January 8, 2024
A Letter from Our CEO
Dear CivicWell partners and supporters,
In On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin famously asserted that it is neither the strongest nor the smartest of the species that survives, but those most adaptable to the changing environment in which they find themselves. As I reflect back on CivicWell’s work throughout 2023, I am struck by the many ways the people of CivicWell and our partners have responded to change by evolving.
As we emerge from the pandemic, we see increased demand to bring people together in communities of practice. The California Adaptation Forum convened in person for the first time in five years, the California Climate and Energy Forum reached more leaders than ever before in its 14-year history, and we co-hosted the inaugural Clean Mobility Forum. Collectively, these three conferences alone drew together over 1,350 attendees. Our coalition programs—ARCCA, CRCRC, and LGSEC—gathered new partners to develop strategies for advancing adaptation and sustainable energy priorities. And through Community Design charrettes and workshops, we engaged thousands of residents and elected officials throughout the state.
While we are bringing people together, we are also expanding out. For its tenth cohort, our CivicSpark AmeriCorps program has to date placed 120 Fellows in communities throughout California, Washington, and Colorado. The program itself has evolved, as we anticipate expanding to additional regions starting in 2024. The CivicSpark team has grown to include staff with new skill sets and strategically based in states that we plan to grow into in the coming years.
As we look forward to new opportunities, we recommit ourselves to the work we have done for more than 40 years at the vanguard of promoting livability, sustainability, and equity. We continue to provide technical assistance and policy guidance for local leaders and policymakers who are creating more climate-resilient communities in California and beyond. We are partnering with state and federal agencies providing historic levels of community investment through programs like the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Thriving Communities and California’s Clean Mobility Options.
It continues to be my honor to serve the CivicWell members, staff, Board Members, and partners who provide such dynamic leadership in this field. I look forward to guiding our continued evolution in 2024.
In community,
Bernadette Austin
