Local Economy and Job Security

A photo of an Aggie Square building with the sky and clouds reflected in the windows.

We prioritize local hiring, volunteering, purchasing, and investing to enhance the region’s economic health – providing opportunities for everyone from small businesses to construction contractors. Some examples:

Some examples of our efforts:

Aerial view of UC Davis Medical Center, with Sacramento skyline beyond
OUR IMPACT

Spotlight: A regional economic powerhouse

According to an economic snapshot study, UC Davis Health’s direct expenditures of $1.84 billion in 2023 led to a total economic impact of $4.01 billion in the seven-county Sacramento region, or an additional $1.18 for every dollar UC Davis Health spends.

UC Davis Health had 19,144 employees in the region, and the economic activity generated indirectly and by the spending of its employees supported an additional 11,050 jobs in the region.

The report also calculates UC Davis Health’s statewide economic and employment impacts, including from spending and hiring for academic research. 

Aggie Square construction
OUR IMPACT

Spotlight: Aggie Square boosts economic impact

Aggie Square, the innovation district that opens its first phase on the university’s Sacramento campus in May, is expected to generate about $500 million in regional economic output and support 3,200 jobs annually when all phases are fully built out.

At completion, its construction is expected to be responsible for more than 12,100 construction-related jobs in the region, with an economic impact of $1.9 billion.

Aggie Square building with its reflection in a pool of water below.
STRONG PARTNERS

Spotlight: Aggie Square community benefits

The Aggie Square project will co-locate business partners and community-based programs with UC Davis innovation and research. UC Davis, developer Wexford Science and Technology, and the city of Sacramento have agreed on a Community Benefits Partnership Agreement for the project based on input from local residents.

The agreement directs millions toward affordable housing in the neighborhood, thousands of jobs in construction and in the completed project, improvements to the Broadway and Stockton Boulevard corridors, and annual funding for community projects. 

Local produce
STRONG PARTNERS

Spotlight: Anchor Institution commitment

In 2020, UC Davis Health formally launched its Anchor Institution Mission (AIM) for Community Health. In partnership with the local community, UC Davis Health seeks to hire locally, volunteer locally, purchase locally, and invest locally.

For example, in the area of local workforce cultivation, over the past five years we’ve expanded outreach to underserved communities, collaborated with organizations to provide tailored guidance to job applicants, and launched programs that create new opportunities for employment and upskilling. In fiscal year 2024 we achieved a nearly 20% local hiring rate, an increase from less than14% when AIM started.

In the area of support for local, diverse businesses, we reported nearly $62 million in spending with small and diverse-owned suppliers in fiscal year 2023, an increase of 23% from the previous year. Also, local neighborhood spending accounted for more than $17 million. These outcomes represent significant progress toward supporting local business growth, especially in underserved areas. 

More Believe in Better Highlights

Some recent examples of our ongoing efforts to advance health for all.

Nursing students get rare, firsthand look at critical care transport

Nursing students from across the Sacramento region enjoyed a rare opportunity to experience pediatric and neonatal critical transport care through a hands-on educational event.

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Volunteers help older patients stay connected and clear-minded during hospital stays

A new program brings nurses and trained volunteers together to help older patients stay engaged and reduce the risk of delirium during hospital stays.

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Pediatric Mobile Clinic provides free vision screenings and evaluations for Folsom Cordova district students

The UC Davis Pediatric Mobile Clinic partnered with the Folsom Cordova Unified School District to host a free clinic for students.

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A second chance at life started with an unexpected gift

After more than a year on exhausting dialysis, a patient received a life-changing kidney transplant from his wife through the UC Davis Transplant Center.

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