Overview & Key Objectives

The Marin–San Luis Obispo Learning Exchange is a 3-day delegation trip bringing together Marin’s government, business, nonprofit and community leaders to learn from SLO’s successes in placemaking, regional collaboration, and community vitality. Through site visits, roundtables, and dialogue with SLO’s civic, business, and academic partners, Marin leaders will return with actionable ideas — and, most importantly, a renewed commitment to strengthen Marin’s economic and community vitality through new, cross-sector local collaboration.

Goals

Cross Sector Alignment

Cross-sector alignment: Strengthens relationships across Marin’s public, private, and nonprofit leaders while building shared strategies and new opportunities for collaboration.

Learning From A Peer Region

Learning from a peer region: Takes inspiration from the City of San Luis Obispo’s successes in placemaking, innovation ecosystems, and community partnerships – a region that shares Marin’s values in environmental stewardship, agricultural heritage, and small-town identity.

Actionable Outcomes and Shared Vision

Sparks short-term wins, medium-range initiatives, and long-term strategies that will shape Marin’s future. What will Marin look like in 2050 — or 2100? This trip helps leaders envision what’s possible.

Key Learning Objectives

Public-Private Partnerships & Regional Strategy

Understand how SLO aligns City leadership, the County, Cal Poly, and the Chamber of Commerce around a unified regional economic vision.

Learn how collaborations such as REACH and locally incubated initiatives drive investment, better quality of life for all residents, and long-term growth — and consider how Marin might adapt similar models.

Identify ways Marin can align its 11 jurisdictions, County government, and business community to speak with one regional voice on economic development.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystems

Examine Cal Poly’s HotHouse Incubator as a model for supporting new businesses and entrepreneur pipelines, and catalyzing innovation and a sense of opportunity and welcoming in a suburban community.

Learn how SLO uses zoning, permitting, and incentives to create “soft landing zones” for small businesses – and that benefit neighboring residents and businesses.

Explore opportunities for Marin to build similar incubator-style programs, leverage partnerships with College of Marin, Dominican University and nonprofits.

Placemaking & Community
Vitality

Learn from SLO’s investments in downtown activation (Mission Plaza, Creek Walk, public art, and Thursday night Farmer’s Market) as strategies for vibrancy and safety.

See how the creative economy (e.g., museums, arts institutions, and “third spaces”) is sustained through public–private partnerships (including planning), developer engagement, and targeted funding support.

Consider how Marin could adapt these strategies to strengthen small-town downtowns, build shared public spaces accessed by a diverse range of community members and visitors, and enhance vibrancy.