Discover what our four Sector Planning Tables have been up to below
1. Arts, Culture, and Tourism Sector Table: Report Out April 2024
The Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) Sector Table held its second convening on March 27, with twenty-three table members in attendance, representing all four counties, and Tribal Lands in the region.
After handling some basic house-keeping updates, Leoni Fohr provided the table important general updates on Redwood Region RISE, including new State guidelines on the Regional Roadmaps Parts 1 and 2, and the recently committed $14 million in Catalyst (pre-development) Funds.
Next, RISE’s friendly neighborhood ‘data guy’, Schuyler Kirsch was in attendance to ask the group to help define the cluster of industries in the Arts, Culture, and Tourism Sector, by reviewing the work done so far in identifying relevant Federal NAICS Codes. Members discussed the limitations of economic data in representing the creative industry, and the need for flexibility in classification.
Later in the meeting, Sector Coordinators Sabrina Klein-Clement and Calder Johnson introduced the table to a rough draft outline of the Sector vision statement, along with goals and strategies. Following feedback, in the weeks after the meeting the coordinators turned the outline into a full rough draft of the Sector Strategies Report. This draft includes a detailed overview of the sector and focuses on three key strategies: 1) Regional Networking & Resource Sharing, 2) Training & Skill Development, and 3) Creative Placemaking/keeping. The draft also lays out a Purpose Statement for the Sector:
“Leverage the responsive, flexible and innovative economies of arts, culture, and tourism to stimulate economic activity, create sustainable living conditions within the sector, provide service to our communities, and promote the values of hope, joy, and creativity, thereby raising the quality of life for everyone.”
The Sector Coordinators look forward to expanding upon and refining the draft through collaboration with Table Members, and extend a happy thank-you to everyone who continues to participate in and contribute to the sector table process - the ACT Sector Table will next meet on April 24, 4:30-6:00 p.m. Please contact Sector Coordinators Calder (calder.johnson@gmail.com) and Sabrina (sabrinakleinclement@gmail.com) for more information and about attending future meetings.
2. Health and Caregiving Sector Table: Report Out April 2024
The Health and Caregiving Sector Table saw significant movement in March and April. As we shared in the last report, our table is organized around a shared framework and vision.
Based on this framework, the three workgroups are based on:
Health and Caregiving as Essential Infrastructure
Workforce Development for Caregiving and Health
Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health Outcomes
All three workgroups met in April. The Infrastructure Workgroup met on 4/2, the SDOH/Health Equity Workgroup met on 4/9, and the Workforce Workgroup met on 4/16. Between the three meetings, 40 experts in their sector and region attended the meetings, and shared insights. These included representatives from all four counties, Tribal lands, and industries in our identified sectors, the table convening team, and NCO and CCRP representatives.
We have follow up meetings scheduled for all three workgroups, and look forward to seeing participants in person at the RISE convening on April 29th and 30th.
We continue to welcome individuals with expertise in caregiving and health to join us and share their insights into the work. We invite you to reach out with any questions to RRRISE@nchiin.org.
3. Renewable & Resilient Energy Sector: Table Report Out April 2024
The Renewable and Resilient Energy Sector Table picked up steam during the month of April, convening weekly to discuss our sector’s path forward. Our discussions have focused on identifying goals for our region and the pre-development needs that can prepare us for implementation.
We conducted a sector-specific SWOT analysis, finding that innovation and local stakeholders bring us strength while lack of capacity, isolated geography, and socio economic struggles reflect our weaknesses. We seek to seize the opportunities presented by clean energy initiatives and development of a clean energy workforce, while mitigating threats posed by natural disasters and extreme weather events by increasing energy reliability and resilience.
The experts in our sector share the common goal of bolstering the education and workforce development programs in our region. We recognize the importance of increasing inclusive and accessible career development opportunities for our region’s youth and entry-level workers, providing clearer pathways toward thriving wage jobs. We also see a need to implement energy-efficiency upgrades and support innovative clean energy initiatives over the next decade in order to spearhead the move toward carbon-neutrality, and are exploring what that could look like for our region.
We have identified implementation of circular economies as another investment area for our sector, such as projects that convert biomass or biogas into energy.
We have weekly meetings scheduled through the first half of May (April 24, May 8, and May 15). We look forward to meeting in person at the larger Collaborative meeting on April 29 and 30, and hope to identify many cross-cutting opportunities as we all gather.
Please contact Lacy Peterson at lpeterson@fortbragg.com if you are interested in joining this table.
