Browse grants

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through the California Wildlife Conservation Board's Public Access program, supporting the state's Outdoors for All Initiative. Funds planning grants for future projects and implementation grants for construction of wildlife-oriented recreation and nature education facilities, including hunting, fishing, and non-consumptive recreation. No award amount or deadline is listed.

Natural Resources · Amount varies

This Illinois Department of Natural Resources capital grant program funds specific projects named directly in the state's annual appropriation bill, covering local governments, units of government, educational facilities, and not-for-profit organizations for natural resource, recreation, and cultural resource purposes. Eligibility is restricted to entities explicitly named in the legislature's line-item appropriation, so organizations not already designated in the budget bill cannot apply on their own initiative. No deadline or award amount is listed.

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

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects along the Lower Los Angeles River in California that support severely disadvantaged communities through drought response and long-term water resilience, funded under Proposition 68. Applications go through a two-phase process: a Concept Proposal reviewed by Conservancy staff before an invited Full Application. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and eligibility is limited to projects in the Lower LA River program area serving disadvantaged communities.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California; this state Cleanup and Abatement Account funds emergency responses to pollution or urgent drinking water needs when no responsible party is available to pay for cleanup. Funding priorities and availability depend on legislative appropriations, penalty/settlement funds, and loan repayments, so amounts vary and are not fixed. No specific award amount or deadline is listed.

Natural Resources · Amount varies

Illinois' Recreational Access Program, funded through the federal Voluntary Public Access & Habitat Incentive Program, supports public access and habitat improvement projects on privately leased land, but it is open only to government organizations. Private landowners, nonprofits, and businesses are not eligible to apply directly. No award amount or deadline is listed.

Department of Housing and Community Development · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through California's Department of Housing and Community Development (Local Housing Trust Fund NOFA, Round 5). Provides low-interest (up to 3%) construction and permanent financing loans for affordable rental housing, shelters, supportive housing, and accessory dwelling units. At least 30% of funds must serve extremely low-income households, no more than 20% may serve moderate-income households, and administrative costs are capped at 5%, making this a fairly restrictive, compliance-heavy program.

San Diego River Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects that support the San Diego River Conservancy's mission under its enabling legislation and strategic plan. No specific award amount or deadline is currently published. Limited to projects within the Conservancy's San Diego River service area in California.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, and public agencies owning 20 to 5,000 acres of forest land in California; this program provides cost-share assistance (not full grants) for forest management planning, reforestation, and related improvement activities performed under a Registered Professional Forester. Broadcast, controlled, or cultural burning is not an eligible cost. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and applicants should expect to cover part of the cost themselves.

U.S. Mission to the United Nations · $5K–$15K

Open to individuals, registered nonprofits, think tanks, civil society/NGOs, educational institutions, and governmental institutions based in Geneva or abroad, this US Mission Geneva Small Grants Program funds projects that promote US policy priorities at international organizations, such as lectures, exhibitions, exchanges, workshops, or public awareness campaigns. Awards range roughly from $5,000 to $15,000, all projects must include a US element or connection, and for-profit or commercial entities are not eligible. Cost-sharing is encouraged but not required.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

The California Coastal Conservancy's Explore the Coast Overnight Program funds nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments to plan, design, permit, or build lower-cost overnight coastal accommodations, prioritizing access for low- and middle-income Californians and underserved communities. No specific funding amount or deadline is listed, and the program is limited to California coastal projects.

Department of Natural Resources · $10K–$10M

Open to government agencies, schools/universities, and nonprofits working on wildlife and habitat projects. Funds restoration, conservation, and management of wild birds and mammals and their habitat, plus public access, hunter education/safety, and shooting range development. Awards range widely from $10,000 to $10 million; no deadline is listed, so check with the funder for current cycle timing.

State Treasurer's Office · Amount varies

California charter schools (operating as nonprofits or public agencies) that serve a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals can apply for annual facility-cost grants through the State Treasurer's Office / California School Finance Authority. No specific award amount or deadline is listed here; availability is announced annually on the CSFA website, so applicants should check current-year details before applying.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through the California Wildlife Conservation Board's Riparian Habitat Conservation Program. Funds restoration of riparian vegetation, floodplain reconnection, invasive species control, and stream/fencing projects statewide in California. No specific award amount or deadline is provided.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and coastal watersheds. Funds feasibility studies, land acquisition, planning, design, permitting, and construction for beaches, parks, trails, habitat restoration, and climate resilience projects, but does not cover ongoing operations or maintenance. Most funding is awarded through a rolling pre-application process; geographically limited to coastal California, and no set award amount or deadline is listed.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open exclusively to California Native American tribes -- other applicant types are not eligible. Funds tribal emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts related to oil spills, protecting ancestral lands and communities, through the Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response. No award amount or deadline is specified.

Natural Resources · Amount varies

This Illinois Natural Resources pilot program funds conservation education and employment opportunities for young Illinois residents ages 15–25. Per the eligibility text, grants are limited to Illinois units of local government and nonprofit entities providing this programming — despite a conflicting 'for-profit' category label elsewhere in the listing. Award amounts were not specified (marked TBD).

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments serving severely disadvantaged communities can apply for this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy grant funded under Proposition 68 (2018), a $4 billion bond for drought, water, parks, climate, and coastal protection projects. No specific award amount or deadline is listed here; eligibility is narrowed to projects benefiting severely disadvantaged communities specifically.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California for river and stream restoration projects, including floodplain reconnection and riparian habitat work, funded through Proposition 68. No specific award amount or deadline is currently published. Geographic scope is limited to California rivers and streams.

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

Individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply for this CAL FIRE program funding large-scale wildfire and landscape resilience projects, including hazardous fuels reduction, prescribed fire, reforestation, biomass utilization, and workforce training, with awards ranging from $5 million to $20 million. The program favors applicants who can demonstrate strong administrative and technical capacity to manage large, multi-partner projects, and concept proposals are due by 3 p.m. PDT on June 30, 2026, so smaller organizations without prior large-grant management experience may be at a disadvantage.

Department of Toxic Substances Control · Amount varies

California's Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Program, run by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, helps nonprofits, tribal entities, and local governments assess or clean up brownfield sites they own, as long as they are not liable for the contamination under federal CERCLA law. As of the program record, DTSC states it is not currently accepting applications due to insufficient funds in the revolving loan fund, so applicants should confirm funding availability before applying.