Redwood Region RISE Awards $2.5 Million to Advance 5 Community-Led Climate and Economic Justice Projects

Redwood Region RISE (Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable Economy) has announced a new $2.5 million private investment to support community-driven climate and economic justice projects across the Redwood Region. The funding, provided by an anonymous California philanthropic partner, will support pre-development work in Del Norte and Humboldt Counties, with several projects also benefiting communities in Lake and Mendocino Counties. The announcement was made in Eureka on January 8, 2026.

The investment builds on the region’s first Catalyst cycle and reflects continued momentum toward implementing the RRRISE 10-Year Regional Roadmap and future sector plans. This funding will support projects aligned with three focus areas: Housing & Community Development, Resilient Regional Economies, and Working Lands & Blue Economy. “This investment represents an affirmation of our region’s vision and our partners’ readiness to deliver meaningful change,” said Susan Seaman, Program Director at North Edge. Dawn Arledge, Executive Director of the California Center for Rural Policy (CCRP), added that the resources will help move community-endorsed projects closer to implementation, particularly in rural and Tribal regions that have been historically under-resourced.

Selection Process

To honor both community input and funder timelines, Redwood Region RISE selected awardees exclusively from high-scoring applicants from the first Catalyst cycle. The first Catalyst round was supported by the state-led California Jobs First program, and no new Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued for this second funding round. RRRISE’s Voting Member Block finalized the selection of preliminary awardees in December 2025. RRRISE also noted that awardees will complete contracting and compliance requirements before receiving funds, with implementation begining in January 2026 and concluding by September 2026. Full project summaries will be published after contracting is complete.

Preliminary Awardees

• Centro de Recursos Legales de la Región Redwood ($500,000)

  The Centro de Recursos Legales de la Región Redwood strengthens economic stability and workforce participation for immigrant, Indigenous, and agricultural communities by providing accessible legal services, labor rights education, and community-rooted support across the region.

• Heavy Equipment Training and Excellence Center ($500,000)

  The Heavy Equipment Training and Excellence Center looks to transform the historic Prairie Creek Fish Hatchery into a regional hub that meets rising demand for skilled operators amid major construction and restoration projects, preparing local and Tribal residents for high-wage careers while supporting the removal of 300 miles of legacy logging roads to restore ecosystem health.

• Justice-Impacted Workers: Meaningful Land Work and Wellness Initiative ($400,000)

  The Justice-Impacted Workers initiative delivers trauma-responsive, land-based workforce training and wellness support for formerly incarcerated people while advancing climate-resilient agricultural opportunities and the Cal Poly Humboldt Agricultural Innovation Hub, alongside a $100,000 award for Black Humboldt’s Cultural and Economic Community Hub to support parallel program development and partnership exploration.

• Serraga Energy LLC ($500,000)

  Serraga Energy LLC—soon to be Blue Lake Tribal Energy—will launch a Tribally owned enterprise to replicate proven microgrid systems across Tribal and rural communities, advancing renewable energy deployment while creating thriving-wage technical jobs and strengthening the Blue Lake Rancheria’s clean-energy economy.

• The Center for Sustainable Development ($250,000) Indigenous Habitat Institute (IHI) ($250,000) 

  A regional hub for sustainable housing, trades education, and community collaboration that advances low-carbon construction—including refined emphasis on emerging materials such as hempcrete from the IHI—to strengthen resilience, economic mobility, and culturally grounded housing solutions across the North Coast.

This new funding advances the region’s vision for a community-led Just Transition—one where local residents shape economic development and climate solutions that directly serve their communities. The selected projects will help create equitable economic opportunities, strengthen local resilience strategies, and expand regional capacity for long-term investment.

To stay updated on project progress, implementation milestones, explore resources, and future opportunities to participate in the RRRISE Collaborative, visit bit.ly/Redwood-RISE and join our mailing list.