California State Grants

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in the Los Angeles area can apply for this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy program funded by Proposition 4. It funds projects that protect or restore rivers, wetlands, streams, lakes, or watersheds, or improve fish/wildlife and climate resilience, with a required focus on the Los Angeles River Watershed or the ULART revitalization plan. Award amounts are not published; applicants should confirm project fit against Section 91032 requirements before applying.

State Treasurer's Office · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits and public agencies operating charter schools, administered by the California State Treasurer's Office. Uses a $20 million federal Credit Enhancement grant to fully or partially fund debt service reserve accounts on charter school bond transactions, lowering borrowing costs. No specific per-applicant award amount or deadline is listed, and eligibility is narrowly limited to charter school bond financing.

CA Energy Commission · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, but only to applicants who have already received (or are applying for) an eligible federal clean energy funding opportunity or qualifying DOE follow-on funding — this program provides matching cost-share funds, not standalone project grants. Retroactive cost share for already-received federal awards is not eligible. No set award amount or deadline is listed; eligibility depends on holding or pursuing a specific federal award first.

San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments applying to Prop 68 funding programs through the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. This is a technical-assistance program, not a direct cash grant: it provides application help, mentoring, and grant-writing support, with priority access for applicants in High-Need or Very-High-Need Areas. No award amount or deadline applies since this funds assistance services rather than projects.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California working on climate adaptation, habitat restoration, drought resilience, or coastal/agricultural protection. Funded under Proposition 68, with at least 15% of program funds reserved for projects serving severely disadvantaged communities. No award amount or deadline is listed in the current posting, and eligibility is limited to California-based projects.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply for this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy grant funded under California's Proposition 68 (2018), a $4 billion bond for drought, water, parks, climate, and coastal protection projects statewide. No specific award amount or deadline is listed here; applicants should review the Conservancy's Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines for eligible activities and funding details.

San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

This California Proposition 1 grant program, administered by the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, funds watershed protection, river parkway restoration, wetland and habitat restoration, wildfire fuel treatment, and water quality projects; nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply. Each proposed project must meet at least four of the thirteen listed program objectives, and funding is geographically limited to the RMC's service region in California. No specific award amount or deadline is listed in this posting.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, this program funds property acquisition and habitat enhancement/restoration projects along the San Joaquin River. All funded projects must be approved by both the San Joaquin River Conservancy Board and the Wildlife Conservation Board, an extra review step beyond a typical single-agency grant. No specific award amount or deadline is listed.

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits and public agencies for projects addressing recreation/tourism, historic and cultural preservation, or environmental education in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, with priority for disadvantaged/severely disadvantaged communities. This is an ongoing, noncompetitive process requiring a concept proposal before a full application; partnerships are encouraged but not required. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and scope is limited to the Delta region.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Open to local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofits registered in California, public utilities, federally and non-federally recognized tribes, and mutual water companies. Funds construction (and in some cases planning/design) for recycled water treatment, storage, groundwater recharge, and surface water augmentation projects; operations and maintenance costs are not eligible. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and all community types, including disadvantaged communities, may apply.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, this California SAFER Program funding targets counties and their partners to build proactive regional programs addressing drinking water problems for households served by state small water systems and domestic wells. Funds are not awarded directly to individual households. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and the geographic scope is limited to California.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply to this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy program funded under Proposition 4's wildfire chapter. It funds projects that improve local fire prevention capacity, forest health, or reduce wildfire spread into populated areas, and each project must also address watershed improvement, wildfire resilience, chaparral/forest restoration, or workforce development. Specific award amounts and deadlines are not listed, so applicants should verify current guidelines directly with the Conservancy.

CA Energy Commission · Amount varies

Limited to public agencies such as school districts, this program uses federal infrastructure law (IIJA/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) funds to provide loans and grants through a revolving loan fund for K-12 energy efficiency upgrades and retrofits. It is not open to nonprofits, businesses, or individuals, and funding is contingent on U.S. Department of Energy funds actually flowing through, so terms may change. No specific award amount or deadline is listed.

Ocean Protection Council · $200K–$1.5M

Open to businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California through the Ocean Protection Council's SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Grant Program (Track 1), funding planning activities like vulnerability assessments, data collection, and adaptation plans. Awards range from $200,000 to $1.5 million, and Track 1 proposals are accepted on a rolling, non-competitive quarterly basis. A companion technical assistance program is also available for applicants facing imminent sea level rise threats.

San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply to this San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy program funded by Proposition 4 (2024), a $10 billion bond for climate resilience, drinking water, wildfire prevention, and drought preparedness. The process requires a Concept Proposal first, followed by an invitation-only Full Application if selected by RMC staff; award amounts and deadlines are not specified, and a pre-application consultation with RMC staff is strongly recommended.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects that benefit California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, supporting water supply reliability, habitat restoration, and water resource system resilience under Proposition 1. No award amount or deadline is currently listed. Eligibility is geographically limited to Delta-benefiting projects in California.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through the California Wildlife Conservation Board, but restricted to projects within or adjacent to the American River Parkway in Sacramento County. Funds habitat restoration, public access improvements, and stormwater capture projects; all proposals must first be recommended by a program advisory committee. No award amount or deadline is listed, and the tight geographic scope makes this a narrow-eligibility program.

Department of Transportation · Amount varies

Restricted to public agencies (not businesses or nonprofits); this reimbursable state grant matches up to 5% of a federal Airport Improvement Program grant, capped at $200,000 per project, for airport development or planning. The project must already be listed in the State Capital Improvement Plan and cannot begin until the state issues a formal notice to proceed.

Department of Parks and Recreation · Amount varies

California's Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program (GCA/G25), run by the Department of Parks and Recreation, funds nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for planning, building, and maintaining off-highway motor vehicle trails and related safety and education programs. No specific funding amount or deadline is listed in this record.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through the California Wildlife Conservation Board's Climate Adaptation and Resiliency program. Funds projects on natural and working lands that support climate adaptation, carbon sequestration, and alignment with state climate and wildlife action plans. No specific award amount or deadline is given.