California Forward
California Forward advocates for shared prosperity across all of the state’s regions and for improved government performance and accountability.
We are also the home of the California Economic Summit, a multi-partisan effort fueled by business, equity, environmental, and civic leaders from across the state’s diverse regions. This robust network concentrates on ensuring that all Californians have access to the California Dream, including economic opportunity, stable housing, quality jobs and a healthy environment.
Below is a list of upcoming events. Join us!
The 2023 California Economic Summit will take place in Indian Wells on October 11-13. We’re excited to gather leaders from across the state to experience and learn about the distinct assets and aspects of the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.
Learn More
Thank you to everyone who joined our virtual discussion on removing fiscal barriers to housing production on June 27, 2023. This session featured newly released results of an innovative, in-depth study examining the net fiscal impact of the sixth regional housing needs assessment cycle production targets on Gateway City budgets.
The Gateway COG consists of 27 cities in Southeastern LA County as well as unincorporated portions of the County. The Gateway Cities serve many disadvantaged communities that would benefit from housing production as an economic development strategy, but absent reform, California’s current convoluted tax system would result in an estimated over $37 million burden on city budgets.
Speakers included:
Konstantin Hatcher, California YIMBY Senior Director of Community Impact
Melani Smith, Gateway Cities Council of Governments Director of Regional Development
Adam Briones, California Community Builders CEO
Patrick Atwater, CA FWD Senior Research Analyst
A big thank you goes to everyone who joined our Annual Imperial Valley Economic & Energy Summit on June 15.
This Regional Energy Listening Session took place during the Imperial Valley Economic and Energy Summit hosted by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation.
Following a day of panel discussions on crucial energy topics – including Lithium Valley, renewable fuels, transmission, and workforce – CA FWD created a space for participants to talk about the opportunities and barriers they’ve encountered as they develop and bring to scale solutions for a sustainable energy future in California, and the resources that they need to further advance their work. The session included live polling and interactive group discussion.
Input gathered will be used to inform statewide energy policy advocacy by building on CA FWD’s Energy Call to Action – a framework for how stakeholders can break through silos and work across sectors to advance energy solutions – and CA FWD’s infrastructure acceleration report, developed and released in partnership with the Governor’s Office.
A big thank you goes to everyone who joined our “Regional Energy Listening Session: Sierra and Rural Forested Communities” event on May 16.
The Listening Session focused on the opportunities, barriers, and resources needed to make energy independence and reliability a reality in the Sierra and rural forested communities. Discussion topics include forest biomass energy, integrating microgrid technologies, and the energy sector workforce pipeline.
We were joined by experts:
Elizabeth Betancourt (Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor, Department of Conservation);
Andrea Schumer (Resilience Coordinator for Microgrid Policy & Pricing Planning, PG&E); and
Melanie L. Danuser (Director of Education & Training, Northwest Energy Efficiency Council).
Input gathered from this Listening Session will be used to inform statewide energy policy advocacy, building on California Forward’s (CA FWD) Energy Call to Action, which provides a framework for how stakeholders can break through silos and work across sectors to advance energy solutions.
This Listening Session was co-hosted by CA FWD and the Sierra Business Council, and in partnership with CivicWell; CSU Chico – North State Planning & Development Collective; High Sierra Energy Foundation; Sierra Nevada Alliance; and Sonoma County Water Agency.
Reliable and sustainable energy in California is dependent on building out infrastructure and developing a large enough energy workforce.
California must ensure the energy system it creates is sustainable, reliable, affordable and equitable