Browse grants

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

The Coastal Conservancy funds a wide variety of projects along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and in coastal watersheds to increase availability of beaches, parks and trails for the public, protect and restore natural lands and wildlife habitat, preserve working lands, and increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change. The Conservancy will fund most stages of a project including: pre-project feasibility studies, property acquisition, project planning including community involvement, design, environmental review, permitting, construction, and project-related monitoring. We do not fund operation and maintenance activities. Most Conservancy grants are awarded through this rolling pre-application solicitation. This includes Climate Ready, Wildfire Resilience, and all regional grant programs. Explore the Coast, Coastal Stories, and some other grant programs are NOT awarded through this rolling process.

Department of Toxic Substances Control · $1–$100K

DTSC's ISCP Loan Program provides loans for property owners, developers, community groups, and local governments to conduct preliminary endangerment assessment of underutilized urban properties. Loan used to conduct preliminary endangerment assessments. If redevelopment of property is determined not to be economically feasible, up to 75 percent of the loan amount can be waived.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

The Conservancy’s Explore the Coast Overnight Program was created to expand more opportunities for all Californians to stay overnight at the coast, particularly individuals and youth from low and middle-income households, communities of color, at-risk or underserved populations, and others that face barriers to accessing the coast. The goals of the Explore the Coast Overnight Program include: Helping improve existing, and develop new lower-cost coastal accommodations; Ensuring that new or renovated coastal accommodation projects are available to all Californians, in particular low and middle-income Californians and organizations that serve under-resourced communities; Supporting innovative pilot projects; Creating and preserving a variety of lower-cost coastal accommodations; and Maintaining and increasing the stock of lower-cost coastal accommodations along the California coast. The Conservancy provides grant funds for the planning, design, permitting, and/or construction of lower-cost coastal accommodation projects that advance the goals and priorities of the Explore the Coast Overnight Program.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) grants are available to assist small business underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators in financing up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove, or replace project tanks to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code section 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, 25292.5, or 41954. Please note that removal-only projects are now eligible for RUST grants. Grants are available for between $3,000 and $70,000 to eligible UST owners/operators. An additional $140,000 in RUST grant moneys above the $70,000 maximum is available for remote public fueling stations for the purpose of removing and replacing a single-walled UST. (See Health and Safety Code § 25299.107(e) for more information.) Eligibility Requirements Grant applicants must be a UST owner and/or operator and meet all of the following requirements: • The applicant is a small business that employs fewer than 20 full-time and part-time employees, is independently owned and operated, and is not dominant in its field of operation; • The grant applicant’s principal office and its officers must be domiciled in California; • The facility where the project tank is located was legally in business retailing gasoline after January 1, 1999. • All of the tanks owned and operated by the grant applicant are subject to compliance with Health and Safety Code chapter 6.7 and implementing regulations; • The facility where the subject tank is located has sold, at retail, less than 900,000 gallons of gasoline annually for each of the two years preceding the submission of the grant application; (Gallonage is based upon taxable sales figures provided to the State Board of Equalization (BOE) on the grant applicant’s BOE 401 GS including Schedule G.) • The grant applicant meets either of the following: The grant applicant is in compliance with Health and Safety Code sections 41954 and 25290.1, 25290.2, 25291, or subdivisions (d) and (e) of section 25292; (The facility must provide a current UST permit, a current Permit to Operate, and proof of EVR compliance as evidence of compliance with the permit compliance requirements.) or Revised 1/2020 The grant applicant meets the requirements for a waiver from the RUST grant permit compliance requirements. (The project is for removal-only and the grant applicant does not qualify for a RUST loan.) This is not a reimbursement program. Work cannot begin until you have an agreement executed by the State Water Board.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) loans are available to assist small business underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators in financing up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove, or replace project tanks, including corrective actions, to meet applicable local, state, or federal standards, including, but not limited to, any design, construction, monitoring, operation, or maintenance requirements adopted pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, or 41954. Loan Terms Low-interest loans are available for between $10,000 and $750,000, for a term of 10 or 20 years. • Ten-year loans are secured by the Uniform Commercial Code Financing Statement on business assets. • Twenty-year loans are secured by a deed of trust on real estate with adequate equity. • A loan fee of 2 percent must be paid at final loan closing. • Please contact the State Water Board or your local Financial Development Corporation for the current interest rate. Eligibility Requirements Loan applicants must be a UST owner and/or operator and meet all of the following requirements: • The loan applicant is a small business that employs fewer than 500 full-time and part-time employees, is independently owned and operated, and is not dominant in its field of operation; • The loan applicant’s principal office and its officers must be domiciled in California; • All of the tanks owned and operated by the loan applicant are subject to compliance with Health and Safety Code chapter 6.7 and the regulation adopted pursuant to that chapter; • The loan applicant must provide financial and legal documents necessary to demonstrate the ability to repay the loan and availability of adequate collateral to secure the loan; and Revised 8/2020 • The loan applicant must have complied, or will comply, with the financial responsibility requirements specified in Health and Safety Code section 25299.31 and the regulations adopted pursuant to this section. This is not a reimbursement program. Work cannot begin until you have an agreement executed by the State Water Board.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

