An optional pop-up space for important updates or information.

Funding Opportunities

Learn more about grant funding through opportunities from Uplift.

Uplift Central Coast Awards $9 Million to 36 Central Coast Initiatives

Catalyst Predevelopment funds to drive economic growth across our 6-county region

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Catalyst Grant Opportunity

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Catalyst Predevelopment Phase of work.

Preliminary Catalyst Predevelopment Phase Timeline and Criteria

This document shares all the information Uplift has to date on the California State Catalyst Predevelopment Phase.

What is the Catalyst Predevelopment Phase?

The Catalyst Predevelopment Phase is a part of the California Jobs First program aimed at seeding investment into regional strategies and projects that drive innovation, growth, and community impact. Uplift has awarded $9 million for sector-specific predevelopment activities to 36 entities that support strategic projects and initiatives in the Central Coast region, in alignment with strategies set forth in the Regional Plan Part II.

After developing a detailed analysis of the six-county Central Coast region and specific strategies to uplift our region’s residents. Uplift is now embarking on the next phase of work – the Catalyst Predevelopment Phase – to move these strategies into action and impact. We invite you to join this collective movement for economic prosperity. We are eager for your collaboration, project ideas, and partnership as we seek solutions at the intersection of innovation, growth, and community impact.

Funding Recipients

These 36 organizations, representing all six counties, span diverse industries and address critical needs in areas such as workforce development, aerospace, education and job training, child care and community development, and climate resilience and sustainable agriculture.

Action Council of Monterey County, Inc. – Community-Driven Planning for a Healthy Equity Community Resilience Hub Project
Allan Hancock College – High Tech Hubs: Diversifying Careers Through Education
Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center – Resilient Cuyama
Cabrillo Community College District – New Child Care Center for Student Parents
Cal Poly Partners – Paso Robles Spaceport Training and Research Center
Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) – Project MILPA
First 5 San Luis Obispo County – Uplift Regionwide Child Care Coalition
Community Memorial Healthcare – Enhancing Healthcare Workforce Opportunities in Ventura County
County of San Benito – Workforce Upskill-ing
County of Ventura – Advanced Air Mobility Innovation Hub
Esperanza Community Farms – Rebuilding an equitable food chain on the Central Coast
Esselen Tribe of Monterey County – ETMC Tribal Capacity Building and Organizational Development
Gateway Educational Services – Education and Training for Black/African American Youth in Lompoc for higher education and high quality jobs
Hartnell Community College District – Roots of Resilience: Empowering Communities Through AgTech Innovation
Monterey Bay DART – Advancing Central Coast AAM Ecosystem: Jobs and Infrastructure
Mujeres en Acción – Building a Workforce Development Intermediary with Strategic Partners and the Workers of the Pajaro and Salinas Valleys to Ensure Access to High-Road Jobs in Precision Manufacturing, Advanced Business Services and Healthcare
Oxnard Performing Arts Center – Downtown Center for the Arts: Making Oxnard the Center for Equitable Creative Development
Rancho Cielo – Vocational Training and Certification Expansion for Economic Mobility
San Benito County Arts Council – Building the Pipeline of Visual and Performing Arts Teachers in the Tri-County Region
San Luis Coastal Education Foundation – K12 Regional Skills Lab
Cuesta College – Advancing Manufacturing Technician Training on the Central Coast: Acceleration Project to Develop a Collaborative Site for Aviation Maintenance and Aerospace Training in San Luis Obispo County
Santa Barbara County Food Action Network – Building An Inclusive and Prosperous Central Coast Regional Food System
Santa Barbara Foundation – Central Coast Childcare Workforce Expansion Project (CCWEP)
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce – Precision Manufacturing Career Pathways for All
Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship – Stewardship Corps: a low-income youth economic and career development pilot
Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture – STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture Initiative
Studio Channel Islands Art Center – Land + Sky Incubator
The Foundation for Santa Barbara City College – The Ocean Collective: A Consortium to Develop a Diverse and Climate-Resilient Blue Economy for the Central Coast
The Regents of the University of California – Open Access Advanced Semiconductor Prototype Facility
The Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara – Future Makers Central Coast
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry Local 403 – Expanded Apprenticeship Facilities and Opportunities
University of California, Santa Cruz – Drones Uplifting the Central Coast
Ventures – Futuro
Vision y Compromiso – The Promotores Institute: Inspiring Individual and Community Transformation
VTC Enterprises – Full Employment
Women’s Economic Ventures – EmpowerPath: Economic Mobility for Single Parents

Many funded initiatives span multiple counties across the region.
These charts demonstrate funding allocations for project impact in each county.

Catalyst Predevelopment Collaboration

Thank you to everyone who submitted a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply for funding from the Catalyst Predevelopment Grant. Check out this spreadsheet with a list of everyone who submitted an LOI—a great resource for exploring potential partnerships and collaboration. Thank you once again for your participation and commitment to advancing our shared vision of an equitable, sustainable economy for the Central Coast.

What's Next?

The Catalyst Predevelopment Phase is a crucial step in transforming Uplift’s regional strategies into actionable projects. Uplift’s goal is to see all funds successfully invested by the summer of 2026. We look forward to working alongside grantees every step of the way, fostering collaboration, supporting implementation, and celebrating milestones as the vision for a brighter future becomes reality.