4. Working Lands and Blue Economy Sector Table: Report Out April 2024
Working Lands Update
The Working Lands advanced their vision and SWOT worksessions from early March to host a significant in-person gathering on April 5th in Eureka. The primary objective was to strategize and synchronize efforts toward realizing the vision and mission of the RISE Working Lands Sector Table. The session commenced with updates on CJF funding, followed by discussions on catalyst and implementation stages. Clear directives and project significance were emphasized to ensure alignment with the mission. The meeting progressed with an overview of our Strategic Plan outline and a review of our progress on aligned values and vision. Breakout sessions allowed participants to delve into effective strategies, impactful projects, and identifying barriers and solutions. Post-lunch, attention shifted to project discussions, spotlighting those closely aligned with the vision while identifying strengths, weaknesses, and potential new projects. The session wrapped up with planning for the next steps, including a project case study and strategic plan progress review, to reaffirm the organization's mission and vision.
Through our three sector table meetings held to date, three primary strategic approaches have organically emerged: marketing initiatives, value-chain development, and support networks. Each approach was thoroughly discussed, and sub-strategies, key actions, activities, and projects were highlighted and identified.
We look forward to the in-person discussions on April 29th and 30th with the rest of the collaborative.
Blue Economy Update
The sector table has had limited in person contacts. However progress is being made in each of the coastal communities regarding Blue economy activities. Del Norte has received its trunch of funding for its processing container. Humboldt has received funding for the dockside sales feasibility study. Mendocino has received funds to begin the CA Job First Pilot program to revitalize the harbor and the Noyo Center for Marine Science is completing the final phase of its feasibility for a Blue economy incubator. Mendocino will host its second Blue Economy Symposium Sept. 19-20-21. During a Finance Workshop webinar held by AEDC we learned that RGS was beginning to review the projects submitted to date for financial viability. This was concerning as we were told to no longer focus our group on the projects but to discuss the strategic direction. Due to this new discovery we sent out notices to the BE team to put you projects in the portal regardless of size or development level. Additionally, there have been two sector table lead meetings. There continues to be great concern about the lack of intentional outcomes for the April 29 Redwood RISE meetings that are being planned. Sector table leads did meet with NCO/CCRP to discuss our concerns about the agenda to warrant community leaders and various participants to take time from their work day to attend these meetings. Aside from this activity work is focused on delivering the first draft of the sector report.
Please contact Sector Coordinators Conner Hackett (conner.hackett@gmail.com) for Working Lands, and Mary Anne Petrillo (maryanne@westcenter.org) for Blue Economy for more information and about attending future meetings.
Previous Sector Table Report Outs
Arts, Culture, and Tourism Sector Table: Report Out March 2024
After numerous small-group of and one-on-one meetings facilitated by Sector Coordinators, The Redwood Region RISE Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT) Sector Table had its first full convening on February 22, with twenty-three table members in attendance, representing all four counties, and Tribal Lands in the region.
Sector Coordinators Sabrina Klein-Clement and Calder Johnson facilitated a discussion on how CA Jobs First and RISE economic development strategies could be expressed in the ACT sector. Some specific examples that emerged from discussion included:
Training, mentorship, and skill set development, particularly in cross-cutting pilot programs that could be training and certifying artists to collaborate and integrate with other sectors (for example, Health & Caregiving), as well as providing additional entrepreneurial education.
Networking and informational infrastructure. This included discussion of regional branding/marketing initiatives that would include the arts, ecotourism, cannabis agritourism, and indigenous culture/history. Additional concepts discussed included the need for a comprehensive regional asset map, as well as collectivized initiatives to provide better safety nets and benefits to sector workers.
Creative placemaking, including building/creating more maker spaces, mainstreet revitalizations, social innovation in creating livable communities, and the specific cross-cutting example of a High Country Botanical Garden for environmental studies that would include live/work space for artists.
Other important points surfaced during this time included the need to adapt some economic development language to better reflect the paradigm of the creative industries, as well as the need for more multilingual initiatives and language equity.
A warm, enthusiastic thank-you to all who participated in this creative and spirited discussion - the ACT Sector Table will next meet on March 27, 4:30-6:00 p.m. Please contact Sector Coordinators Calder (calder.johnson@gmail.com) and Sabrina (sabrinakleinclement@gmail.com) for more information and about attending the March 27 meeting.
Health and Caregiving Sector Table: Report Out March 2024
After extensive outreach, networking, and connecting with sector experts, the Health and Caregiving Sector Table started meetings in February. Leading up to the meetings, we connected with 70 individuals identified as leaders and experts in their industries and regions through emails, introductory calls, and other collaborative meetings.
