COmmunity Economic Resilience Fund
The Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) is a statewide program that was created to promote a sustainable and equitable recovery from the economic distress of COVID-19 by supporting new plans and strategies to diversify local economies and develop sustainable industries that create high-quality, broadly accessible jobs for all Californians.
SBC is now under contract with the State of California to serve as the convener and fiscal agent for the Eastern Sierra region, which includes Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Alpine, Inyo, and Mono counties.
This critical grant will shape our future industries, diversify our economy, and provide for a better quality of life for all who call this region home. We’re looking forward to working together on both the challenges and opportunities presented by CERF.
HRTC - Preliminary Appointees Announced
After a rigorous review process, we are excited to release the preliminary list of appointees to the Eastern Sierra CERF High Road Transition Collaborative (HRTC) and its five subcommittees. As a reminder, the HRTC will guide the CERF process in the seven-county Eastern Sierra CERF region and determine what projects are ultimately funded by this initiative.
Over the last several weeks, we have worked to ensure the HRTC and its five subcommittees included equitable representation from all seven counties within the Eastern Sierra CERF region, as well as perspectives from diverse community members.
Please note that we are still looking to fill several positions on the HRTC and its subcommittees. We plan to appoint those positions on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. If you know of possible candidates who can fill the open positions indicated in the link below, please forward them our application <link> or have them contact us directly.
CERF Timeline: Where are we at in this process?

What's next? Finalizing the HRTC
Our top priority is to finalize the High Road Transition Collaborative (HRTC) that will help Sierra Business Council guide the CERF process. To learn more about the which positions remain open, please view our preliminary list of appointees. In particular, we are looking for representation from communities of color, environmental groups, and labor groups. We also are looking for individuals to represent certain counties to ensure all seven counties within this region are represented on the HRTC and its subcommittees.
If you would like to sit on the HRTC or an HRTC subcommittee, please fill out the application linked below or contact us directly at CERF@sierrabusiness.org. We are reviewing applications as they come in. In order to construct a diverse governing body, SBC will appoint applicants based on this application. The application will remain open until all positions are filled.
To stay up to date on all things Eastern Sierra CERF, please sign up for our Eastern Sierra CERF listserve (click here to sign up!) and contact us at cerf@sierrabusiness.org with any questions or comments.
For Eastern Sierra CERF-related inquiries in Spanish, please reach out directly to SBC’s Eastside CERF Project Navigator, Magnolia Barra, by emailing mbarra@sierrabusiness.org or calling 530-582-4800 ext 124.
CERF Background Information:
What is the HRTC?
For background information on the HRTC, please check out the following resources:
- SBC ‘s HRTC listening session
- OPR’s Tribal Listening Session
The High Road Transition Collaborative (HRTC) is composed of 21 voting members, and will include representation from the large geography of our Eastern Sierra region and all of the required and suggested stakeholders. A non-voting participant will chair the HRTC meetings. The Collaborative will conduct all of its meetings in a transparent public forum, in a hybrid-meeting format, with each stakeholder enjoying equal status and authority. They will be held alternately (depending upon weather) on the east side and west side of the Sierra crest. In-person attendance at a majority of the meetings (depending upon CDC guidelines and severity of COVID cases within the region) is expected.
Goals and Objectives: The HRTC Collaborative’s primary task is to review and vote on batches of projects as forwarded by the Project Identification Subcommittee. (See this committee’s charter for more details.) Batches of projects will be voted on as a block. Approved projects will be included in the final CERF Plan, also to be reviewed and approved by the Council. This plan will serve as the basis for all strategies and investments for the CERF Implementation Phase.
The Collaborative will also review other information as submitted by the subcommittees, potentially including but not limited to: analyses on industry sectors, public health, and climate, project vetting criteria, stakeholder feedback, and climate and equity principles.
Approximate Expected Time Commitments: Collaborative members will be expected to participate in one 1.5 hour-long hybrid meeting per month for 18-24 months, to commit to approximately 3 hours per month for document review and comment, and occasionally meet with community stakeholders.
- Approximate Time Commitment: 6-8 hours per month or 70-90 hours per year
- Proposed Number of Council Members: 21
Please Note: Stipends will be available to voting members who are non-elected officials (and allowed to accept payment for meetings and committee obligations). Stipends are discretionary and intended to increase participation from stakeholders with lower resources or capacity to engage in the CERF process. Mileage and lodging costs will be reimbursed for all participating voting members if approved in advance.
2022 Listening Sessions Archive:
The following listening sessions were conducted during the Summer of 2022 as part of SBC’s CERF application process.
CERF Listening Session, 7/13:
Comments or questions? Contact the Sierra Business Council CERF team by emailing: cerf@sierrabusiness.org
CERF Listening Session, 6/15:
Comments or questions? Contact the Sierra Business Council CERF team by emailing: cerf@sierrabusiness.org
CERF Listening Session, 6/1:
Comments or questions? Contact the Sierra Business Council CERF team by emailing: cerf@sierrabusiness.org
- Presentation Slides
- Are you a CERF Stakeholder? Please fill out this form to stay in the loop and provide any comments as this program continues to develop.
- We’re looking for feedback on what Eastern and Central Sierra stakeholders to engage, ongoing projects, and regional goals for CERF. Please submit your thoughts here. (Padlet)
- 6/1 Recording
Join Us In Creating A More Resilient Sierra.
To learn more about this program, contact:
cerf@sierrabusiness.org
530.582.4800