Transformative Change in the Central Valley

A community-led effort in 2017 garnered the attention of then-California Governor Jerry Brown.  The effort resulted in the awarding of a $70 million Transformative Climate Communities grant to the City of Fresno.  The grant supported a variety of community improvements including the revitalization of Mariposa Plaza in downtown Fresno. Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society.  All rights reserved.

In 2017, in a remarkably short amount of time, a group of citizens from three Fresno neighborhoods came together to make history.  The residents built consensus around a common goal and took the first step toward economic and environmental transformation that would positively impact those living in their neighborhoods and beyond.

This team carried out the largest grassroots budgeting effort in American history, while giving a voice to residents most affected by poverty, poor air quality and other inequities. Along the way, they proved that the Central Valley is worth investing in. As Governor Jerry Brown said at the time, “This is a place that can lead…not just the state, but the whole world.”

The Governor went on to award Fresno a $70 million grant from his 2016 Cap-and-Trade-funded program called Transformative Climate Communities (TCC). TCC is designed to support climate-smart development in California’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

“People in our community came together and did heroic work to take advantage of this opportunity for Fresno,” said Ashley Swearengin, President of the Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF).

As part of the CVCF’s bold initiative to bring capital and investment to the Central Valley, they partnered with the City of Fresno to lead the committee. In carrying out the largest participatory budgeting process ever, community members most affected by pollution set their own priorities. Residents selected goals, strategies and projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving local air quality and strengthening neighborhood institutions and businesses.

The final package of projects approved by the Steering Committee represents a transformative investment in Fresno’s future. By leveraging the state’s $70 million grant with additional local funding, the initiative delivered $195 million in combined investments across the three neighborhoods.

Nia Hodge, founder of Another Level Training Academy, was a member of the steering committee. “It was surreal to be part of this team of people all pushing toward the same goal, to come together and help our community,” she said.

The investment transformed Southwest Fresno with a new Fresno City College Satellite Campus, new parks and miles of trails, sidewalks and bike lanes. It’s brought affordable and market-rate housing like the Monarch, new community gardens such as Inside Out and energy-saving opportunities for low-income households. It’s led to the beautification of streets in Chinatown and the revitalization of Mariposa Plaza in downtown Fresno. And so much more.

Funding from the Transformative Climate Communities grant helped to fund the building of Fresno City College’s West Campus.  The campus, which broke ground in 2020,  provides residents with workforce training and educational pathways leading to high-demand, high-quality jobs. The campus serves as a catalyst for improvements in the overall environmental health of the region. Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society.  All rights reserved.

To learn more about this historic initiative and how it will continue to shape the Central Valley for years to come, visit TransformFresno.com

This story is part of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s “Sixty Stories That Shaped Us” initiative to help mark 60 years since our founding. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone and this special place we call home. To learn more, visit centralvalleycf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @centralvalleycf.