Community Foundation of San Joaquin and Edge Collaborative Partner in $3.9 Million Inclusive Economy Initiative in Stockton
The partnership will fund local nonprofit organizations and collaborations to advance inclusive economic and workforce development with community stakeholders in Stockton.
Contact
Moses Zapien, CEO
Community Foundation of San Joaquin
(209) 943-2375, mzapien@cfosj.org
Stockton, CA – Today, the Community Foundation of San Joaquin (CFOSJ) and the Edge Collaborative announced a $3.9 million partnership to fund Stockton nonprofits to advance inclusive, regional economic and workforce development efforts in Stockton.
With funding from The James Irvine Foundation’s Priority Communities initiative, the two‐year grant program will support CFOSJ and the Edge Collaborative to invest in and partner with a broad coalition of stakeholders. The program will expand efforts promoting inclusive economic development and job creation in Stockton. It will also seek to strengthen Stockton’s civic ecosystem of community‐based organizations, educational institutions, and private sector companies as they work in concert toward a common vision of a racially equitable and inclusive economy.
“Centering community voices in the economic planning conversations is one powerful way to achieve equity in a sincere effort to ‘build back better’ as we grapple with both long‐standing exclusion of the disenfranchised in our economic recovery throughout cities across the country. Stockton can lead the way,” stated Bobby Bivens, a community resident and President of Stockton’s branch of the NAACP. CFOSJ will leverage its philanthropic expertise to support and build community capacity. Edge Collaborative will expand its current forums for community‐led economic planning; this will also include directly investing into the planning capacity of coalitions and organizations developing solutions for a more inclusive economy.
“This is a historic investment in the Stockton community. This partnership will help bring the public, private, and nonprofit sectors together to focus efforts toward a post‐COVID economy that works for all Stocktonians,” said Moses Zapien, CEO of the Community Foundation of San Joaquin.
This growing cross‐sector coalition will help strengthen regional competitiveness for future public investment. “We believe that this philanthropic commitment will help the region put private and public capital to work creating new opportunities for our local workforce ‐ ultimately powering community wealth and job creation in Stockton,” said Ann Rogan, Principal of Edge Collaborative. Through this partnership, CFOSJ and Edge Collaborative hope to see an increase in the number of proposed projects aimed at advancing inclusive economic development that support historically underserved communities. This will allow for the creation of job opportunities and guide other partners on a path toward a post‐COVID economic recovery.
About The Community Foundation of San Joaquin
The Community Foundation of San Joaquin (CFOSJ) works with donors to advance cross‐sector
partnerships, mobilize resources, and build a culture of generosity in San Joaquin County. CFOSJ is
committed to building a healthy and prosperous community where all can thrive by promoting equity
and supporting community connectivity. CFOSJ is one of the largest place‐based philanthropies in San
Joaquin County, stewarding more than $24 million in philanthropic assets. In 2020, CFOSJ granted out
more than $2.9 million, most of it supporting local nonprofits to support a range of community needs.
For more information about CFOSJ, visit www.sanjoaquincf.org.
About Edge Collaborative
Edge Collaborative is a civic incubator, partnering with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to
tackle systemic economic challenges in Stockton. With a focus on three key areas – jobs and workforce,
climate, and community wealth – Edge seeds and supports partner‐led initiatives with a range of tools.
These tools include access to capital, talent, policy support, and coalition‐building. Edge Collaborative is
committed to building a more resilient and inclusive economy in Stockton and the wider region, by
putting community needs and racial equity at the center. For more information on Edge Collaborative,
visit edgecollaborative.org.