It’s that time: Before we flip over to a new year, we want to share a few of the accomplishments the CA FWD team and its partners achieved this year.
It’s also important to recognize that this work is done through a collective lift made by partners in our California Economic Summit network, regional leaders in our California Stewardship Network, and aligned partners in the public, private and philanthropic spheres. Thank you!
Without further ado, here are some of CA FWD’s key achievements in 2022:
The 2022-23 state budget included $600 million for the newly created Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) program, an important culmination of CA FWD’s work to integrate the critically important role regions and communities have in the process of developing solutions that balance equity, environmental sustainability and economic growth. The state this year also announced the first round of awardees in this effort to diversify local economies and sustainable industries that create good-paying, accessible jobs for all Californians.
The inclusion of nearly $1.5 billion in wildfire funding in the state budget to accelerate forest health and wildfire resilience projects represents an important step forward in dealing with the state’s wildfire crisis. This investment — and a continued push for more funding — supports solutions the California Economic Summit and California Stewardship Network have advanced, including community hardening to reduce the impact of wildfires on homes, increasing regional capacity and growing the wood products industry.
The $500-million California Dream for All homeownership program approved this year represents the largest homeownership program California has ever built. Created in partnership with the State Treasurer’s Office and California Community Builders, the program will use a shared appreciation model that gives the state the ability to invest its budget surplus into a revolving investment fund, called the CA Dream Fund.
The Fund would allow the state to invest in loans alongside first-time homebuyers to help them buy a house in all regions of California. Read more about the program in this CA FWD report.
Released this year, CA FWD’s Energy Call to Action shared five recommendations that would set the compass for California to meet its 2045 goal of zero-carbon electricity generation, emphasizing an “all-of-the-above” approach that takes into account all industries and options, including oil and gas, nuclear, biomass and more.
The Call to Action provides context on California’s energy landscape and recommendations for creating the policy necessary for a sustainable, reliable and affordable energy system in the state.
The 2022 California Economic Summit was held in Bakersfield for the first time and became the largest annual gathering in the Summit’s history, with nearly 1,000 attendees from around the state coming together and Governor Gavin Newsom making an appearance.
Read more about the efforts of the work groups that rolled up their sleeves to advance solutions to California’s most pressing issues.
Watch the 2022 Summit wrap-up video
Watch the full 2022 Summit session with Governor Newsom
What’s next for CA FWD? Be on the lookout for the 2023 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity which will set down our plans and goals, developed through the collective work of the Summit, the California Stewardship Network and more partners across the state.
