Pacific Gas and Electric Company Continues Its Strong Support of Economic Vitality for Local Communities

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Continues Its Strong Support of Economic Vitality for Local Communities
$379,000 in Grants Awarded to 63 Economic Development Programs in Northern and Central California


SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continuing its commitment to support the economic vitality of the communities it serves, Pacific Gas and Electric Company today announced the granting of $379,000 to 63 community- based organizations for local economic development and community development projects throughout northern and central California. This marks the fifth year of funding for the company's Economic Development Grant Program, which is supported through PG&E's shareholder-funded charitable giving program.

Governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations throughout PG&E's service area were eligible to apply for grants up to $10,000. Applications were judged in two categories: economic development and community development.

"PG&E feels strongly about supporting the economic health of communities in which we live and work. It's clear that there is a great need for this -- this year alone we have received $2.4 million of requests from 271 organizations," said Helen Burt, senior vice president and chief customer officer for Pacific Gas and Electric Company. "We know our grants can really help supplement the budgets of economic development organizations, so choosing among the many worthwhile projects was challenging. We believe the selected projects will be the most effective in making a positive difference in dozens of communities throughout northern and central California for years to come."

The grants are funding various types of projects, including business retention, business recruitment, infrastructure planning, downtown improvement, training, websites, marketing materials, and green business development.

Over the past five years of this program, PG&E has provided over $1.3 million to 248 worthy projects.

In addition to the Economic Development Grant Program, Pacific Gas and Electric Company works directly with over 100 local, state and regional economic development organizations to promote business development and job creation in northern and central California. Since 1996, PG&E's economic development team has provided vital assistance to successfully attract and retain 164 businesses totaling over 29,000 jobs in communities the utility serves.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has a long history of making charitable grants tailored to the needs of the wide variety of communities it serves, and these economic development grants are part of that effort. The company's charitable contributions program provides cash grants, in-kind contributions, and volunteers for community-based nonprofit organizations, and for schools and other governmental programs throughout northern and central California. All charitable contributions are entirely funded by the company's shareholders.

Following is the list of the organizations receiving grants, the name of the project and the grant amount:



ORGANIZATION PROJECT AMOUNT

California Academy for Local Economic TeamCalifornia
Development in partnership with Co-op Branding
TeamCalifornia Campaign $10,000

Friends of the Urban Forest Youth Tree Care
Program $5,000

San Francisco Chapter of the Clean and Green
A. Philip Randolph Institute and Minority Economic
San Francisco State University Development $10,000
Foundation

San Francisco Conservation Corps Workforce Training,
Job Placement and
Retention, and
Financial Assistance
for Disadvantaged Young
Adults Entering the
Construction Field $5,500

City of Daly City Daly City Small
Business Network
Workshops $5,000

East Palo Alto Micro Business Initiative Entrepreneurship
Training Program
and Support Services $5,000

City of Orinda Streetlight Banner
Program to Support
Downtown
Revitalization $3,500

Ohlone College Foundation in partnership Youth Employment
with Tri-Cities One Stop Services $6,000
Career Centers

Richmond Main Street Institute, Inc. Richmond Main Street
Young Entrepreneurs
Program $7,500

Wardrobe for Opportunity Professional Clothing,
Workforce Training
and Access to Jobs $4,000

City of Martinez Discover Martinez.com $5,000

El Pajaro Community Development Bilingual Program for
Corporation Sustainable and Green
Business Development $7,500

San Jose Redevelopment Agency Story Road Business
Association $7,500

Springboard Forward The Circle of
Opportunity Building
Networks for Upward
Mobility $4,000

City of Soledad Community Marketing
Plan $6,000

City of Sunnyvale Web-Based Tools for
Business Outreach
and Retention $4,000

Economic Development of Business Needs
San Benito County Assessment $4,000

Gilroy Economic Development Corporation Integrated Recruitment
Project $6,000

Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce Economic Development
Partnership Business
Attraction and
Retention Program $4,000

Regional Analysis and Planning Site Locator and
Services, Inc. in partnership Corporate Real Estate
with Central Coast Marketing Team Familiarization Tour $10,000

California Space Education and California Space
Workforce Institute, Inc. Center Planning Grant $7,500

