Catalyst Predevelopment Phase

The California Jobs First Los Angeles Collaborative secured $14 million in Catalyst Phase funding, with $9 million dedicated to advancing sector-specific pre-development projects to "ready-to-go" status. 

Catalyst Predevelopment Phase Funding

The Los Angeles Collaborative's Catalyst Predevelopment Phase grantees were announced Monday, June 16, 2025. To learn about the 26 projects selected for funding, view the Catalyst Projects page.

What is the Catalyst Predevelopment Phase?

In 2021, Governor Newsom launched the $600 million Regional Investment Initiative (formerly the Community Economic Resilience Fund, or CERF) to help California’s 13 regions create quality jobs and strengthen their resilience to climate and global challenges. As part of this effort, each region established a California Jobs First Collaborative to shape a clear, forward-looking economic vision.

California Jobs First promotes high-road economic development - supporting environmentally sustainable businesses that offer living wages, career advancement, and equitable access to quality jobs. As the state continues to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, the program seeks to build an inclusive economy that benefits all Californians, especially those historically excluded from opportunity.

In early 2024, the State of California awarded $9 million in “Catalyst” funding to each of the thirteen California Jobs First Regional Collaboratives. This unique grant is designed to help move projects from early-stage ideas and pilots to implementation-ready initiatives that can compete for additional federal, state, or private funding. The funding supports the broader goals of the California Jobs First program: creating quality jobs and strengthening the state’s resilience to climate and global challenges and ultimately advancing strategies set forth in LA Regional Plan Part II.