About the Imperial Valley
The Imperial Valley is a dynamic border region located southeast of the Salton Sea that experiences some of the highest poverty, pollution, and health burdens in California. A history of boom-and-bust economies has left the region with inadequate infrastructure, a 20% unemployment rate, and a “brain drain” of young talent. Despite the dedication and tenacity of local leaders, historic disinvestment has deprived Imperial Valley local governments and community-based organizations of the capacity they need to effectively compete for funds that could help improve quality of life and long-term outcomes for residents.
The Imperial Valley Civic Ecosystem Initiative
The Imperial Valley Civic Ecosystem Initiative (IVCEI) is a collaboration between the State of California, the Institute for Local Government (ILG), the Latino Community Foundation (LCF), and local partners to promote civic engagement and achieve the community’s vision of a thriving Imperial Valley. The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC), the Governor’s Office, and the California Energy Commission (CEC) collaborated with local partners, trusted practitioners, and philanthropic supporters to develop this multi-pronged public-private partnership. The two core pillars of IVCEI are led by the Institute for Local Government (ILG) and the Latino Community Foundation (LCF), who aim to expand the bandwidth of the local public and nonprofit sectors through two interconnected programs: BOOST Imperial Valley and Activate Imperial.
Our Core Programs
Together, BOOST Imperial Valley and Activate Imperial take a holistic approach to supporting the region by increasing the capacity of both the public and nonprofit sectors to collaborate and access investment to build a bright future for the Imperial Valley. With the prospect of lithium development and a variety of other evolving opportunities and challenges on the horizon, these programs aim to foster partnerships and collaboration to help the region achieve its goals. Find out more about each core program below:
BOOST Imperial Valley
BOOST Imperial Valley is a capacity-building program led by ILG that aims to empower under-resourced cities across Imperial Valley. The program’s support to local government helps ensure a healthy, resilient, and prosperous future for local residents. This is the third round of the Build, Organize, Optimize, Strengthen and Transform (BOOST) Imperial Valley program, a longstanding partnership between ILG and SGC, which has become a statewide catalyst for change: empowering under-resourced cities and regions to access critical public funding, foster meaningful community partnerships, and build long-term institutional strength. BOOST Imperial Valley is the most regionally focused round of the program — supporting Imperial County and its seven cities: Brawley, Calexico, Calipatria, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial, and Westmorland.
Activate Imperial
Activate Imperial is a capacity-building program led by LCF that provides tools, resources, and support to increase the collective and individual capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs) across Imperial Valley. The program’s core objective is to ensure that community priorities are represented and prioritized through collaboration, technical assistance, and strategic support. Through Activate Imperial, LCF is helping nonprofits located in Imperial Valley navigate challenges, build partnerships, scale their impact, and become sustainable forces for good.
Frequently asked questions about the Imperial Valley Civic Ecosystem Initiative
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How can I stay up-to-date about this effort?
For more information, contact us at CACE@sgc.ca.gov. To stay apprised of updates on the initiative, sign up for our quarterly Imperial Impact: Interagency & Partnership Highlights Newsletter below.