CALCC was formed as an association in 1993 to enable California’s local conservation corps to collaborate through education and advocacy and to provide a forum to advance the conservation corps movement in California and nationally.
Since is inception, CALCC has been the catalyst for securing funds totaling $72.5 million for Local Conservation Corps. These include state funding of $27.5 million over four years in park bond funding, $15 million annually to local corps for recycling services, and $847,000 annually for conservation activities. CALCC members leverage these funds with local grants, fee for service contracts and other public-private partnerships to build and manage one of the strongest conservation corps movements in the nation.
The 11 Local Conservation Corps that are members of CALCC are individual, local, private, nonprofit organizations. The mission of each Local Conservation Corps is to develop young women and men, primarily ages 18-25, through a program of conservation work, education and community service. Each member corps is an independent nonprofit organization, governed by a local board of community leaders. Local Conservation Corps are not the same as the California Conservation Corps (CCC), which is a department of the State of California, although local corps and the CCC work collaboratively in many areas.
Full and voting membership in CALCC is open only to Local Conservation Corps that have been certified by the California Conservation Corps in accordance with Public Resources Code 14507.5. This certification enables a local corps to receive funds from the State of California, Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling. These funds are designated by legislation for certified local corps to provide beverage container recycling programs in their respective communities. In order to become a certified corps, a local conservation corps must meet certain criteria as established by law, including being in operation for at least two years, conducting an educational component and having at least 50 corpsmembers enrolled. The certification process is conducted annually by the California Conservation Corps.
The association also has a category of membership called Aspiring Corps for those local conservation corps that are working toward certification. Through this membership affiliation, aspiring corps can receive guidance and assistance from CALCC members, but are not voting members of the association.
CALCC has an Associate Membership Category which is open to individuals, nonprofits, agencies, and others who support the mission and goals of CALCC.
If you are interested in becoming a member of CALCC or would like more information, please contact info@californialocalconservationcorps.org
CALCC and the California local conservation corps are part of a national conservation corps movement and are leaders in the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps: www.nascc.org.
CALCC is supported by dues from members. It does not collect or administer funding sources for members nor does it provide any type of grant making for members or for any other organizations.
