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New economic development director outlines strategy: focus on manufacturing, immigrant entrepreneurship and grants
Summary
Cliff Long, newly appointed director of the city’s Economic Development Department, told council he will prioritize base economic development—manufacturing and job creation—while continuing small-business grants and immigrant entrepreneurship programs already in the FY26 budget.
Cliff Long, introduced as Fresno’s new economic development director, presented the Economic Development Department’s fiscal 2026 budget and told the City Council his top priority is jobs and investment.
Long said his office will focus on “base economic development”—bringing investment and higher‑paying jobs such as manufacturing and distribution—while sustaining programs that support locally owned and immigrant entrepreneurs. Assistant Director Kelly Trevino reviewed the FY26 staffing and budget summary: the department proposes eight positions in total, and Trevino said the department deferred hiring an economic development analyst to achieve budget savings.
The department highlighted two grant-driven programs: a state Local Immigrant Integration and Inclusion Grant (LIIIG) supporting Spanish‑language entrepreneurship and digital‑literacy training (the city reported roughly 100 entrepreneurship trainees and about 30 who completed digital‑literacy training) and a small restaurant energy-efficiency grant funded partly by PG&E donations plus city match ($800,000 total: $400,000 from PG&E and $400,000 from the general fund) to help locally owned restaurants reduce energy costs. Trevino said about five grants have been awarded with roughly 30 applications in process.
Long said he intends to meet each council member and to prioritize retention and expansion of local businesses while pursuing targeted recruitment for jobs that fit Fresno’s workforce. Council members pressed about staffing and whether the department will be grant‑driven; Long and Trevino said the office will pursue grants aligned to core priorities rather than chase funding outside mission alignment. Council members also asked about specific corridor tools such as property‑based improvement districts; Trevino said contractors responding to RFQs for Blackstone and Belmont PBIDs were priced above budget and staff is negotiating smaller boundaries and fees to cut costs.
Ending: The department will proceed with a modest FY26 budget that preserves key grant programs while Long and staff pursue a measured approach to business attraction and local small-business support.
