1. Planning Phase

Redwood Region RISE’s Convening Team–like the twelve other California Jobs First regions in the state–received $5M to create a Collaborative to guide an inclusive, diverse, and accountable regional Planning Phase. At the end of the Planning Phase, in late September 2024, our Collaborative will deliver our "Regional Roadmap"–a regional 10-year plan with strategies and recommended investments to grow sustainable industries, diversify regional economies, and increase access to high-quality jobs in the Redwood Region. 

Steps to complete our Planning Phase:

• Incorporate Collaborative feedback and finalize Regional Roadmap: September 30
• Public Comment Period: October 1-ongoing
• Disseminate & Present Regional Roadmap: October 1-ongoing
• Incorporate Public Comments: October-ongoing
• End of Planning Phase: September 30

Check out our Planning Phase progress video

2. Tribal Investment Initiative

The State has annouced a separate $15 million competitive funding opportunity for California’s federally recognized Tribes: the Tribal Investment Initiative. The State has promised more information on this soon.

3. Catalyst Program

To help get the 13 regions ready to be eligible to receive the Implementation funds, the State launched a Catalyst Program, which kicked off in May 2024. In contrast to the competitive Implementation funds (read more below), the Catalyst “pre development” program has allocated a guaranteed $14 million (totaling $182M statewide) for each of the 13 regions to bridge the gap between planning regional economic development strategies and implementing projects designed to achieve outcomes that align with those strategies. As of September 2024, the time to grant the $9 in pre-development funds is nearly upon us! Here is what you can expect between now and early fall 2024: 

• Release of Catalyst Sector Investment Coordinators RFP: July
• Collaborative finalizes the draft Catalyst Funding Scoring Criteria Guidelines: September
• A team of project scorers from across the Collaborative will score each project proposal. These project scorers will be trained and prepared to score each project, with each project scored by (at least) three different reviewers.
• A slate of the 20 highest scoring project proposals will be sent to the Voting Members for consideration. Five to ten projects will be awarded, totaling $9 million in pre-development funds. More details on the selection and disbursement process will become available in the coming weeks.
• Voting Members vote on Project Rubric: September
• Launch Catalyst “Request for Proposals” for predevelopment projects: October (tentative) (Read our Guide here)
• This formal application will ask more detailed questions pertaining to project feasibility than previously submitted through our Project Inventory (your “letter of intent”).
• Projects already submitted to the Inventory will be prompted to make any updates to their existing entry, but will not have to re-enter responses.

4. Implementation Phase

Directly following the Planning Phase and concurrent to the Catalyst Program will be the Implementation Phase, in which the State Interagency Team will release three rounds of competitive grants (fiscal year 24/25, 25/26, and 26/27) to fund projects put forward by each region’s Collaborative. Criteria such as demonstrated community support, alignment with climate goals, adherence to labor standards, and access to high-quality jobs with clear employment pathways for underserved and incumbent workers are required elements of project applications. Check out the State's proposed project criteria here.

• While applications to apply for Implementation funds will be through the State, each project submission needs to be endorsed by the Collaborative.
• At the time of writing, the State has formally approved $50 million for this fiscal year (24/25) in Implementation funds. Future rounds (fiscal year 25/25 and 26/27) are expected to be the same amount.
• The State is planning to release a Solicitation for Proposal (SFP) in early September.
• The State has shared their proposed project criteria, and will be evaluating project submissions and awarding the funds.
• The RRRISE convening team will notify our Collaborative as we receive more information from the State about Implementation funds.

Click to open the timeline

Find Redwood Region RISE's extended timeline here