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WELCOME TO CJF
Presenting the California Jobs First - Los Angeles Collaborative: Fostering and Empowering Economic Resilience with Over 700 Members from the Public, Private, and Non-Profit Sectors.
Regional Report Part 2
We are pleased to release the final submission of the Los Angeles Regional Plan Report Part 2 for the California Jobs First Program.
Project Ideas Portal
We're excited to launch the Project Ideas Portal, a platform for the LA Collaborative to share and develop project ideas. Projects are categorized by readiness—exploratory, last mile, and ready to go.
Regional Report Part 1
We are pleased to release the final submission of the Los Angeles Regional Plan Report Part 1 for the California Jobs First Program. This report offers a comprehensive analysis of Los Angeles County’s socioeconomic landscape, emphasizing equity and inclusion in economic planning.
Data Accountability Tool
Beacon Economics has developed the Data Accountability tool, a comprehensive resource for analyzing various aspects of industries, occupations, wages, and education providers across Los Angeles County.
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Current Status: Catalyst Phase
The California Jobs First Los Angeles Collaborative has secured $14 million in Catalyst Funding, with $9 million dedicated to advancing sector-specific pre-development projects to "ready-to-go" status. This funding aims to accelerate projects from early or near-completion phases, making them eligible for additional funding opportunities. The convener and fiscal agent will manage these funds, while the Steering Committee will oversee the allocation process. Although the State will provide guidelines for project criteria and scoring, the Steering Committee holds the final approval on which projects move forward, ensuring alignment with program goals.
Projects must adhere to Jobs First objectives, including equity, sustainability, job quality, access, economic competitiveness, and resilience, while also complying with federal Justice40 guidelines, which emphasize serving historically disadvantaged communities. This phase will conclude in September 2026, and finalized strategies and details about the application process will be released soon. The goal is to ensure that the selected projects contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable and equitable regional economy.
Planning Phase Finalized: Next Steps for California Jobs First
We have successfully completed the Planning Phase of the California Jobs First Program, which focused on fostering regional economic activities in close collaboration with local communities. This effort has helped shape the foundation of our economic development strategies moving forward. As we prepare for the next stages, we encourage you to review Regional Report Part 1 and Regional Report Part 2. These reports provide key insights and data that will guide the strategies and projects to be prioritized for funding in both the Catalyst and Implementation Phases of the program. Your understanding of these findings is essential as we transition to the next steps in driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Next Phase: Implementation
The Implementation Phase will fund shovel-ready projects aligned with our regional strategy. The state will award round 1 applications open in early 2025, and grants based on state scoring. The state will set equity, climate, and job quality standards and establish a readiness framework.
Funding Areas:
- Innovation Ecosystem
- Entrepreneurship and Access to Capital
- Infrastructure and Community Development
- Social Infrastructure
- Workforce Development
CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST - LOS ANGELES COLLABORATIVE
The creation of the California Jobs First (formerly CERF), aims to facilitate a sustainable and just rebound from the economic challenges posed by COVID-19. California Jobs First is dedicated to fostering diverse local economies and establishing sustainable industries that generate high-quality employment opportunities accessible to all Californians.
In pursuit of this objective, a total of $600 million will be allocated across thirteen specified regions to support the formulation of tailored economic development strategies. These strategies are geared towards fostering the growth of quality jobs while ensuring equitable access to these opportunities. Our specific region, known as the Los Angeles Collaborative (LA Collaborative), operates with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) as the Convenor and the California Community Foundation (CCF) as the Fiscal Agent. For more information please review the California Jobs First Fact Sheet.
California Jobs First Timeline and Milestones
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