Conveners
The five lead co-convener organizations listed above came together in 2022 to implement the planning grant for the California Jobs First – Kern Region. Serving as the foundation and guiding force of the Kern Coalition, the conveners are united by a shared commitment to advancing inclusive, community-driven objectives that strengthen the regional economy, expand employment opportunities, build skill capacity, and promote equity for marginalized communities.
Together, the conveners coordinate engagement among diverse regional stakeholders across community, industry, workforce, and economic development sectors. Kern Community College District serves as the Fiscal Agent, providing administrative and fiscal oversight in support of the conveners’ collaborative efforts.
Kern Coalition - Governance Council
The Kern Coalition Governance Council was established under the California Jobs First initiative (formerly known as CERF) to bring together regional voices that strengthened Kern County’s economic and workforce development efforts. Supported through the leadership of the Kern Coalition and the fiscal oversight of Kern Community College District, the Council served as an advisory and decision-making body to guide regional priorities and identify strategies that promoted inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
Council members were elected by Kern County residents in 2023 through an open nomination and election process conducted in alignment with the Catalyst Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the California Jobs First framework. The Council was composed of 17 volunteer representatives, with the Kern Coalition serving as the 18th, non-voting member. Representation included five members from the Central subregion and three representatives each from the North, South, East, and West subregions, ensuring balanced input from across the county.
Each Council member served in a volunteer capacity, contributing their time, expertise, and lived experience to advance a community-driven planning process that reflected Kern County’s diverse needs and opportunities. In accordance with the Council’s bylaws, any vacancies were filled through an appointment process led by the Kern Coalition, guided by a commitment to equity and diverse representation across industry, labor, workforce development, community-based organizations, and other stakeholder groups.
Community & Stakeholder Partnerships
Local and regional partner organizations play a vital role in the Kern Coalition’s mission by serving as trusted messengers and engagement points across Kern County’s diverse communities. The Kern Coalition supports these organizations through partnerships that help ensure representation of community and regional stakeholders in inclusive workforce development and economic initiatives.
Partner organizations across Kern County joined the Kern Coalition through Collective Partnership Agreement Letters (CPALs) formalized during the planning phase of the California Jobs First initiative. These include Kern Inyo Mono Central Labor Council, Better Bakersfield / Boundless Kern, Kern Community College District, Building Healthy Communities Kern, and Community Action Partnership of Kern. Together, these partners lead community outreach, host sub-regional forums, and elevate local perspectives to strengthen the Coalition’s connection to residents and identify opportunities that advance equitable economic and workforce growth.
By collaborating directly with these community-based organizations, the Kern Coalition ensures that strategies remain rooted in local realities, support equitable access to quality jobs, and reach historically underrepresented populations throughout Kern County, building the foundation for broad participation, sustained collaboration, and regional impact.
Catalyst Program
The Catalyst Program serves as a bridge between regional planning and implementation, empowering the Kern Coalition and its partners to advance projects that are investment-ready and aligned with long-term regional goals. Administered by Kern Community College District as the fiscal agent under the California Jobs First initiative (formerly known as CERF), the program strengthens Kern County’s capacity to deliver inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
In alignment with the California Jobs First State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the Kern County Regional Plan Part II, Catalyst funds are focused on advancing high-impact pre-development efforts, such as feasibility studies, project design, and demonstration initiatives, that transform regional priorities into actionable, investment-ready projects. These efforts reflect Kern County’s shared priorities of equity, workforce development, sustainability, and economic resilience, identified through an inclusive planning process involving community, industry, labor, and education partners.
Catalyst funding also supports the administrative and fiscal infrastructure necessary to ensure responsible oversight, coordination, and compliance across regional initiatives. Through this work, the Kern Coalition continues to build a durable framework that fosters collaboration, innovation, and access to future federal, state, and private investment, laying the foundation for a stronger, more equitable, and resilient regional economy.
.png)
