GO-Biz Series Will Share Important Financial Approaches

Welcome back to The Sunstone Way. 

Partnering with the state of California long has been a pillar of our Public-Private Partnership (P3) strategy here at Sunstone. That’s due in large part to the state’s proactive approach to everything from small business support to clean energy infrastructure. 

One center of this activity is the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, commonly known as GO-Biz. We have been privileged here at Sunstone to collaborate with GO-Biz on a number of projects. 

Last week, the officials at GO-Biz honored me with a request to help launch a statewide effort to promote the state Economic Blueprint called California Jobs First. 

Project Financing Series 

This effort is designed to explain ways to pay for projects that promote economic development and create new jobs. A series of five webinars – one each month – will reach an audience of California Jobs First Collaboratives, project sponsors, EDOs, local governments/jurisdictional entities, and other regional stakeholders. 

Financing major projects is a complex topic, and there are multiple ways to go about making it happen. I think it is telling that the state officials involved in planning this approach decided to start the series with the P3 approach. 

It says even more that their first speaker request came to Sunstone – specifically, Sunstone Cities. Sunstone Cities emphasizes Public Infrastructure Financing Solutions (PIFS) using Public-Private Partnerships to provide out-of-the-box answers to what might seem to be unsolvable problems.

Early Proponent 

GO-Biz has made good use of public-private partnerships pretty much since it was formed in 2012 by former Gov. Jerry Brown. Its services involve much more than finding money. 

In the last 13 years, GO-Biz has helped business owners work their way through government regulations and permitting, international trade development, help for small businesses looking to expand and more. Incentives have helped bring businesses to California from other states. They also provide the data needed to help make business decisions. 

Of course, money plays a big role in business support and job creation, and GO-Biz has access to financing programs through the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank). GO-Biz specialists also know the ins and outs of government grant and loan programs on the state and national level. 

Connections Count 

Speaking about knowing the ins and outs, perhaps the most valuable thing about GO-Biz is the network of connections it has. As a part of the governor’s office, GO-Biz can reach out to all the corners of the state government.  

In addition to the IBank, Visit California is part of the GO-Biz administration, as are the California Film Commission and the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Those agencies touch a large part of the world’s fourth-largest economy. 

GO-Biz Director Dee Dee Myers has had an amazing career, from being President Bill Clinton’s Press Secretary to a co-host of a national television news program to author of a best -selling book (Why Women Should Rule the World) to her current top spot in state government. She may be the most connected person I know! 

You can connect too by checking out the webinar series. 

Series Details 

These webinars will be on Zoom, with plans to host them from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month – except for mine, which will be on Aug. 21 (next Thursday). Here is a list of topics for the next four webinars: 

September: Tax Increment Financing Tools 

October: Sate Financing Tools; IBank & Other State Programs 

November: Federal Funding & Place-Based Incentives 

December: Raising Private Capital & Blended Finance Models. 

There is no charge for the webinar, but an RSVP is required to receive the link. The idea is to share information and make more partners. That’s the Sunstone Way! 

Remember, always be a Sunstone.