Economic recovery continues as companies across the state receive awards

Sacramento, CA – The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) today announced tax credit awards to 16 businesses that are projected to create more than 5,200 new, full-time jobs in California thanks to $71.1 million in tax credits. The funding, from the California Competes Tax Credit program, will bring more than $2.1 billion in new investments across the state over the next five years.

“This program is a critical tool to attract and retain employers who will in turn create good-paying jobs and economic opportunity across the state,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz. “We applaud companies from Microsoft and Zoom, to Steeped and Mezmo, for choosing California to create thousands of new high paying jobs.  Their commitment to California confirms our state’s status as the #1 innovation state in America.”

Microsoft Corporation, an American software and technology company with over 175,000 employees worldwide, has committed to create more than 2,000 new jobs in California.

“Microsoft is committed to being a high value California employer and has a long-standing history of giving back to the communities in which we operate, promoting diverse & inclusive hiring practices, focusing on environmental sustainability efforts, and practicing corporate social responsibility,” said Sid Espinosa, Director of Philanthropy at Microsoft. “With this credit, we look forward to making long-term investments to continue to grow in the State.”

The complete list of approved companies and award amounts is available online.

Since the start the Newsom Administration, GO-Biz has awarded 147 businesses $593,844,974 in California Competes Tax Credits. In exchange for the credit, these businesses have collectively committed to create 38,162 quality, full-time jobs and make capital investments of $9,734,689,941.

The California Competes Tax Credit was created in 2013 to focus on helping businesses grow and stay in California. GO-Biz evaluates the most competitive applications based on the factors required by statute, including total jobs created, total investment, average wage, economic impact, strategic importance and more. In 2018, the program was extended for an additional five years with at least $180 million in tax credits available for allocation to business each year through 2023.
​

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

Chris Dombrowski
Chief Deputy Director
Email Chris, HERE

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements

Sacramento, CA – Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced 58 grants totaling $29.1 million awarded to community-based nonprofit organizations across the state. The funds come from cannabis tax revenue generated by The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64, 2016), and are allocated through the California Community Reinvestment Grants (CalCRG) program.

These grants serve communities disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs. Harsh federal and state drug policies enacted during that period led to the mass incarceration of people of color, decreased access to social services, loss of educational attainment due to diminished federal financial aid eligibility, prohibitions on the use of public housing and other public assistance, and the separation of families.

“The California Community Reinvestments Grants program is a resource to help communities overcome the presence of systemic restrictions and barriers to opportunity and equity,” said the Governor’s Chief Economic and Business Advisor and Director of GO-Biz Dee Dee Myers. “These grants will help advance health, wellness, and economic justice for populations and communities harmed by the War on Drugs.”

Through this program, GO-Biz may award grants to local health departments and qualified community-based nonprofit organizations to support the following activities:

• Job placement
• Mental health treatment
• Substance use disorder treatment
• System navigation services
• Legal services to address barriers to reentry
• Linkages to medical care

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

Chris Dombrowski
Chief Deputy Director
Email Chris, HERE

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements

​Sacramento, CA – The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) today announced that Impact Hub Armenia Social Innovation Development Foundation (Impact Hub Yerevan), a nonprofit organization based in Armenia that supports social impact projects and enterprises, and the State of California have entered into an agreement. The agreement establishes a Trade and Services Desk in Yerevan to promote two-way trade and investment and further strengthen California’s economic and cultural relationship with Armenia. California’s trade representative for Europe will use the desk to spur innovation and business growth in and between California and Armenia— with the common goal of creating a sustained, strategic, and mutually-beneficial partnership. The Trade and Services Desk will be run by the State’s point of contact for economic development, in partnership with Impact Hub Yerevan.

Upon signing the MOU, Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and GO-Biz’s Director said, “I am proud to sign this important MOU with Impact Hub Yerevan so that we can build on strong, existing ties and create new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs from both California and Armenia.”

California Senator Anthony Portantino, who authored SB 302 to reestablish trade between California and Armenia and helped foster the California Trade and Services Desk housed at Impact Hub Yerevan said: “I am proud to have worked on the establishment of this trade and services desk at the amazing Impact Hub Yerevan. To know the first such international desk of the Newsom administration is in Yerevan is of particular importance to me and proud Armenian American friends and neighbors across the 25th Senate District. Armenia and California have so much in common.  My hope is that this desk will be a vehicle to highlight and create opportunities and mutual economic benefit.”

California Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, Chair of the California Legislative Armenian Caucus, said: “As the Chair of the California Armenian Legislative Caucus, I am thrilled to celebrate this historic Memorandum of Understanding between Armenia and California, home to the third largest Armenian community in the world. With this trade MOU now in place, I look forward to expanding the trade relations between our two economies.”

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

Chris Dombrowski
Chief Deputy Director
Email Chris, HERE

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements

“Geographically targeted economic development tools, such as Opportunity Zones, Promise Zones, and other place-based programs, are  top of mind for many local economic development organizations when thinking about post-pandemic recovery,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz. “As we enter our California Comeback, communities need every tool in the toolkit. The new Opportunity Zone site provides vital information to  ensure your transformative investments support a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery for California.”

