When the Great Recession hit in 2008, the business, civic and education leaders of California’s Coachella Valley knew they needed a plan to take control over their economic destiny. So they came together, did their homework, and created one.

Devised under the auspices of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, or CVEP, the Economic Blueprint lays out a series of strategies to create a twenty-first century economy: one with diverse industries that spur economic growth, and a labor force that meets the needs of employers and raises incomes for families throughout the region. At the heart of this bottom-line economic development entity is one of the most ambitious education and career preparation endeavors in California.

College Futures Foundation—then known as College Access Foundation of California—made a multi-year commitment in 2009 to encourage greater college going and completion among Coachella Valley youth, providing more than $1 million per year for scholarships, supporting intensive post-enrollment services, and investing in strategies to increase federal and state financial aid.

The barriers young people face to college and career success—and the systems they navigate—are complex, and significant improvement requires sophisticated partnerships and approaches. This publication tells the story of how CVEP created a forum where business leaders engage side-by-side with the heads of education, government, and civic institutions to improve college and career readiness — to listen, share ideas, and collaborate on ways to empower more of the Valley’s youth with the specialized skills they and businesses need to compete in the global economy.

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