Climate change is increasingly becoming inextricably linked to the financial wellbeing of our communities. In California, catastrophic flooding and wildfires are the clearest example of how disasters – often made worse by climate change – have harmed both municipal and household budgets. Slower onset impacts of climate change like drought and extreme heat are also contributing to economic losses in the billions of dollars. Those who view (and fund) climate, community, and economic resilience as separate issues, fundamentally misunderstand just how essential the interconnection is. 

As California forges ahead with projects that will drive a clean energy transition and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, we must also ensure the opportunity for wealth generation and the creation of new, family sustaining jobs. If not, we run the risk of enabling yet another large-scale economic transition leading to the concentration of wealth and a widening of California’s economic disparities. 

How then, can funders and policymakers, ensure that the devastating impacts of climate change will not financially ruin communities, while also building the path towards a just transition? Moreover, how can we ensure that large scale climate policies and projects in the world’s fifth largest economy convey meaningful and lasting community benefits to the communities and workers that comprise it? 

Join Northern California Grantmakers and Sierra Health Foundation for a conversation unpacking the intersections of climate and economic resilience. We’ll discuss:

• How funders are incorporating climate considerations into their community development and economic security portfolios 
• Examples of deliberate community and economic development planning that is inclusive of climate resilience priorities, including Fresno DRIVE and California Jobs First 
• Learnings from Asset Funders Network’s 2025 report on Climate & Economic Security 

This event is part of NCG’s ongoing Climate & Disaster Resilience Funders Group. You can learn more about this work here.