The California City Management Foundation (CCMF) is pleased to announce that the city of Wasco and city of Salinas have been selected as the recipients of the fifth annual Judy L. Kelsey Memorial Fund grants.

The Judy L. Kelsey Memorial Fund offers two $5,000 grants to local governments to fund summer internships. Half the funding for this program comes from the estate of Judy Lyn Kelsey, a longtime California city manager with a passion for uplifting others. At the beginning of her career, Kelsey interned in the City Manager’s Office in the city of San Dimas and participated in a grant program for the Los Angeles Police Department. She saw great value in these experiences and donated part of her estate to enable internships for individuals with a passion for local government. Kelsey’s estate funds one $5,000 grant annually. CCMF matches her gift to provide a second $5,000 grant.

The city of Wasco and the city of Salinas were selected for the 2025 awards based on their detailed plans for meaningful internship programs and their need for additional support within the cities.

“The 2025 recipients of the Judy L. Kelsey Memorial Fund grant represent a promising new generation of public service leaders,” said Ken Pulskamp, Executive Director of CCMF. “We’re proud to support both the interns and the cities they serve, as they work together to advance meaningful projects and foster positive change in communities across California.”

The city of Wasco aims to hire two summer interns in Summer 2025 for the Information Technology (IT) Department to assist with the local Police Department’s social media, marketing for the Police Activities League, basic tech support, equipment maintenance, software updates and various other technology projects. These internships will provide local students with hands-on experience in the public sector while addressing the City’s technological needs and building community trust through social media, clear communication and transparency.

The city of Salinas interns will support research and strategic planning efforts focused on business attraction and enhancing economic mobility for residents, especially those in historically underserved neighborhoods. They will explore business attraction strategies to draw employers that align with the city’s changing workforce needs; evaluate pathways for economic mobility to help residents access new opportunities driven by growth; support data-informed policy development to guide inclusive economic planning and growth initiatives; and participate in strategic outreach to connect economic expansion with community needs, ensuring resident voices are heard in development conversations.

Visit the Judy L. Kelsey Memorial Fund webpage for more information and contact scholarship@cacitymanagers.org with any questions.