The Cleanup and Abatement Account (CAA) was created by Water Code Sections 13440-13443 to provide grants for the cleanup or abatement of a condition of pollution when there are no viable responsible parties available to undertake the work. Water code section 13442 authorizes the State Water Board to utilize CAA funds to address an urgent drinking water need. This includes needs due to drought, contamination, or other eligible emergencies. The CAA is funded by various monies including those: appropriated by the Legislature; collected as part of criminal penalties or civil proceedings brought pursuant to Division 7 of the Water Code; collected or recovered by the State Water Board or a Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board) under Chapter 6.7 of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code; and repaid by loan recipients, including principal, interest, and fees. In some instances, a court judgment or settlement agreement specifies how collected funds are to be spent (e.g., a specific cleanup, investigation, or supplemental environmental project [SEP]). Those funds are typically set aside in the CAA for that identified purpose, consistent with statutes governing uses of the CAA. After accounting for these needs and other prior encumbrances, remaining CAA funds may be utilized to fund: (1) projects that clean up and/or abate the effects of a waste on waters of the State, or (2) projects that address urgent drinking water needs.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Eligible Applicants: Any city, town, district, or other public body created under state law, including state agencies A Native American tribal government or an authorized Native American tribal organization having jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes or other waste Any designated and approved management agency under Section 208 of the Clean Water Act 501(c)(3)'s and National Estuary Programs Eligible projects include, but are not limited to: Construction of publicly-owned treatment facilities: wastewater treatment, local sewers, sewer interceptors, water reclamation and distribution, stormwater treatment, combined sewers, and landfill leachate treatment. Implementation of nonpoint source (NPS) projects to address pollution associated with: agriculture, forestry, urban areas, marinas, hydromodification, wetlands, and development and implementation of estuary comprehensive conservation and management plans for: San Francisco Bay Morro Bay Santa Monica Bay. Financing Terms: Interest Rate - ½ most recent General Obligation (GO) Bond Rate at time of funding approval Financing Term - up to 30 years or the useful life of the project Financing Amount - No maximum funding limit, but partial funding may be applied in annual CWSRF Intended Use Plan. No maximum disbursement limit! Repayment - Begins 1 year after completion of construction Applicants qualifying as small disadvantaged communities (DACs) or small severely disadvantaged communities (SDACs) may be eligible for grants and/or principal forgiveness. Based on affordability criteria, applicant agencies may qualify for 50%, 75%, or 100% grant up to a maximum grant amount.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

In 2019, Senate Bill 200 (SB200) established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water (SADW) Fund to address funding gaps and provide solutions to water systems, especially those serving DACs, to address both their short- and long-term drinking water needs. The SADW Fund is one of several funds that are part of the larger SAFER Program. Complementary funding sources administered by the State Water Board’s Division of Financial Assistance for drinking water projects include: General Fund allocations, the Cleanup and Abatement Account, Proposition 68 Drinking Water, Proposition 1 and Proposition 68 Groundwater, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which offers repayable, low-interest financing and loans with partial or complete principal forgiveness. Up to $130 million per year will be available from the SADW Fund for ten years (starting with Fiscal Year 2020-21) for local assistance and state operations. The amount available from complementary funding sources varies each year. The priority uses of the SADW Fund include: 1) addressing any emergency or urgent funding needs, where other emergency funds are not available and a critical water shortage or outage could occur without support from the Fund; 2) addressing community water systems (CWSs) and school water systems out of compliance with primary health standards, focusing on small Disadvantaged Communities (DACs); 3) accelerating consolidations for systems out of compliance, at-risk systems, as well as state smalls and domestic wells, focusing on small DACs; 4) providing interim solutions and initiating planning efforts for long-term solutions for state smalls and domestic wells with source water above a primary maximum contaminant level (MCL). Anticipated expenditures of the SADW Fund will be consistent with the priorities and will be used in conjunction with other available complementary funding available in the larger SAFER Program to address funding gaps. Priorities for the complementary funding sources part of the larger SAFER Program generally align with the priorities of the SADW Fund.

