California Jobs First

California Jobs First Regions

The California Jobs First program (formerly called CERF), sourced from the State General Fund, will distribute $600 million across to 13 regions across California. The program will:

• Support the development of inclusive regional planning processes in order to produce regional strategies for economic development efforts that prioritize the creation of accessible, high-quality jobs in sustainable industries.

• Invest in projects proposed by regional planning tables that align with regional strategies and meet criteria for equity, job quality, and sustainability, among others.

• Align and leverage state investments (e.g., High Road Training Partnerships, community capacity building programs), federal investments (e.g., Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), and philanthropic and private-sector investments in regions to maximize economic development efforts.

We are presently working with several of the California Jobs First regions to encourage investment in regenerative meat production infrastructure.