The new site features a multitude of funding opportunities, resources, best practices, and tools to support economic and business development in economically-distressed communities.

Updates include:

• A  reinvigorated State Integrated Map that highlights additional place-based investments, incentives, and initiatives, such as California’s Climate Investments and California Recycling Market Development Zones
• A new Community Investment Prospectus page, featuring 54 cities and counties across every region of California
• 10 new Opportunities Categories featuring 32 unique state supportive programs from infrastructure and affordable housing to small business and healthcare access
• A new Economic Development Districts page, highlighting tools to support place-based economic development and recovery, such as Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs), and Community Revitalization and Investment Authorities (CRIAs)
• A showcase of over $350m in state public investments in low-income Opportunity Zone census tracts in every region of California
• A California’s Promise Zones page featuring California’s four Promise Zones in Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego
• A new Place-Based Resource Toolkit hosting a dozen different state tools and resources to support local community economic development
• An updated audience-oriented FAQ page and newly created Opportunity Zone 101 page
• 12 new community-shared examples of the Opportunity Zone tax incentive in use
• Updated testimonials, facts, partners lists, and regulations pages

Opportunity Zones are census tracts added to the federal tax code that must meet one of three criteria under the definition of “low-income community” by the Internal Revenue Service. New investments or projects in Opportunity Zones, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential federal tax treatment or preferential consideration in federal grants and programs.

According to the most recent OZ data from Novogradac, California leads the nation in number of identified investments to date, as well as total equity raised. With 879 Opportunity Zone census tracts across 57 counties, California hosts a diverse array of opportunities to align private and public investment for community-level impact in areas of economic distress and need. GO-Biz hosts the current Opportunity Zone site and is annually required to convene stakeholders statewide on how California can leverage place-based and other geographically targeted economic development programs, such as Opportunity Zones and Promise Zones. To view the most recent 2020 convening, visit the Events & Annual Meetings page here.​

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

Chris Dombrowski
Chief Deputy Director
Email Chris, HERE

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements

Sacramento, CA – Governor Newsom today announced the state’s new Employer Vaccination Toolkit, which will ease the process for employers to request a workplace clinic or local provider partner, making COVID-19 vaccines even more accessible for their employees.

“California’s businesses have stepped up throughout the pandemic to protect the public and their employees,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz. “Setting up vaccination sites at workplaces will improve vaccine access – providing additional protections to workers, customers and community members – and help our economy come roaring back.”

The Employer Vaccination Toolkit provides employers with vaccine education materials, information on COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave and other guidance for employees, and an online form to request vaccination support.

Employers interested in requesting group appointments at nearby providers, or setting up a mobile or pop-up vaccination clinic at their workplace, must complete an online form. A representative will follow up within three business days, and requests will be filled as resources allow. There is no financial cost to the employer.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine or scheduling an appointment, visit VaccinateALL58.com or call the CA COVID-19 Hotline at 833-422-4255.

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

Chris Dombrowski
Chief Deputy Director
Email Chris, HERE

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements

Sacramento, CA – Governor Newsom today announced a proposed one-time, $250 million allocation to California ports to help them recover from effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The funds, from the federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund in 2021-22, will be distributed by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

The ports have played a critical role in the state’s response to and recovery from the pandemic, including distributing protective equipment to the public, housing homeless individuals, berthing the USS Mercy, assisting the disembarkation of the Grand Princess, sponsoring food drives for families, and proactively testing and vaccinating their workforce and local residents.

“California’s ports are backbones to local economies and home to treasured local, regional and international tourism destinations. The funding announced today will be crucial for this industry that has been so heavily impacted by the pandemic. Their continued strength and financial solvency will be an essential component of California’s economic recovery.” said the Lt Governor who chairs the Administration’s International Affairs and Trade Development Interagency Committee.

California ports are also critical components of the state’s supply chain, shipping products in and out of the country, driving economic activity and tourism, providing regional employment, and raising revenue for local jurisdictions and the state.

“California’s ports are engines that drive our local, regional, state and national economies. They’re also huge job creators,” said Dee Dee Myers. “These funds will help our ports recover from the pandemic, continue to create and sustain good-paying jobs and fuel growth across our state and our country.”

California’s ports are the gateway to California and the nation. Our three largest ports — Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland — handle approximately 40 percent of the nation’s containerized imports and 30 percent of all exports. Over one million California jobs are connected to trade through our ports; they are the workhorses that power the freight industry which drives roughly one-third of the state’s GDP.

In addition to moving freight, our ports serve California’s large tourism industry. The Ports of San Francisco and San Diego serve countless hotels and resorts, restaurants, cruise terminals, marinas, and related facilities. The Port of San Diego has one of the country’s largest sport fishing and recreational boating fleets.

Further program details will be announced soon.

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit the GO-Biz website.

Chris Dombrowski
Chief Deputy Director
Email Chris, HERE

Explore more articles by category:  GO-Biz News  |  CalOSBA News  |  Press Releases  |  Opinion Editorials  |  Statements