The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) is proud to announce they’ve been awarded a $5 million grant from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to accelerate permit streamlining efforts across California.
This investment will support a comprehensive, action-oriented program designed to help jurisdictions modernize permitting — grounded in real tools, training, and implementation support. Key initiatives include:
- Publishing statewide analysis of major permit streamlining policies and recent legislation shaping local processes
- Developing a robust training curriculum and video series covering the four stages of permitting and due diligence
- Launching hands-on cohort-based trainings and a scalable statewide learning model for local agencies
- Building a centralized resource hub with templates, best practices, and shared tools for jurisdictions
- Partnering with providers to expand access to online permitting solutions, with an emphasis on supporting rural communities
A cornerstone of this effort is the California Permit Streamlining Academy, which will equip local leaders with practical strategies, technical assistance, and peer learning opportunities to accelerate project delivery.
In partnership with GO-Biz, CALED is committed to reducing barriers, strengthening local capacity, and advancing economic opportunity across the state. CALED President & CEO Gurbax Sahota shared, “We are sincerely grateful to GO-Biz for their support of CALED and for their continued investment in California’s economic development ecosystem. Cities and counties are on the front lines of fostering economic opportunity, and this grant enables us to provide targeted resources and technical assistance to enhance permitting processes and better support their critical work.”
To learn more about how to get involved with the California Permit Streamlining Academy or to sign up for the email list to receive updates straight to your inbox, visit CAPermitAcademy.org.
About CALED
The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) is California’s premier economic development association. With over 1,100 members, it is one of the largest economic development associations in the country, which is why we refer to our membership as California’s Economic Development Network. Since 1980, when it was created, CALED has led the way in teaching economic developers, local elected officials, and state representatives the value of economic development and how it is used to grow businesses, generate revenue to support community development programs, and retain and create quality jobs.