Building equity
California is building a brighter future for all. The investments listed on this website benefit all Californians. But they especially help communities disadvantaged by:
- pollution,
- discrimination, and
- lack of services.
For more than 10 years, California has led the way in building for all. That means ensuring historically disadvantaged communities get a certain share of project benefits. At least a 40% share is now a federal requirement for many infrastructure projects. This rule is called Justice40.
Equity at work
Here is an example of equity in action.
Caltrans construction contracts
Micro-business participation:
$116M, or 6.3% micro
business
Small business participation:
$582M, or 31.4% small
business
Aiming higher
The Governor called on California to build more, faster, for all. And here’s how we will make equity a reality in infrastructure. The Governor’s Infrastructure Strike Team created a plan called the Equity Bridge. It has 5 pillars.
These pillars lay a foundation for state-funded infrastructure that benefit all of California.
Pillar 1: The project’s benefits to the community
California uses data to identify:
- community needs,
- historic disparities, and
- potential benefits from infrastructure projects.
Data tools we use to do this include:
Pillar 2: Tribal partnerships
California embraces meaningful collaboration with tribal nations.
For example:
- Building broadband with the Hoopa Valley Tribe
- Building a solar microgrid with the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians
Pillar 3: Community engagement
We encourage projects to work with communities, gather feedback, and give information. We regularly update our project map with links to new information.
For example:
- Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES)
- Redwood Region Climate & Community Resilience (COREHub)
Pillar 4: Jobs
California supports high quality job creation. We also expand training and apprenticeship opportunities for underserved communities.
For example:
- Construction careers: Women Building the Bay
- Apprenticeships: Oil and gas well remediation
Pillar 5: Contracts
California is signing more contracts with small and diverse businesses.
Tools we use to do this include: