To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: 20-522-0 Apply for and Accept a Grant from the James Irvine Foundation to Support the Formalization of a Regional Workforce Development Structure.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
RATIFY the grant application submitted to The James Irvine Foundation under its Better Careers initiative, and APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to accept funding in an amount not to exceed $200,000, and to execute a grant award agreement, including any amendments or extensions thereof, pursuant to the grant guidelines, to support the development of a formalized regional workforce development structure in collaboration with East Bay Workforce Development Board partners for the period August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% Grant Funding; revenue will be budgeted in FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27, subject to final award and appropriations. No County match is required.
BACKGROUND:
The Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County (WDBCCC), in partnership with the Workforce Boards of Alameda County, City of Oakland, and City of Richmond, seeks to formalize a regional structure to support long-term workforce coordination, sector strategy implementation, and resource diversification across the East Bay.
Historically operating under the EASTBAYWorks brand, the region now aims to establish a dedicated infrastructure-potentially a fiscally-sponsored or independent nonprofit entity-that can apply for and manage regional grants, deliver technical assistance, convene stakeholders, and strengthen business and community engagement.
The James Irvine Foundation, through its Better Careers initiative, has invited a joint proposal from the four boards. WDBCCC served as the lead applicant and submitted a regional proposal on behalf of the partners prior to the grant deadline of July 22, 2025.
The $200,000 in proposed funding will support governance planning, stakeholder engagement, capacity-building activities, and structural development efforts to create an agile, equity-driven organization that aligns regional efforts and enhances service delivery across jurisdictions.
This initiative aligns with WDBCCC’s Local and Regional Plan goals to:
• Expand equitable access to career pathways and family-sustaining employment.
• Strengthening sector partnerships and employer engagement across the region.
• Increase competitiveness for public and private workforce funding.
• Advance regional solutions that improve efficiency, coordination, and impact.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Should the Board of Supervisors not approve this item, WDBCCC would forfeit access to $200,000 in philanthropic grant funding from The James Irvine Foundation, limiting WDBCCC’s ability to lead the development of a formalized regional workforce structure. This would delay efforts to build the infrastructure necessary for future grant competitiveness, policy alignment, and coordinated innovation across the East Bay.
Additionally, non-approval would impede timely execution of a grant application that the WDB is already authorized to pursue under the Amended and Restated Agreement with the Board of Supervisors (Page 7, Section III.4.E), resulting in missed opportunities to advance regional collaboration.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
The services provided under this Agreement support all five of Contra Costa County’s community outcomes: (1) “Children Ready for and Succeeding School”; (2) “Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood”; (3) “Families that are Economically Self-Sufficient”; (4) “Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing”; and (5) “Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.”