2025 in Review: SBC Impacts 

Government Affairs & Regional Advocacy

• Launched the Wildfire Solutions Coalition, uniting 60+ organizations and meeting with over 75 regional and statewide leaders, securing over $2M to fund Coalition’s work, and advancing major state wildfire and climate policy wins.
• Co-led Sierra Day at the Capitol, coordinating 70+ advocates in 55+ legislative meetings.
• Published Advancing Wildfire Resilience Workforce & Career Development in California, a statewide workforce development roadmap for inclusion in California’s Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan.
• Held 50+ policymaker meetings and submitted dozens of comment letters to advance wildfire resilience, land stewardship, housing, climate mitigation, and energy efficiency.
• Helped secure $114M in Prop 4 funding for the Sierra, protected $200M in wildfire resilience funding by advancing support for California’s cap-and-invest program, and defended California’s energy efficiency programs.
• Advanced housing solutions through partnerships with the Truckee-Tahoe Workforce Housing Authority and Town of Truckee’s Homegrown Housing Program.
• Led rapid-response communications on the impacts of the federal shutdown, earning regional media coverage.
• Represented the Sierra statewide across major policy coalitions, task forces, and summits.

   

Economic Empowerment

California Jobs First – Sierra Region

• Awarded and contracted nearly $9M to 38 community-driven projects.
• Evaluated 50 project proposals requesting $23.8M.
• Appointed five Industry Sector Coordinators, including a Tribal coordinator, and convened alongside dozens of working groups, advisory committees, and the first regional coordinator-run Industry Shindig.
• Hosted regional healthcare industry conferences and launched planning for long-term collaboration beyond state funding.

   

California Jobs First – Capital Region

• Convened quarterly stakeholder groups, helping secure funding for 10+ local projects.
• Delivered inclusive outreach training to 22 projects and 8 community ambassador groups.
• Co-developed a Latino Engagement Framework for Placer County’s General Plan 2050 update.
• Advanced Tribal–county collaboration on wildfire planning and began developing a Regional Inter-Tribal Economic Development Strategy.

Inclusive Economic Development 

• In partnership with the Latino Leadership Council, secured funding from the Sierra Health Foundation to undertake a community development corporation (CDC) feasibility study to advance Latino economic development, health equity, and housing in Placer Co. 
• Partnered with the Indigenous Futures Society to advance inclusion of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in forest manangement planning in Placer County.

   

Forestry Entrepreneurship

• Trained 141+ forest business owners through the Good Jobs Challenge program.

   

Broadband Expansion

• Built an interactive broadband map to identify high-need areas.
• Supported six state broadband grant applications (four awarded, two in review).
• Helped secure $60K in digital equity grants and represented rural broadband needs at state-level hearings.

   

Small Business Support

Sierra SBDC

• Supported 550 businesses with 2,700 hours of advising.
• Helped create 89 jobs and launch 37 new businesses across seven counties.
• Delivered 29 workshops and helped businesses secure $35.5M in loans/equity and generate $3.1M in new sales.

   

Eastern Sierra Business Resource Center

• Assisted 75 businesses, delivered 26 workshops, and helped launch two new businesses.
• Formed 26 new partnerships and supported major local employers with recruitment and hiring.

   

Climate Action & Energy Programs

Northern Rural Energy Network (NREN)

• Launched residential energy programs, delivering 50 efficiency kits, five home assessments, and several rebates to advance equitable energy efficiency programming in rural Sierra Nevada communities. 
• Developed full branding, launched the NREN website, and began designing commercial and workforce programming for 2026.

   

Sierra Nevada Energy Watch

• Assisted 15 public agencies and 4 businesses with audits, GHG inventories, and benchmarking.
• Delivered 28 community education efforts.

   

Climate Transformation Alliance (CTA)

• Secured state funding through 2026 and grew membership.
• Held 20+ meetings/events and published the CTA GHG Dashboard and Project Clearinghouse.
• Supported members with GHG inventories and presented at a statewide climate forum.

   

Go Electric Truckee Tahoe

• Delivered 10 online trainings, hosted hands-on contractor education, and provided electrification coaching to 14 residents, resulting in two heat pump installations.

Dark Sky Lighting Rebate Program

• Processed 46 residential applications, 1 of which was a multifamily building retrofit, approved the installation of 250 Dark Sky-compliant lighting fixtures, 8 motion sensors, and distributed $16,069 in rebates.

Driving Clean Assistance Program

• Shared information about electric car rebates, reaching communities through events, newsletters, and social media.

   

Sierra Climate Adaptation & Mitigation Partnership (CAMP)

• Held quarterly meetings, delivered dozens of educational resources, and led authorship of the 5th Climate Change Assessment Sierra Nevada Report.

   

Resilience Project of Western Nevada County

• Established a new climate collaborative with Nevada County, developed full brand identity and governance, and hosted a community kickoff with 100 attendees.

   

Additional Climate Contracts

• Completed or initiated GHG inventories and long-term emissions planning for the North Tahoe PUD, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, and Town of Truckee.
• Began a multi-year PG&E climate vulnerability engagement project across 16 counties.