State Water Resources Control Board · $2M–$10M

The Division of Financial Assistant (DFA), State Water Board manages the DWSRF program and prioritizes financing for projects that address the most serious human health risks, are necessary to comply with SDWA, and assist public water systems (PWS) most in need on per household basis. Periodically funding programs that help provide clean and safe water are used in combination with the DWSRF program. Eligible community water systems (CWS) currently may receive principle forgiveness (PF)/grant from $2,000,000 up to 100% of total eligible project cost depending on the project types, community served by the CWS, and residential water rates as a percentage of MHI. Financing terms varies from 0% interest to half of California's average general obligation bond rate for the previous calendar year. Repayment may be amortized for 30 to 40 years or the useful life of he financed construction facilities. Construction of water systems' infrastructures (treatment facilities, water sources, storages, and distribution systems) and contingency of change orders are common eligible construction cost. Additional eligible construction cost examples are value appraisal and land purchase for right-of-way and easements, planning and design, administration, and construction management. Applications for the DWSRF program and associated funding are accepted on a continuous basis. After DFA receives a complete application, a detailed technical, environmental, legal, and financial review is conducted to determine the applicant’s eligibility for DWSRF and associated drinking water funding.

State Water Resources Control Board · $250K–$500K

The Division of Financial Assistant (DFA), State Water Board manages the DWSRF program and prioritizes financing for projects that address the most serious human health risks, are necessary to comply with SDWA, and assist public water systems (PWS) most in need on per household basis. Periodically funding programs that help provide clean and safe water are used in combination with the DWSRF program. Eligible small community water systems (SCWS) serving a small disadvantage community (DAC) and small severely disadvantage communities (SDAC), eligible non-transient non-community water systems (NTNC) serving a small DAC or small SDAC, and public water systems (PWS) extending service to small DACs andsmall SDACs may receive the maximum principle forgiveness (PF)/grant of $500,000. Other public water systems may receive loan or partial loan with subsidized interest rate and maximum term for repayable of five or ten years. Planning costs may include the preparation of planning/design documents such as Feasibility studies and project reports, plans and specifications, engineering and specifications, environmental documents, capital improvement plans, etc. Other costs such as legal costs and fees, environmental review, TMF assessments, water rate studies, and test wells are also eligible for funding under planning projects. Applications for the DWSRF program and associated funding are accepted on a continuous basis. After DFA receives a complete application, a detailed technical, environmental, legal, and financial review is conducted to determine the applicant’s eligibility for DWSRF and associated drinking water funding.

State Water Resources Control Board · $1–$1M

Senate Bill 445 (Hill, chapter 547, statutes of 2014), effective September 25, 2014, changed the OSCF eligibility criteria by not limiting the program to brownfield sites. Grant Details Grants provide funding for response actions that characterize, assess, andinvestigate an unauthorized release from petroleum USTs. These actions include apreliminary site assessment, soil and groundwater investigations, and preparation of a corrective action plan in accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Chapter 16, Article 11. Grants may also provide funding for UST system removal, petroleum product removal and soil excavation, not to exceed 500 cubic yards at the eligible site. Grants also provide funding for response actions that carry out cleanup activities,implement a corrective action plans, and perform verification monitoring in accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 23, Chapter 16, Article 11. If a corrective action plan is required, the State Water Board cannot award a cleanup grant until the applicant demonstrates the corrective action plan is complete and approved by the regulatory agency. However, the applicant may apply for a cleanup grant before completion and approval of the corrective action plan. Note that only the current property owner is eligible for a Cleanup Grant.

State Treasurer's Office · Amount varies

The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) Sales and Use Tax Exclusion (STE) Program (the “Program”) excludes from sales and use taxes purchases of Qualified Property if its use is either to process Recycled feedstock or using Recycled feedstock in the production of another product or soil amendment; or that is used in an Advanced Manufacturing process; or that is used to manufacture Alternative Source products or Advanced Transportation Technologies. Eligible manufacturers planning to construct a new manufacturing facility or expand or upgrade a currently existing manufacturing facility may apply to CAEATFA for an STE award, and if approved, the purchases of Qualified Property for the project are not subject to state and local sales and use tax.Please refer to https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/caeatfa/ste/regulations/index.asp and https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/caeatfa/ste/faq.asp#program for more information.