We hosted three orientation meetings, to ensure participants came to the Table meetings with a clear understanding of Redwood Region RISE work and goals, a shared vision of the work we will be doing together, and a clear understanding of their role and participation commitment. We had 29 individuals attend these meetings, hosted on February 26th, February 27th, and March 1st. We continue to onboard new participants, and share recordings of these orientations as part of the process.
We hosted a Kickoff Meeting on March 8th, which 35 individuals attended. These included representatives from all four counties, Tribal lands, and industries in our identified sectors, the table convening team, and NCO and CCRP representatives.
NCHIIN facilitated a meeting that included discussion on the framework for our breakout groups. This framework was based on feedback provided during the outreach and orientation process. The three workgroups will be based on:
Treating health and caregiving as essential infrastructure for economic prosperity
Addressing the acute shortages of personnel and a need for a diversified labor force in health and caregiving fields, with both long and short-term workforce pipeline strategies
Recommending economic investments that improve health equity and SDOH outcomes which will lead to a healthier region
The table members have broken into workgroups, and scheduling has started for each of the 3 breakout groups starting in early April, as well as a full sector table Capstone Meeting in late May/early June.
We invite you to reach out with any questions to RRRISE@nchiin.org.
Renewable & Resilient Energy Sector Table: Report Out March 2024
The Renewable and Resilient Energy Sector Table convened their kickoff meeting on March 7, 2024. The group’s inaugural discussion focused on ways to bolster the Energy workforce over the next 10 years through providing enhanced workforce development opportunities. Many up and coming renewable energy projects are lacking in qualified workers, and the discourse centered on ways to make education and specialized job training more accessible within our rural region by providing more comprehensive wraparound services.
The group discussed the many barriers keeping disadvantaged community members from accessing training that may further their careers, ranging from lack of affordable equipment, transportation, childcare, and healthcare. A major factor keeping workers from accessing training is that training courses tend to be held in economic hubs, which inadvertently keeps the more rural workers from attending; even when courses are held remotely, there is typically a hands-on portion that requires workers to travel. One challenge we face is how to make these opportunities more accessible to all members of our region.
In addition, the group discussed the importance of providing full-circle career development opportunities beginning in grades K-12, through pre-apprenticeship programs, to apprenticeship programs, including scholarship programs. The importance of investing in our local workforce from youth through continuing career education resonated with this Sector. We also discussed the importance of entrepreneurial programs providing assistance to startups, to help workers put into action the education and training they receive. We also acknowledged that, while supporting growth in new sectors, we need to be aware of how this will impact existing sectors as we look forward.
The Renewable and Resilient Energy Sector Table will be meeting extensively through the month of April to continue this strategic work. Please contact Lacy Peterson at lpeterson@fortbragg.com if you are interested in joining this table.
Blue Economy* Sector Table: Report Out March 2024
(Working Lands and Blue Economy Sector Table will report out collectively next month)
In our pursuit of developing a robust strategy and work plan for the Blue Economy sector, we have made significant strides over the past six weeks. Through a combination of virtual and in-person meetings, our team has grown to over 20 participants, reflecting a diverse array of organizations invested in the region's economic and environmental prosperity.
Achievements:
Vision Statement: We have crafted a vision statement: The Redwood Region is poised to become a global leader in rural regenerative blue economies. To achieve this, we will form collaborative networks of stakeholders to advocate for policy and investment, drive innovative technologies, revitalize infrastructure, create robust and expanded markets, and advance oceanic research.
Strategic Directions: Our strategic directions outline key areas of focus, including advocacy, market expansion, ocean research, and innovation. These directions serve as guiding pillars for our future endeavors.
SWOT Analysis: We have conducted a SWOT analysis, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within the Blue Economy sector. This analysis will provide valuable insights for informed decision-making and strategic planning.
While we acknowledge the challenges posed by climate change and sea-level rise, we remain optimistic about the opportunities for development and innovation within the Blue Economy sector. By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we are confident in our ability to overcome these challenges because the local Blue Economy presents a multitude of promising opportunities for sustainable growth. Some highlights are streamlined permitting, efficiently managed dredging, advancements in direct sales and harvesting technologies by fishermen, and the proliferation of online platforms for seafood commerce are just a few examples. Additionally, infrastructure improvements and collaborative research initiatives will further enhance the region's potential for both economic and environmental prosperity.
In conclusion, we are progressing in developing our strategy and work plan for the Blue Economy sector in partnership with our working lands contingent because it takes a collective effort to create economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. We are poised to make meaningful contributions to the advancement of a rural regenerative economy in the California Redwood Region.
Blue Economy's meeting on Jan. 29, 2024 included a tour by Rob Holmlund, AICP; Development Director Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District.