Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content

Office of Community and Economic Development

OCED masthead

 

 

An Inclusive, Vibrant, Sustainable Economy is the Goal

Picture Caption(yes/no) Caption Text
DRIVE presentation yes Central Valley Community Foundation, CEO, Ashley Swearengin addressing the Fresno DRIVE Initiative Steering Committee during their initial July 10  kick-off. 
OCED Executive Director, Ismael D. Herrera yes OCED Executive Director, Ismael D. Herrera, participating in the Data Gallery walk during the July 10 Fresno DRIVE Initiative Steering Committee kick-off. 

Beginning in late May 2019, OCED Executive Director, Ismael D. Herrera has been participating in a new initiative that will yield a 10-year investment plan to develop an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable economy for all residents in the greater Fresno region. The Developing the Region’s Inclusive and Vibrant Economy (DRIVE) Initiative has three essential foundational components: Economic Development, Human Capital, and Neighborhood Development. 

The DRIVE Initiative is sponsored by the Central Valley Community Foundationwith support from the James Irvine Foundation. It is also being supported by a consulting and research team that includes McKinsey & Company, Fresno State’s Central Valley Health Policy Institute, Brookings Institution, Jobs for the Future, and the Urban Institute.A Steering Committee involving over 75 organizations and 200 community leaders has been organized to guide the effort, with kick-off meetings held in Fresno, CA on July 10 and 18. Herrera is also part of the DRIVE Initiative’s 30-member Executive Committee.

In May 2019, Governor Newsom’s office announced a new “Regions Rise Together” initiative designed to develop a comprehensive economic plan that will benefit all parts of California, specifically the Inland regions. The DRIVE Initiative is capitalizing on this statewide momentum at a pivotal time, with a diverse group of civic, community, and business leaders who represent both the brightest ideas of our region and the heart of who we are.

 

For more information on the Fresno DRIVE Initiative, please visit https://www.fresnodrive.org/.