Berkeley, California, Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — California Forward (CA FWD) is excited to partner with the Possibility Lab at University of California, Berkeley to bring much-needed economic development resources to communities across California.
The partnership between CA FWD and the Possibility Lab includes working together to build the capacity of regions and communities to engage in negotiations with project developers around community and worker benefits. This work will include evaluating the characteristics of successful models for diverse local efforts and developing a repository of best practices and models of Community Benefits and Workforce Agreements between community-based organizations, government, and developers to support communities as they create plans and proposals to secure community benefits agreements, or other similar agreements.
“CA FWD’s project with the Possibility Lab will provide shared resources and capacity building for regions as they apply for new and historic funding for clean energy, regenerative agriculture, and other economic development funding,” says Kate Gordon, CEO of CA FWD. “CA FWD is working to support the transition to a New California Economy, one that is truly sustainable, resilient, and inclusive–this partnership is one step toward that goal, by providing regional groups with more time, energy, and resources to do critical economic development work.”
“This partnership with CA FWD is about equipping communities across the state with the tools they need to effectively advocate for their futures,” said Amy E. Lerman, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at UC Berkeley, and executive director of the Possibility Lab. “By creating a centralized resource for community benefits agreements and evidence-based practices, we aim to help under-invested communities engage in negotiations that can lead to real, lasting positive impacts.”
Currently, there is not a comprehensive California-focused resource or toolkit to guide communities around how to develop and negotiate for effective and project-specific agreements. CA FWD and our partners–including in our Regions Community of Practice and California Stewardship Network–have been instrumental in elevating regional economic development projects through California Jobs First (formerly CERF) initiative. Through our partners’ experiences, we understand the effort it takes for communities and organizations to research and find comparable contracts and agreements for proposed infrastructure projects. This digital repository fills that gap and provides tools for already under-resourced organizations as they seek tangible benefits from projects implemented in their communities.
The partnership between CA FWD and the Possibility Lab starts with a landscape analysis and initial digital repository project, with additional phases being planned for the future, including a toolkit, networking resources, training, and more.
The digital repository project begins in January 2025.
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ABOUT CA FWD
California Forward (CA FWD) leads a statewide movement, bringing people together across communities, regions and interests to improve government and create inclusive, sustainable growth for everyone. A 501(c)(3) organization, CA FWD drives collective action to identify solutions that can be taken to scale to meet the challenges the state is facing. CA FWD serves as the backbone for the California Stewardship Network, an alliance of regional economic development leaders, and is home to the California Economic Summit.