Sierra Jobs First Governing Council Votes to Unanimously Approve Strategic Plan

The plan includes strategies that address foundational challenges in the region such as:

• Housing and Placemaking
• Land Use and Tenure
• Physical Infrastructure
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Workforce Development

It also covers industry sectors identified for their potential to grow high-quality jobs, including:

• Sustainable Recreation and Tourism
• Natural and Working Lands
• Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Clean Energy and Energy Resilience
• Social and Civic Infrastructure, and Community Healthcare

The final strategic plan was developed through a process that began in April 2023, by a multi-county collaborative consisting of hundreds of local government and tribal representatives, industry-specific experts and involved community members under the guidance of program administrators at Sierra Business Council. The plan is available at sierrajobsfirst.org/strategic-plan and will be submitted to the State of California on Aug. 29. Because this plan is a living document, revisions may continue throughout the Sierra Jobs First process to best serve the region’s goals and priorities.

“The strategic planning process has been a demonstration of regional unity and we are grateful to the efforts of the members of the Sierra Jobs First Collaborative, including the individuals who submitted nearly 600 comments during multiple rounds of public review,” said Erika Harvey, program director, Sierra Jobs First. “We look forward to moving into the catalyst phase and seeing the strategies come to life through projects that benefit all the current and future residents of the Sierra.”

Sept. 1 marks the start of the catalyst phase, in which regional project applicants will hone their ideas to fit funding criteria. The window to submit applications will be Oct. 15 through Dec. 15. Funded projects will create sustainable, good-paying jobs, benefit disinvested communities and advance climate goals. For more about the project application process, visit https://sierrajobsfirst.org/project-process. Sierra Business Council staff may be available to provide technical assistance on the applications. To request assistance, please reach out to them at [email protected]. 

About Sierra Jobs First: Sierra Jobs First is a regional initiative working towards high-quality job growth, climate resilience, and economic prosperity in Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono and Tuolumne counties. This region is one of 13 collaboratives across the state that was formed through California Jobs First (formerly the Community Economic Resilience Fund), a $600 million fund that will create high-quality, broadly accessible jobs for all Californians. This project is facilitated by staff at Sierra Business Council, a 501c3 nonprofit that serves the region.