Forum Organizers

CivicWell Organizers

CivicWell (formerly the Local Government Commission) supports leaders responding to the climate crisis and its impact on their communities. For over four decades, CivicWell has served as a visionary policy advocate, implementation resource, and experienced partner for communities. We inspire, equip, connect, and cultivate leadership for local innovation, community change, and a more sustainable and resilient future.

We know that innovation happens when communities name their own challenges and define their own vision. Through policy guidance, collaborative partnerships, and direct assistance, we support and equip communities to bring those visions to life.

CivicWell has played a catalyzing role in helping communities mitigate, adapt, and build resilience to the climate threats they are already facing.

Starting in 2006, CivicWell was a progressive voice working with state agencies to account for the critical role of local governments in reducing emissions within AB-32 and SB-375. CivicWell was the first to help local governments grapple with the new legal and regulatory requirements of dealing with climate change within CEQA – by partnering with then-Attorney General Jerry Brown on a statewide series of workshops and then with OPR and Senator Steinberg’s office on implementing SB-375.

In 2010, CivicWell led two of the first regional climate change vulnerability assessments in San Luis Obispo and Fresno counties and worked with stakeholders to develop some of the first adaptation strategies within climate action plans.

In 2012, CivicWell helped to launch the statewide Alliance of Regional Collaboratives for Climate Adaptation (ARCCA) and two years later, the Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative (CRCRC). Both ARCCA and CRCRC are now coalition programs of CivicWell, which we continue to facilitate today.

In 2014, CivicWell started CivicSpark, a Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program aimed at building local capacity to address climate change impacts. Each year, over 100 fellows support public agencies build their capacity to better respond to climate change and water resource management challenges throughout the state of California.

In 2018, CivicWell supported two research projects as part of California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, helped to launch the Bay Area Climate Adaptation Network (BayCAN), and continues to support numerous local and regional efforts including the Capital Region Urban Heat Island Project and Resilient IE.