SIERRA COMMONS

THE FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM STRENGTHENS THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY BY PROVIDING TARGETED EDUCATION AND ADVISING TO FOOD BUSINESS OWNERS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, THE PROGRAM SERVED 19 FOOD ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS 2 FOOD ACCELERATOR TRACKS, WITH SUPPORT FROM CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST ENABLING DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FOR PARTICIPANTS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF READINESS. FOUR NEW FOOD BUSINESSES WERE LAUNCHED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, AND 8 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO EXPAND ACCESS. PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTED PACKAGED GOODS, RESTAURANTS, PREPARED FOODS, CATERING, AND EARLY-STAGE RETAIL. THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERED VIRTUAL FOOD FOUNDRY SESSIONS CONNECTING ENTREPRENEURS WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTISE AND PEER LEARNING BEYOND IN-PERSON EVENTS. THESE ACTIVITIES FURTHER THE ORGANIZATIONS EXEMPT PURPOSE BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL FOOD ENTREPRENEURS, STRENGTHENING THE REGIONAL FOOD ECOSYSTEM AND CREATING PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOODS.

THE FOREST ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDED EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO BUSINESSES OPERATING AT THE INTERSECTION OF FOREST HEALTH, WILDFIRE RESILIENCE, AND RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, THE PROGRAM TRAINED 95 FOREST ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS 7 BOOTCAMPS IN NEVADA CITY, AUBURN, SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, ARCATA, SONORA, AND SANTA CRUZ, EXTENDING THE ORGANIZATIONS REACH ACROSS 6 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNTIES. BOTH INTRODUCTORY AND ADVANCED CURRICULUM TRACKS WERE OFFERED, ADAPTED TO LOCAL CONDITIONS WHILE MAINTAINING CONSISTENT INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY. PARTICIPANTS GAINED PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BUSINESS PLANNING, REGULATORY AND LAND-MANAGEMENT CONTEXTS, FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL READINESS, AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING. THE PROGRAM SERVED 13 TOTAL COHORTS ACROSS ALL SIERRA COMMONS PROGRAMS IN 2025. THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORT RURAL BUSINESSES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION, AND REGIOAL ECONOMIC VITALITY.