Hayward pandemic recovery programs win statewide excellence recognitions

HAYWARD, Calif., April 29, 2024—The City of Hayward earned two prestigious awards from the California Association of Local Economic Development (CALED) for outstanding economic development initiatives.

CALED, the premier statewide professional economic development organization with more than 800 members from cities, counties, state and federal entities, economic development corporations and the private sector, cited the City’s forging of partnerships, particularly with California State University East Bay and Chabot College, as an outstanding feature of its work. At CALED’s annual conference on April 11, the City’s Economic Development Division accepted an Award of Merit for the City’s Together for Hayward: Gift Card and Shop Local Campaigns and its Hayward Tuition Assistance – Learn and Earn Program.  

In addition to achieving its initial goal of helping businesses lure back former customers, the Together for Hayward Gift Card program has drawn new customers to Hayward from around the Bay Area, resulting in revenue growth for participating businesses and injecting more than $1 million into the local Hayward economy to date. 

The Learn to Earn tuition assistance program, meanwhile, offers micro-grants for tuition assistance to Hayward residents, empowering them to pursue degree programs or obtain new technical/professional training that enhances job-market competitiveness.  It’s a partnership with California State University East Bay (CSUEB), Chabot College, and Eden Area Regional Occupational Program (Eden ROP) Center.

To learn more about economic development in Hayward, go online here to the Economic Development Division page on the City of Hayward website.