Santa Cruz River Corridor
Prosperity Initiative
A PLACE-BASED PLAN TO REINVEST IN A REGION
The SCRC Prosperity Initiative project was a cooperatively developed regional grant application developed from August 2023 - May 2024 for the EDA Recompete Grant Pilot.
OUR VISION
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Community-based investment is a strategy for change.
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We believe in the transformative power of regional workforce collaboration.
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We focus on empowering the corridor's people and infrastructure, ensuring climate resilience, and promoting regional economic prosperity.
About the Region
The Santa Cruz River Corridor extends from the US-Mexico border to Tucson’s southside along US Interstate 19. It is a fast growing, 63-mile employment corridor bisecting Santa Cruz County and Pima County.
Decades of disinvestment have fueled declining economic conditions in the region. Climate change–extreme temperatures, water scarcity, flooding–is also increasing the vulnerability of regional infrastructure and households.
For more specific information about the eligible areas, explore the maps linked below.
Our Opportunity
EDA Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program
The U.S. Economic Development Administration is piloting the Distressed Area Recompete Progam. The Recompete Program will invest in economically distressed communities to create and connect people to quality jobs. The program targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment significantly trails the national average, with the goal to close this gap through large, flexible investments.
The Prime Age Employment Gap (PAEG) includes individuals who are receiving unemployment benefits and working-age adults who have exited the labor force entirely.
Low prime-age employment indicates either
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a lack of jobs in a community or
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a high number of residents whose skills do not match available jobs.
THE IMPACT
Together we can:
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Connect workers to local employers
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Grow rural employment opportunities through business innovation
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Remove barriers through wraparound services and partnerships
AND THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING...
STRATEGY Development Timeline
In order to address EDA Recompete priorities and those outlined in the Santa Cruz River Corridor Recompete Plan (SCRC Plan), Santa Cruz County will guide a Recompete Phase 2 strategy development process that is participatory and models co-governance. The process will consist of a series of proposal accelerator workshops where Community-
based Organizations (CBOs), Economic Development Organizations (EDOs), and community partners will collaborate to identify and propose projects to achieve the outcomes delineated in the five (5) projects of the SCRC Plan.
The proposal accelerator workshops will be held in-person and open to any CBO, EDO, and community partner that is currently offering services or collaborating with organizations offering services in Recompete Eligible communities (see interactive map or PDF map of Recompete eligible areas). The workshops will provide guidance and technical
assistance (TA) for organizations that would like to propose strategic projects to be included in the Phase 2 Recompete Grant for $50M. The process will fulfill EDA priorities and build local capacity for Recompete
implementation, strengthening the SCRC Plan competitiveness in Phase 2.
February 20, 2024
3:00-5:00 PM
Sahuarita Food Bank
17750 South La Cañada Drive, Sahuarita, AZ 85629
Strategy Development Workshop 1
Idea generation + project canvas
Workshop 1
Public Materials
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Workshop 1 Agenda - This agenda contains hyperlinks to all materials shared with participants at the workshop.
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Workshop 1 Project Canvas Submissions - This spreadsheet contains the Project Canvas 1.0 ideas that will move on to the next workshop for further refinement.
February 27, 2024
3:00-4:00 PM
Zoom
Technical Assistance Office Hours
Location-specific project data set
Project partnerships
March 5, 2024
3:00-5:00 PM
The Forge at Roy Place
44 N Stone Ave,
Tucson, AZ 85701
Strategy Development Workshop 2
Project refinement + budgets
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Workshop 2 Agenda - This agenda contains hyperlinks to all materials shared with participants at the workshop.
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Workshop 2 Work Group Materials
March 12, 2024
3:00-4:00 PM
Zoom
Technical Assistance Office Hours
Project Theory of Change
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TA Call Slide Deck (with activities for developing your Theory of Change)
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Instructional Webinar for developing your Theory of Change
(passcode: 36db!+zE)
*All project proposals that plan to move forward must submit a Theory of Change on Friday, March 15.
March 19, 2024
3:00-4:00 PM
Zoom
Technical Assistance Office Hours
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Workshop Handouts
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*All project proposals that plan to move forward must submit a Budget and Timeline of Outputs on Friday, March 22.
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March 26, 2024
3:00-5:00 PM
Nogales High School - 1905 Apache Blvd, Nogales, AZ 85621
Strategy Development Workshop 3
Project Maps + feedback
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Workshop 3 Agenda - This agenda contains hyperlinks to all materials shared with participants at the workshop.
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April 2, 2024
3:00-4:00 PM
Zoom
Strategy Development Workshop 4
