Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): Groundwater Community Engagement Contractors

Company: Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)

Salary: $100/hour

Location: California

Butte, Colusa/Glenn, Monterey (Salinas), Tehama, San Luis Obispo (Paso Robles), and Yolo/Solano/Sacramento Counties 

Position Start Date: August 15, 2024

DESCRIPTION

Title: Groundwater Community Engagement Contractor 

Location: CAFF is hiring for a team of regional outreach coordinators in priority regions including:

Butte, Colusa/Glenn, Monterey (Salinas), Tehama, San Luis Obispo (Paso Robles), and Yolo/Solano/Sacramento Counties 

Compensation: Estimated $85-100/hour rate with a total budget of $75,000 per contractor, estimated 10 hours/week 

Project Duration: 18 months

Anticipated Project Start Date: August 15, 2024

Project End Date: February 15, 2026, with the possibility of extension pending available funding 

Reports To: Water Policy & Organizing Manager

CAFF is a California-based membership organization that includes family farmers and other community members passionate about local food, farming, and the environment.  As a farmer-serving organization, we recognize the historic and lasting inequities in the California food and farming system. We believe farmers of color, and other historically oppressed people, should have the opportunity to create and participate in a food and agriculture system that aligns with their needs, values, identities, knowledge systems, and communities. We commit to advancing racial, gender, and environmental justice in our larger systems, as well as in our own workplace. Currently, our programming is focused in four areas: Farm to Market, Policy & Advocacy, Farmer Services, and Ecological Farming.  To learn more about CAFF, our history, and our core values, visit caff.org/about.

CONTRACT SUMMARY 

CAFF is looking for contractors to work with the Water Policy and Organizing Manager as part of the state-wide strategy to educate and support small farmers in the face of changing groundwater access. We are looking for individuals rooted in the farming community who are interested in water and ensuring that other growers in the county have the right information and support related to their groundwater. While an understanding of groundwater challenges is helpful, CAFF is prepared to provide resources for the right people on water-specifics if they know the region and challenges faced by agriculture in their area. Farmers are encouraged to apply. You can learn more about our Water Program here. 

CAFF is partnering on this outreach and education work with the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR). UC ANR will also be hiring for this work in the San Joaquin Valley (3 positions), Riverside County, and Santa Clara County. Please email sgma@caff.org if you would like to be notified about when the hiring process for these regions start. 

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES 

Research and Analysis 

  • Learn about the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and its impacts in your region. This includes attending meetings of the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies for relevant subbasins in your region and reporting developments to CAFF’s Water Policy Team. 

  • Assist in the review of the Groundwater Sustainability Plans for each subbasin in your region and the development of farmer educational materials on how these regional plans impact farm and ranch businesses 

Outreach and Engagement 

  • Identify small farmers who have specific groundwater issues and provide support and technical assistance, including facilitating meetings with regional Groundwater Sustainability Agencies 

  • Support farmers in addressing specific water-related concerns as they come up, connect farmers with engineering and groundwater support from project partner, Dudek

  • Meet with existing regional partners, including UC ANR and other farmer support organizations, and support the development of partner relationships for groundwater outreach 

Development of Materials 

  • Meet regularly with CAFF Water Policy Team and contribute to the development of the Small Farmer SGMA Toolkit for the Department of Water Resources

  • Support CAFF storytelling around small farmer groundwater needs including writing, photography, and outreach to local media

  • Report and invoice monthly for work conducted on this project 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Demonstrated experience farming or working with farmers in the region you’re applying for

  • Interest or experience with groundwater issues in an agricultural context, including irrigation, groundwater management, hydrology, water resources, or water policy 

  • Experience in outreach, community engagement, adult education, or other community-based activities 

  • Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills and presentation skills

  • Adept at bridging cultural and political differences 

  • Experience working as a liaison or advocate, proficiency with diplomacy 

  • Desired: Proficient bilingual communication abilities in English and another language spoken by farmers in your region such as Spanish, Hmong, Iu Mien, Lao, Khmer, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Punjabi, or Korean 

 HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with the first review occurring July 2, 2024. To apply, please complete the Google Form linked here. Please note you need a Google account to apply through the form. However, if you have any issues with this format, please write directly to catherine@caff.org.