City of Atascadero City-wide Wayfinding
Signage System $3,500

Cuesta College Foundation First Line
Supervisor's Academy $6,000

Economic Vitality Corporation of Economic Development
San Luis Obispo County and Business
Development Marketing
Materials $10,000


Sierra Nonprofit Support Center Volunteerism -- The
Heart of the Mother
Lode $6,000

The Alliance and the Alliance Professional and
Education Foundation in partnership Technical Education
with Stanislaus Economic Development Assessment -- Adding
and Workforce Alliance, Inc. Skills and People in
the Workplace $7,500

California Academy for Local Economic Economic Development
Development in partnership with on a Shoestring --
Calaveras County Economic Development Leveraging Small
Corporation Investments into
Significant Business
Assistance $4,000

Growing Merced Foundation in Job Creation through
partnership with Merced County Manufacturing Outreach $10,000
Economic Development Corporation

Mariposa County Mariposa is Open
for Business $7,000

San Joaquin Delta Community College Small Business
in partnership with San Joaquin Development Guide
Delta College Small Business for Alpine, Amador
Development Center and Calaveras Counties $5,000

San Joaquin Partnership 2007 Marketing and
Foundation, Inc. Outreach Exhibit Booth $5,000

City of Lincoln Historic Downtown
Lincoln Wayfinding
Signs $5,000

El Dorado County Job ONE White Rock Village
Career Assistance
Project $7,500

Western Electrical Contractors Electrical Career
Education Foundation Outreach Project $6,000

Butte County Overall Economic Vision 2008 $3,000
Development Inc.

McClellan Technology Incubator Clean Energy Business
Development $8,000

Nevada County Economic Resource Nevada County Economic
Council Foundation, Inc. Forecast Conference $4,000

North Central Rural Training and Colusa County Economic
Employment Private Industry Council Workforce Development
Initiative $4,000

Placer County Office of Economic Placer County Economic
Development Development Strategic
Plan $6,000

Tehama Local Development Corporation Business Real Estate
and Land Inventory
Website Project $5,000

The CSU Chico Research Foundation in 2007 Tri-County
partnership with Center for Economic Economic Forecast
Development Conference $5,000

Upstate California Economic Website and Electronic
Development Council Tools Project $8,000

Woodland Access Visual Enterprises in Woodland California
partnership with WAVE TV 21 Business Recruitment
Video $8,000

Solano Economic Development Corporation Team Solano
Cooperative Branding
Campaign $8,000

World Trade Center Sacramento in Northern California
partnership with Northern California International Business
World Trade Center Leadership Certificate
Program $6,000

City of Blue Lake Blue Lake Community
Website $3,000

City of Santa Rosa Neighborhood Neighborhood
Revitalization Program Revitalization Program
Self-Sufficiency
Project $7,500

City of Eureka/Eureka Redevelopment Marketing and Business
Agency Development Software $7,500

County of Humboldt Business Leader
Luncheons and State
of the Industry
Reception $3,500

County of Lake Business Retention
-- Lake County
Agritourism Development
and Farm Products
Promotional Program $5,000

Fortuna Chamber of Commerce Fortuna Business
Attraction and
Retention Plan $4,000

Napa Valley College Foundation in Business Planning
partnership with Napa Valley College Training in Spanish
Small Business Development Center for New Business
Owners $5,000

North Coast Small Business Remote Business Venture
Resource Center Workshops $4,000

Sonoma County Economic Development Business Appreciation
Foundation Project Celebrating
Good Business $7,000

Bakersfield Association for Secure Document
Retarded Citizens, Inc. Destruction $6,000

City of Firebaugh Youth Council Business
Development $4,000

West Fresno Coalition for Economic Financial Literacy
Development and Interactive
Program $6,000

Central Valley Business Incubator, Inc. Sustaining Membership $10,000

City of Wasco Business Attraction
and Retention
Marketing Materials $10,000

County of Kings in partnership Business Attraction --
with Kings County Economic Manufacturing $6,000
Development Corporation

Kern Community Foundation in Kern County Energy
partnership with Kern Economic Summit $6,000
Development Corporation

Madera County Economic Development Business Retention,
Commission Attraction and
Development Innovative
Marketing Tools $6,000

Selma Community Enhancement Corporation Selma Small Business
Support Center
Coordinator $4,000

For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company's economic development grant program, please visit our website at www.pge.com/edgrant.