ABOUT US
Our vision
We envision a vibrant and inclusive economic region where individuals and families not only have abundant opportunities and resources to thrive but are also supported by an economy that embraces a culture of dignity, thriving wages, and comprehensive benefits. This region stands as a beacon of equitable opportunities, prioritizing people, planet, and prosperity.
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Our mission
To build an equitable and inclusive economy in the region that addresses historic racial inequities and is led and sustained by a multi-sector, diverse, community- based collaborative.
The tri-county Monterey Bay region of the Central Coast – Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties – stands at a significant crossroads. This vibrant region encompasses over 5,115 square miles and is home to 766,738 residents. Beautiful beaches, majestic hills with robust agricultural output, significant tourism, and emerging technology sectors distinguish the region from other parts of California. The region also is marked by significant socio-economic inequities, with many residents struggling to cover basic costs of living such as housing and child care. Those twin truths are at the heart of this Investment Plan Blueprint. With the right partners and investments, it is possible to forge a future that builds on the region’s assets while addressing its challenges.
The tri-county region is considered an early adopter of regional economic development planning and implementation that centers the principles of inclusivity, equity, and meaningful community engagement. Since February 2020, under the umbrella of Regions Rise Together (RRT), the region has been cultivating a collaborative ecosystem of cross-sector partners focused on identifying and resourcing implementable solutions that address the region’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges. An early outcome of the RRT Collaborative was the initial Investment Plan Blueprint, which provided an inventory of agreed upon priorities that should be resourced with tangible actions in the Salinas Valley.
While initial investments were secured to deploy strategies aligned with collective priorities, the scope of RRT in recent years has expanded to include: (1) a broader geography of the Monterey Bay defined by the three counties of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito; (2) a wider set of stakeholders to participate and contribute; and (3) alignment with other complementary regional initiatives that have surfaced since the collaborative’s inception. Program management provided by Monterey Bay Economic Partnership since 2020.
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