Dear Community Partner,
We are seeking your participation in a new county-wide initiative: Community Economic Resilience Fund, or CERF. Keep reading this newsletter to understand how you can a). Apply for available CERF grant funds; and b). Lend your organization’s voice to a regional mapping effort. But first, let us tell you about CERF.
About CERF
The Community Economic Resilience Fund was created by the State of California to help local regions develop economic development plans prioritizing the creation of environmentally sustainable businesses and industries, family-supporting jobs, and other economically resilient outcomes. [Community Economic Resilience Fund Program, UIC section 14531]
There are two phases to CERF, Phase I/Planning and Phase II/Implementation. We are currently in the Planning Phase, during which a local multi-sector collaborative, called the Orange County High Road Transition Collaborative, will map regional strengths and opportunities and ultimately design a new economic development plan for Orange County.
By June 2024, with the help of diverse stakeholders from across our region, CERF Orange County will have developed a detailed plan for a healthy, inclusive, sustainable economy – what it looks like and how we get there. We hope to be awarded funds for Phase II/Implementation, during which we can make the plan a reality. But for now, we are fully focused on planning.
Apply for CERF Grant Funds
A critical component to CERF is centering community and worker voices that have traditionally been left out of economic planning.
To that end, the CERF Orange County High Road Transition Collaborative is seeking applications from organizations interested in conducting outreach and engagement with Orange County residents, businesses, and other stakeholders, with a focus on disinvested community members.
Selected grantees will conduct outreach to disinvested community members in July and August 2023, with the goal of positively impacting the future economy of our region. These grants may fund nonprofit organizations and foundations, community-based organizations, California Native American Tribes, or a consortium of California Native American Tribes.
To view the RFP, click here.
Proposals are due via email by 7 p.m. PT Friday, May 26. More details and guidelines can be found in the RFP.
Complete the CERF Stakeholder Mapping Survey and Be Entered in a Drawing for $100
We need your voice!
The Orange County HRTC is leading a stakeholder mapping effort, with the goal of hearing and learning from as many organizations as possible to better understand how we can build a stronger, more sustainable economy in our region. The HRTC is hoping you will respond to this brief survey and support the mapping work.
By completing the survey (which will take about 10 minutes to complete), your organization's voice will be included in this once-in-a-lifetime planning process to build a stronger, more resilient, community-centered economy. Also, by completing the survey you'll be entered into a drawing to win $100.
Please respond to the survey here by 7 p.m. Monday, May 15. Thank you in advance for your time and input.
