We CAN build a Monterey Bay region where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Where Monterey and Santa Cruz County families can afford to live in the communities they love, our local businesses and farmers prosper, nature flourishes, and economic success is measured not just by what we produce, but by the wellbeing of the people who call this place home.
We're excited to launch the Monterey Bay Community Futures Project, a new initiative from Regenerative California and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance California, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Spanning Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, this effort begins with a powerful idea: the people who live and work here should help define what a thriving regional economy looks like. Through community surveys, personal stories, interviews, and conversations across the region, we'll explore what matters most to residents, what's holding our communities back, and where the greatest opportunities lie. From attainable housing and good-paying jobs to healthy food, thriving local businesses, and environmental restoration, we want to understand how these interconnected pieces can work better together.
This is about much more than gathering information. It's about turning community voices into a shared vision and that vision into action. We'll bring the findings to community leaders, policymakers, businesses, philanthropy, and local organizations to help shape new partnerships, investment priorities, and practical solutions. And we need you! In the coming months, we'll be inviting residents to share their perspectives, tell their stories, and help imagine what's possible. Whether you're a farmer, student, business owner, educator, community leader, or simply someone who cares deeply about this region, your voice matters. The future of Monterey Bay shouldn't just happen to us. We should help create it together.
Help shape the future of Monterey Bay! Take our 12–15-minute confidential survey, share it with your community, and help us identify local voices and stories. Your perspectives will help inform the policies, investments, and actions needed to build a thriving future for people, communities, and nature in the region. Email us at hello@regenerativecalifornia.org with the subject line "Count me in to help shape the Monterey Bay's future" and we will send you the survey.