State Water Resources Control Board · $1–$1M

The UST Cleanup Fund provides a means for petroleum UST owners and operators to meet the federal and state requirements of maintaining financial responsibility to pay for damages arising from unauthorized releases from their petroleum USTs. The Fund assists a large number of small businesses and individuals by providing reimbursement for expenses associated with the cleanup of leaking USTs.

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery · $75K–$275K

CalRecycle is seeking projects that implement new programs or enhance existing programs to provide convenient beverage container recycling opportunities in various locations statewide. Eligible projects include: • Multi-family residential dwellings (five units or more). • Public colleges/universities, non-profit colleges/universities, and public K-12 school districts. • Curbside Residential Program locations (excluding single stream). • Community events including, but not limited to, those sponsored by local jurisdictions. • Parks/recreational areas. • Purchase of water refill stations, including the installation, education and outreach, or replacement of infrastructure, plumbing, maintenance, additional attachments or modifications. • Purchase of mobile water trailer bars, including replacement of filters, maintenance, additional attachments or modifications, reusable cups utilized for the water trailer bars, and related educational and outreach activities/materials as eligible expenditures. • Litter reduction and clean-up along the United States-Mexico border where the waste stream includes beverage containers that will be recycled. o Out of State beverage containers collected as part of the litter abatement and clean-up projects cannot be funded under this grant program. Ongoing collection programs may include the following activities as a component of the grant project: • Temporary Community events (i.e., recycling or collection events sponsored by local jurisdictions, Earth Day events). • Drop-off, Collection Program, or Community Service Program. • Education and Outreach related to beverage container recycling. Note: Education activities and/or materials (signage, flyers, curriculum, etc.) related to the beverage container recycling project are capped at 25 percent of the total grant award. • Funding must have a direct connection to the California Redemption Value (CRV) of beverage containers and the overall program. If non-CRV items are included in the grant, they are subject to proportional cost. For example: a three-bin system with composting, paper and CRV recycling, can only be funded at one third of the cost. A mixed recycling bin will be funded proportionately based on the CRV content of materials collected. Priority funding will be given to Tribal Entities and applicants with litter abatement projects along the United States-Mexico border. Applicants who meet the criteria will be given priority and will be considered for funding first.

San Diego River Conservancy · Amount varies

Multi-benefit projects that advance a number of goals, including but not limited to: • Conserving land • Protecting resources • Reducing flood and fire risk • Improving water quality • Protecting and enhancing wildlife habitats and corridors • Completing the San Diego River Trail • Providing public access for the enjoyment of the San Diego River Park and open space, trails, campgrounds and park facilities • Removing invasive plant species from the watershed • Increasing native habitat and promoting the re-establishment of native species • Promoting cultural and tribal preservation, and historical interpretation of the San Diego River and its people

San Diego River Conservancy · Amount varies

Hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning and wildfire prevention education.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · $5M–$20M

The program will follow a two-phase application process, with concept proposals due by 3 p.m. PDT on June 30, 2026. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES A. Regionally appropriate landscape resilience B. Community hazardous fuels reduction or modification C. Prescribed and cultural fire D. Pest management E. Reforestation and revegetation F. Biomass Utilization G. Maintenance of and/or improvements to previously established and completed wildfire and landscape resilience projects. H. Planning: Up to 10% of total funds or $1 million (whichever is less). I. Workforce Education & Training that is appropriately scaled to the overall project and clearly aligned with its primary objectives. FUNDING PRIORITIES A. Multi-benefit projects that have been identified as a regional priority using a transparent prioritization process that integrates data-driven analysis, practitioner expertise, and community input. P B. Applicants that have demonstrated sufficient administrative, technical, and operational capacity to successfully manage and deliver large, multi-partner projects. C. Projects that leverage CAL FIRE funds with other state, federal, local, and/or private/philanthropic investments including projects that align program funding across Climate Bond programs. D. Projects that advance regional capacity to develop, prioritize, and implement wildfire and landscape resilience projects. E. Projects that have broad involvement from regional stakeholders, including tribes. F. Projects that enlist the services of the California Conservation Corps, certified community conservation corps, or tribal corps. G. Projects that provide meaningful and direct benefits to disadvantaged communities, severely disadvantaged communities, or vulnerable populations. H. Projects that advance the State’s strategic goals and priorities. I. Projects that have environmental compliance completed or have environmental compliance completed for a majority of the sub-projects.

Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy · Amount varies

The Climate Bond, Proposition 4: the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Senate Bill (SB) 867), was approved by voters in November 2024. It added Division 50 (Commencing with Section 80000) to the Public Resources Code (PRC). Section 93020 (a)(1) of Chapter 6: Protect Biodiversity and Accelerating Nature-Based Climate Solutions authorizes the Legislature to appropriate $48,000,000 (forty-eight million dollars) to the Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy (Conservancy) for projects and programs that reduce the risks of climate change impacts upon communities, fish and wildlife, and natural resources, and increase public access. Grant funds shall be awarded to projects and programs that: Produce direct, measurable, and non-speculative benefits; Improve climate resilience for Disadvantaged Communities (DACs), Severely Disadvantaged Communities (SDACs), Tribes, or vulnerable populations; Avoid creating burdens or harms to any vulnerable community; Demonstrate community engagement, co-design, or community-identified need; and/or Provide benefits reasonably proportional to the project’s scale and cost. The Conservancy shall ensure that Proposition 4 investments provide meaningful and direct benefits to Vulnerable Populations, DACs, SDACs, and Native American Tribes. These requirements implement the California Natural Resources Agency’s Meaningful and Direct Benefits Assessment Framework and ensure that climate-resilience investments advance equity, reduce climate burdens, and strengthen community capacity to adapt to climate impacts. The Conservancy will utilize the BH UWC Community and Climate Resilience Framework to evaluate proposal applications for their ability to advance one or more of the Conservancy’s eight Community and Climate Resilience Goals: Empower Safe and Resilient Communities Increase Access to Parks and Open Spaces Protect and Manage Water Resources Increase Biodiversity Advance Urban Forest Health Remediate Degraded Lands Mitigate Impacts from Extreme Heat Prevent Wildfire These goals ensure that Proposition 4 investments advance the Conservancy’s statutory mission and deliver direct, measurable, and equitable benefits to communities experiencing persistent underinvestment. Applications will be submitted in two phases: a Concept Proposal and a Full Application. It is strongly recommended that prospective applicants contact BH UWC staff and attend a grant workshop for a consultation prior to submitting a Concept Proposal.

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

Background: In July 2024, the Legislature approved Chapter 83 (SB 867, Allen), authorizing a $10 billion bond measure entitled the “Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024.” Largely designed to increase the state’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, the measure was placed on the statewide ballot as Proposition 4 and subsequently approved by voters in November. This bond measure builds on significant funding for climate-related programs—principally from the General Fund—the state made in recent years. Applications: Applications will be submitted in two phases: a Concept Proposal and a Full Application. Applicants will first submit a Concept Proposal that will be reviewed by RMC staff for consistency with RMC goals, any specific program priorities, and the strength of the proposed project. In addition, RMC staff will look at all Concept Proposals for location, need, project type, readiness, threats, cost, and cost share. RMC staff will offer applicants feedback regarding alignment with priorities, overall merit, and any ineligible costs. RMC staff will select Concept Proposals to move forward and will invite selected applicants to submit Full Applications. Applicants will be provided the Full Application upon RMC invitation. RMC staff are available to work with Applicants during the preparation of the Full Application, as needed. RMC may request Applicants to revise and resubmit Full Applications, as necessary. It is strongly recommended that prospective applicants contact RMC staff for a consultation prior to submitting a Concept Proposal.

Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Awards are made for projects that reduce climate change risks, protect natural and cultural resources, restore habitat and watershed systems, and improve public access to outdoor recreation within the Coachella Valley and its surrounding mountains. Eligible projects may include conservation land acquisition, habitat restoration and enhancement, watershed and ecosystem restoration, wildfire risk reduction, and improvements that expand safe and equitable access to parks, trails, and natural areas. Funding is provided through the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 4). Applications begin with submission of a Letter of Intent using the Conservancy’s Pre-Application Consultation Form. Following administrative review, eligible applicants may be invited to submit a full application. Additional information about the application process and eligibility requirements is available in the Proposition 4 Grant Program Guidelines on the Conservancy’s website. Projects that provide meaningful and direct benefits to disadvantaged communities (DACs), severely disadvantaged communities (SDACs), or vulnerable populations will receive priority consideration. Projects that demonstrate strong community engagement, leverage matching funds, support regional conservation objectives, and align with state initiatives such as California’s 30x30 conservation goal may also receive additional consideration during the evaluation process.