Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI)
The Center at Sierra Health Foundation launched the Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI) to assist nonprofits in building their knowledge and capacity so that they are poised to participate in funding opportunities. CEMI is a $17.7 million and growing fund focused on diversifying the nonprofits involved in receiving and directing federal and state climate-resilient economic development initiatives. The project has partnered with experts from the Institute for Social Transformation at UC Santa Cruz, the Equity Research Institute at USC, and PolicyLink to launch a CEMI Resources website to develop and deliver trainings and tools for underserved and BIPOC-led community organizations to effectively engage in community economic development.
Leadership for CEMI Resources will include renowned inclusive economic development leaders Dr. Chris Benner (an Institute for Social Transformation faculty fellow) and Dr. Manuel Pastor, and national research and action institute PolicyLink, to offer a training curriculum that includes resources on race equity in the current economy, understanding economic development decision-making, commercial district revitalization, organizing social and economic movements and more.
This training is designed to be integrated with other work of the Sierra Health Foundation’s Community Economic Mobilization Initiative in supporting community organizations throughout the state in creating and implementing roadmaps for economic recovery and inclusive economic development. Much of the training is focused on strengthening community organizations’ knowledge of the nuts and bolts of implementing community economic development initiatives, and on taking advantage of public sector infrastructure and economic development spending.
Central to this effort, however, is the recognition that we are in a moment of multiple interdependent crises–of racial inequality, climate change, and erosion of democratic practices. Thus, what we need is not simply a return to normal economic practices that have driven these crises. We need to reimagine and restructure our economy in a way that directly challenges inequality, centers racial justice and anti-racism, lifts up our commonality, and contributes to crafting a new economic story that can become common sense in our language, policy and practice.
Our approach for economic development is centered on the framework of Solidarity Economics.
In providing technical assistance and training for this initiative, we reflect this framework in a combination of formats that includes:
- developing online training and resources materials
- conducting both on-line and in-person training workshops
- developing cohort programs that help facilitate group and peer learning
- building linkages and connections to support organizing and power-building goals
CEMI grantees are located throughout the state, with an emphasis on California’s inland communities that have historically been overlooked for inclusive economic development opportunities.