Sierra San Joaquin Jobs Initiative
Our four-county initiative is committed to creating quality jobs and equitable economic access for all residents in the Sierra San Joaquin region. Funded by California Jobs First, we are seizing the opportunity to collectively craft a dynamic regional investment plan to empower our entire region!
CVCF serves as both the regional convener and fiscal agent of the S2J2 Initiative planning process and provides support to local conveners and partners. CVCF also convenes the Regional Table.
Foundation’s Role
Geographic Focus
Central San Joaquin Valley – Fresno, Madera, Tulare, and Kings Counties
The F3 Initiative was awarded $65 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge in September 2022 – the largest federal grant ever awarded to California’s Central Valley. Despite being the unrivaled food production region in the United States, the Central Valley struggles to spur, adopt, and commercialize innovation. To address these challenges, the F3 Initiative is positioning the Central Valley’s ag-based industry and farmers to be competitive, resilient, and sustainable.
The S2J2 initiative represents all aspects of inclusive economic and community development in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley. Our coalition is as diverse as the region itself, united by a shared vision: to build an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economy that creates quality jobs and expands equitable economic access for all.
The state’s S2J2 planning process is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring new capacity and resources to the Valley—supporting a long-term regional vision while meeting immediate community needs. Through a community-driven, data-grounded process that challenges biases and elevates diverse experiences, we are working to answer a core question:
“What will it take to fundamentally transform our region?”
Our collective response will shape an inclusive economic development plan that delivers real, measurable results for people and communities across the Central San Joaquin Valley.
Recognizing the region’s size, diversity, and complexity, the S2J2 coalition is committed to a collaborative governance structure that balances power across stakeholders and counties. Local tables lead the process at the community level, and together, they will build the Valley’s four-county inclusive economic development plan.
S2J2 Partners
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United Way of Fresno Madera Counties
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Fresno DRIVE Coalition
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Office of Community and Economic Development at Fresno State
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Tulare County Workforce Investment Board
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Urban Institute
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California Forward
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Sierra Resource Conservation District
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Yosemite / Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council
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Over 100 additional economic development, workforce development, education, labor, and community partners