A big thank you to all of the Counties, staff, and programs that entered the 2022 Challenge Awards! Our judging panel reviewed 370 entries spotlighting the most innovative programs developed by California’s Counties this past year.

In all, CSAC is honoring 19 programs from 14 different counties, including: Los Angeles County, three awards; Orange, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz Counties, two awards each; and Kern, Kings, Nevada, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Placer, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Yuba Counties with one.

This year’s Innovation Award, which is awarded to the highest-scoring program, was earned by Orange County for their Pathway for Lifelong Learning: Kindergarten Readiness Initiative.

To learn more about all the award-winning programs, click on the tabs below and read their submitted summaries.

Innovation Award Recipient

Orange County - Pathway for Lifelong Learning: Kindergarten Readiness Initiative

Challenge Award Recipients

Administration of Justice & Public Safety

• RURAL

  • ​Kings County - Early Access & Stabilization Services                 
• SUBURBAN
  • ​Santa Cruz - Criminal Justice Council Policy Review                           
• URBAN
  • San Bernardino - A Restorative Integration for Successful Engagement (ARISE) 

Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources

• RURAL

  • Madera - GSAs Allocation Approach           
• SUBURBAN        
  • Placer - Cat Adoption Collaboration with Local Pet Store 
• URBAN
  • Los Angeles - Safe, Clean Water Program     

Government Finance Administration & Technology

• RURAL

  • Yuba - Yuba County Enterprise Solutions (Yes to Yuba)                                   
• SUBURBAN        
  • Santa Cruz - Online, Interactive Budget Website                            
• URBAN
  • San Diego - Translation, Language and Culture Connection Work Group               

Health & Human Services

• RURAL

  • Kern - Know Your Numbers
• SUBURBAN 
  • Santa Barbara - COVID-19 Health and Human Services Recovery Plan 
• URBAN 
  • Los Angeles - L.A. Found Program            

Housing, Land Use & Transportation

• RURAL

  • Mariposa - Mariposa Creekside Terrace        
• SUBURBAN        
  • Marin - Mapping Marin County’s Past through Unlawful Restrictions    
• URBAN     
  • Los Angeles - Return of Bruce's Beach

Disaster & Emergency Response

• RURAL                

  • Nevada - Disaster Livestock Access Program  
• SUBURBAN        
  • Santa Barbara - Montecito Community Trails Partnership       
• URBAN               
  • Orange - Public Libraries Going Digital: Pandemic and Beyond