Past Events

Catalyst Convening Summary: San Diego Region

Progress in Place:

From Power Building to Project Implementation

Event Summary

In 2023 and 2024, the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) hosted the Catalyst Conference as a two-day, large-scale conference in Sacramento. The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) (formally Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)) also facilitated a statewide Climate Next Conference as well as local government roundtables in recent years. In all these events, there were requests from participants for opportunities to engage at the regional level. Both organizations recognized the demand for a regional approach to engaging with local governments and partners to facilitate stronger communication and gain a better understanding of regional needs. They also see value in empowering local tribal, technical assistance, and environmental justice partners in planning and executing projects and investment decisions.

The regional Catalyst Convenings serve as a continuation of the commitments made at the 2023 and 2024 SGC Catalyst Conference, LCI’s Climate Nexus Conference, and LCI-hosted local government roundtables. The Convenings feature elements are planned in coordination with the California Climate and Energy Collaborative and UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab.

Across diverse regions of California, partners consistently identified the need for improved collaboration, capacity building, and equally accessible funding mechanisms to address climate resilience and community needs.

Based on outcomes of past LCI and SGC events, a statewide planning workshop, and follow-up planning meetings with representatives from the LA region, the following elements were used to inform the structure of the LA-region Convening:

• Region-led discussions on current issues and opportunities.
• Roundtable workshop to identify consensus and develop actions on topics identified as a priority by each region.
• Sharing state and regional resources, including funding opportunities, incentives and upcoming engagement opportunities.

In addition, key considerations in planning the regional Convenings included to:

• Strive for every attendee to make new connections with people outside of their traditional network.
• Create space for regional participants to build one-on-one relationships with state and with peer leaders from around the region.
• Honor regional participants’ time and effort by providing food and honorariums.
• Ensure regional convenings hosted by the state are complementary to those hosted by regions themselves.
  Spark participants’ excitement and creativity with new engagement tools.
• Recognize the importance of regional expertise by including regional leaders as keynote speakers.
• Show regional participants what regional input the state has turned into action so far; clarify where input is still needed.

Agenda

Day 2 Theme: Sustaining Community Benefits

While historic, the public climate funding available currently is insufficient to meet long-term needs. Day 2 explores what is required to support communities and organizations sustain efforts toward equitable climate resilience now and in the future.

• Sustaining community benefits across social and physical infrastructure funding, administered under the Biden-Harris Justice40 initiative, the California Climate budget, & beyond
• Identify actionable, creative strategies to achieve project outcomes within current funding environment and focus.

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors