In 2011, the Economic Alliance of Northern Santa Barbara County identified attracting a four-year university presence as a primary regional goal. Through strategic collaboration between regional leadership, Allan Hancock College, and California Lutheran University (CLU), the university integrated Santa Maria into its long-term strategic plan. This initiative resulted in the launch of a Master’s in Education Leadership program, which has maintained a continuous and active presence in the community since 2012.

Launched in 2014, the Workforce and Literacy Initiative (WALI) was a collaborative partnership between Allan Hancock College, United Way, and EconAlliance. Developed to enhance regional literacy and student achievement, the initiative’s objectives eventually expanded to include STEM education and childcare access, specifically targeting a 20% STEM-related degree completion rate for associate and bachelor’s degrees. EconAlliance initiated a cross-industry, cross-sector Workforce/ Education Initiative to support the key industries and communities of Northern Santa Barbara County. Its first efforts in this Initiative was a joint effort with Northern Santa Barbara County United Way and Allan Hancock College as a partner in the Workforce and Literacy Initiative (WALI) to enhance literacy in Northern Santa Barbara County.WALI remained active for five years, facilitating biannual community forums to align educational outcomes with industry needs.

The Working Neighborhoods Initiative (WNI) emerged as a strategic expansion of WALI, coordinating 12 partner agencies—including PSHH, United Way, and EconAlliance—to deliver integrated services within a five-mile radius of PSHH housing developments. Supported by an $87,500 NeighborWorks grant through the Literacy and Workforce Readiness Program, the initiative authorized EconAlliance to facilitate adult career awareness forums and oversee professional aptitude assessments for regional clients.

EconAlliance initiated at Peoples Self-Help Housing a “STEM (day) CAMP”, for both elementary and high school students, introducing over 50 students to NSBC industries and their STEM work, working with Aera energy company and other for the industry-led workshops.

EconAlliance created STEM Industry Days, introducing over 100 Santa Maria students to No SB Couty STEM industries, STEM work, and working STEM professionals. A career and STEM awareness initiative, STEM Industry Days provided a half day of industry-led STEM workshops plus lunch, supported by member allocations and service club contributions (Rotary Clubs, etc.)

Also in 2018, EconAlliance obtained its first CRA grant from Pacific Premier Bank to do three financial literacy educational forums to which both adults and teens were invited: April 10 – Financial Scams & Identity Theft; April 17 – Getting & Repairing Credit; April 24 – Loans and Mobile Banking – these were done with HASBARCO residents

CRA Grant from Pacific Premier Bank ($7500) supported a Career Awareness/Job Search/Interviewing workshop, as well as an “All About Credit” and Mobile Banking workshop…each at $2500.

Also in 2019, STEM Industry Days provided industry-led STEM workshops in Santa Maria and Lompoc school districts, STEM enrichment for youth nonprofits in Santa Maria and Santa Ynez, and offered teachers STEM-related contacts and career context.

Early in its formation, EconAlliance supported attraction of four-year and advanced degree programs to NSBC. The organization was instrumental in attracting California Lutheran University to offer a master’s degree program in the area.

EconAlliance later established STEM INDUSTRY Days, with industry-led STEM workshops for local students. In 2020, EconAlliance produced several STEM-related industry videos (Resource Library videos).

Alejandra Mahoney, an EconAlliance Board Member at that time, helped organized the first EconAlliance STEM Industry Days at Peoples’ Self-Help Housing. She worked in partnership with EconAlliance and United Way to initiate and implement the past multi-year “Working Neighborhoods” grant involving a dozen economic development and education stakeholders.

In 2022, EconAlliance engaged its first Workforce / Education Director, Alejandra Mahoney, to spearhead a new era in EconAlliance Workforce/Education efforts in Northern Santa Barbara County. First was a partnership with the Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County to provide 300 hours of computer skill-building in support of computer literacy for residents of a Housing Authority Lompoc apartment complex. In December of this year, Mechanics Bank provided CRA award for $10K for launch of EconAlliance internship program (“Train Local/Hire Local/Work Local)

For EconAlliance Workforce Development/Education Director Alejandra Mahoney, too many young people leave our area to pursue careers. Because these young people do not understand the many industries and opportunities open to them here, the area loses talented potential workers, making it more difficult for local industries and communities to thrive.

In 2022, Mahoney shared her concerns with Mechanics Bank, and the bank provided EconAlliance seed funding for an effort to address the issue. We are grateful for the generous contribution by Mechanics Bank for the launch.

Learning of this successful start-up program, the Santa Barbara Foundation made a $50,000 investment in the EconAlliance North County Internship Program. EconAlliance agreed to recruit, match, and mentor fifty (50) under-represented, low-income interns and industry worksites in Northern Santa Barbara County and Mid-County in one year.

Mahoney not only brokers relevant work experience, but also helps the young adults navigate the industry internship protocols. and challenges, leveraging this experience where possible into family wage jobs.

Mechanics Bank CRA Grant ($7500) for EconAlliance Skill Needs Assessments for the Manufacturing and Agriculture Industries

Santa Barbara Foundation $50,000 grant for internship program follow-on. In addition, a Pacific Premier Bank $15,000 CRA grant was received for career pathways project aimed at foster youth. Read More.

The Santa Barbara Foundation introduced Mahoney and EconAlliance to another internship funder, the UCSB California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) Propel Startup Fellowship, which provides paid STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) internships. EconAlliance uses these paid internship programs to recruit both the interns and the worksites relevant to their college or university degrees, or majors, or to their career interests, helping the County to reach its internship goals. As Mahoney states, “A meaningful internship can change a student’s educational trajectory.”

Mahoney began a program which recruits, matches, mentors, and monitors 18-24-year-old young adults, successfully finding industry internship placements relevant to their degrees, majors, or interests. Further to this, Mahoney built an EconAlliance partnership with the Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board to support the recruitment, placement and monitoring of Workforce Development Board 18-24 year old interns interested in gaining experience in key Northern Santa Barbara County industries and communities. The first three EconAlliance interns placed were hired by their worksites. EconAlliance dubbed this program, “North-Start” to reflect the focus on Northern Santa Barbara County’s young adults starting careers.

County Workforce Development Board $50,000 worksite development contract (through September 2026); County Workforce Development Board $36,000 strengthening engagements contract (ended 3/31/26); Proposed Mechanics Bank $15,000 CRA grant application for support of recruiting North County university students for summer paid internships; and proposed Columbia Bank CRA grant.