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Board receives county economic development strategic plan using ARPA funds; plan emphasizes Coachella Valley subregion
Summary
Riverside County staff presented a five‑year (2026–2030) economic development strategic plan developed with ARPA dollars and broad stakeholder input; the plan includes a Coachella Valley subregional strategy, priority industry targets, an interactive dashboard, and steps to position the county for federal EDA funding.
Riverside County’s Office of Economic Development presented a countywide five‑year strategic plan to the Board of Supervisors on April 28, describing the plan as a roadmap for sustainable growth and federal funding competitiveness.
Suzanne Holland introduced the plan, which staff said was developed with ARPA funds and an extensive stakeholder process that included 18 regional meetings and outreach to roughly 125 business and community leaders. Economic development manager Kimberly Wright said the plan runs from 2026 to 2030 and includes subregional strategies tailored to Riverside County’s five subregions, with a dedicated Coachella Valley strategy.
Wright highlighted priority industry sectors identified by the plan: advanced manufacturing, ag tech, life sciences, clean energy, creative media, cybersecurity and hospitality/tourism. She noted recent private investments and local milestones cited by staff — including new wet‑lab space at the Murrieta Innovation Center and investments from several companies — as evidence that the plan builds on existing momentum. Staff also pointed to an interactive data dashboard and the plan’s role in positioning the county to apply for U.S. Economic Development Administration funding.
Supervisor Perez and others praised the outreach and requested continued partnership; the board approved receipt of the file 5‑0.
Why it matters: the plan is intended to coordinate county and regional partners to attract investment and jobs and to align with federal grant opportunities. Staff said the plan is publicly available on the county’s economic development site with downloadable materials and tools for partners.
What’s next: staff will continue implementation with subregional partners and track the plan’s metrics via the interactive dashboard.
