, enhancing grant writing through collaboration, and engaging in collective asset mapping to strengthen proposals and partnerships. Jason Schwenkler, Executive Director for the Collective, along with Courtney Farrell, Assistant Director, took part in the day along with other regional partners, to offer their perspective on regional collaboration, infrastructure, and workforce priorities.
At Chico State, the award supports the development of the PIONEER Center (Partnerships for Innovation, Opportunities, Networking, Education, Engineering, and Research). The Center aims to cultivate regional partnerships, foster interdisciplinary faculty research, increase student employment through workforce development, expand research opportunities, and serve as a centralized hub for industry engagement, streamlining the process for companies who want to donate, recruit, or sponsor projects across departments.
The workshop combined hands-on practice with expert insights, giving faculty both the tools and confidence to pursue external funding. Over three days, participants drafted research narratives, proposal outlines, budgets, and elevator pitches while also engaging with national funding experts and regional workforce leaders.
The workshop reflected the broader mission of the PIONEER Center: to build interdisciplinary research capacity, expand opportunities for students, and strengthen connections between Chico State, industry, and the region. This was just the beginning, the outcomes already point toward stronger proposals, deeper collaborations, and impactful projects that will benefit both the university and Northern California communities. Building on this momentum, the PIONEER Center will host another large workshop next year, with the possibility of smaller targeted sessions to continue supporting faculty as they advance their research agendas.
If your campus or community group is interested in having the Collective as part of an upcoming workshop or event, email Jason Schwenkler.
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Upcoming Career Fairs
September 3, 2025
Local Job Fair 3:00-6:00 p.m. Chico State
The Local Job Fair is open to organizations within a 50-mile radius of Chico looking to fill part-time, internship and career opportunities. It is a great opportunity to interact with students exploring the community and job options available in this area. Students of all majors and class levels are encouraged to attend.
Employer fees:
General/Government Registration Package: $200
• Includes 6x2 foot table and two chairs (up to 3 representatives may staff the table)
• Light refreshments
• Wireless internet access
Learn more by clicking here.
October 22, 2025
Government, Non-Profit, Natural Resources Job Fair
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Chico State
To learn more and register your business, click here.
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Your Input Needed: Broadband Needs-Gap Assessment Survey
A Needs-Gap Assessment is currently underway that aims to evaluate broadband workforce needs in our two consortia regions: the Northeastern California Connect Consortium and Upstate California Connect Consortium.
A key part of the assessment relies on a survey that seeks input from five different stakeholder groups (below).
- Industry employers such as ISPs and fiber contractors
- Training and education institutions
- Workforce development organizations
- Local and Tribal governments
- Community and system support partners (such as equity or economic development organizations and nonprofits)
To take the survey, click here. Your input is appreciated. Questions? Contact Hayley Stone, Project Manager.
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