Program areas at The Economic Alliance Foundation
In 2022, the Santa Ynez Mission Indians (Chumash) and The Economic Alliance Foundation (EconAlliance) initiated the Northern Santa Barbara County Broadband Strategy and Business Plan, a project funded by the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). This effort, in line with EconAlliances mission to promote industry understanding, entrepreneurship, and innovation, involved hiring a telecom consultancy to develop, price, and evaluate two potential fiber optic routes for North County broadband. The consultancys task was to recommend a final route and governance plan, along with providing maintenance and operational cost estimates, aligning with EconAlliances goals of driving positive impact through strategic initiatives and unique partnerships. EconAlliance completed its role in the project by late 2023, with grant activities wrapping up in 2024.
In late 2023, EconAlliance secured funding to support the Santa Ynez Mission Indians (Chumash) in promoting wind energy opportunities at their tribal learning center. This initiative includes creating educational materials on wind energy and coordinating virtual learning sessions. Additionally, EconAlliance is collaborating with California Community College to develop a two-year associate degree program in Wind Energy and Tribal Archaeology, among other related fields. These efforts align with EconAlliances mission to foster industry understanding, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, ultimately enhancing the economic vitality of Northern Santa Barbara County through strategic educational initiatives.
In September 2023, EconAlliance received a $50,000 grant from the Santa Barbara Foundation to manage a year-long internship program for 50 young adults. This program aimed to match interns with suitable worksites based on their interests and qualifications, thereby promoting the development of a highly-skilled workforce and enhancing worker opportunity. Through this initiative, EconAlliance successfully placed a dozen interns by the end of the year, with several securing employment at their internship locations, demonstrating the value of the internships to both the young adults and employers. This activity supports EconAlliances broader mission to support industry attraction, retention, and expansion, championing Northern Santa Barbara County communities and the key industry sectors that inspire regional economic vitality.