California’s 13 Jobs First Regions
California’s regions are the driving force behind a resilient and inclusive economy. Empowered to maximize collaboration, innovation, and job creation, each region has developed thoughtful solutions to address its respective needs.
California’s 13 Jobs First Regions
California’s regions are the driving force behind a resilient and inclusive economy. Empowered to maximize collaboration, innovation, and job creation, each region has developed thoughtful solutions to address its respective needs.
How it Works
By grouping together counties with shared economic ties and local connections, California has created an ecosystem of regions to drive both local and cross-regional initiatives.
This approach breaks down geographic and economic barriers, encouraging regions to work together on projects that create good-paying jobs and build sustainable industries. Each region is empowered with tools to create individualized solutions, ensuring that economic resilience is woven into the fabric of communities statewide.
1. North State
A thriving and resilient North State is based on a regenerative economy that produces climate-adaptive forests and watersheds, healthy and financially secure communities, and growing and innovative community scale businesses linked to regional markets.
2. Redwood
The Redwood Region envisions itself as a healing place where everyone belongs, with stable jobs, accessible healthcare, and a flourishing natural environment. The Redwood Region works towards a future where anyone can thrive.
3. Capital
The Capital Region focuses on the generation of quality jobs, well-supported career pathways, and an equitable and sustainable economy that spans the eight-county region. It will build on existing efforts to help maximize the benefit of ongoing sub-regional economic and community development activities.
4. Sierra
The Sierra Region aims to create a resilient economy that supports equitable opportunities for generations to come.
5. Bay Area
6. Northern San Joaquin
The North San Joaquin Region envisions itself as a place with equitable access to high-quality jobs, where natural resources are protected and negative environmental impact is addressed, where local industries actively compete in the global economy and sustain high-road jobs, and where the quality of life is centered on the prosperity of vulnerable and historically disinvested communities.
7. Central San Joaquin
The Central San Joaquin Region aims to foster an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable economy that creates quality jobs and provides equitable economic access to across the region.
8. Central Coast
The Central Coast Region is a growing collective impact initiative, powered by Central Coast residents working together toward a shared vision of a sustainable, diverse, equitable, and resilient economy.
9. Kern County
The Kern County Region aims to create a diversified, sustainable, equitable, and thriving economy that eliminates intergenerational poverty and empowers Kern County residents from every background to access economic opportunity.
10. Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Region aims to create investment opportunities through climate neutral initiatives that can produce high-quality, sustainable jobs for individuals and families within the region.
11. Inland SoCal
The Inland SoCal Region envisions itself as a place where everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to the resources and opportunities necessary to thrive. The goal is to create a region where every community prospers in a sustainable and innovative economy, and every individual can live a healthy, quality life.
12. Orange County
The Orange County Region aims to create an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable economy that creates high-road jobs and provides a path toward, and equitable transition to, a carbon-neutral economy.
13. Southern Border
The Southern Border Region aims to foster inclusive and sustainable economic development by empowering and uplifting disinvested communities and ensuring equitable access to opportunities, resources, and growth.
Investment Playbook
California Jobs First has developed a playbook to help regions identify collaboration opportunities, attract outside investors, and assist potential funders in identifying opportunities to support regional projects.
Regional Data Tool
Built by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, this interactive web-mapping tool can find available sites, as well as demographic, business, industry, education, and consumer expenditure data, across California’s regions.
Success Stories
California Jobs First represents a transformative approach to economic development that is deeply rooted in regional collaboration.
These early successes highlight this initiative’s potential to accelerate meaningful economic development for diverse communities across the state.
Yreka’s Carnegie Library Rehabilitation
In April 2024, the Siskiyou Economic Development Council held a historic groundbreaking event…
Certification of Regional Plans as Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS)
As of April 2025, all 13 Jobs First regional plans have been formally…
La Colmena celebrates its grand opening
What began as a grassroots vision has since blossomed into a symbol of community-driven development in Santa Ana…