Browse grants

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The National Science Foundation's Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) program funds projects that integrate engineering research and education to strengthen and expand the U.S. engineering workforce, across formal classrooms, maker spaces, apprenticeships, and workplaces. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any eligible entity), though NSF awards in practice typically go to universities and research institutions with a qualified principal investigator. Award amounts and deadlines are not specified here, so consult the full solicitation.

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

Open to individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, tribal governments, and other legal entities for large, regional wildfire and landscape resilience projects in California, funded by CAL FIRE. Eligible work includes fuels reduction, prescribed and cultural fire, reforestation, biomass utilization, and related planning, with awards ranging from $5 million to $20 million. This is a competitive, multi-partner program that favors applicants with strong administrative and technical capacity, and concept proposals are due 3 p.m. PDT on June 30, 2026.

U.S. National Science Foundation · From $200K

Open to any type of entity (subject to NSF clarifications), this NSF MultiPLEx program funds ambitious international multilateral research partnerships that address grand challenges and require collaboration with at least two countries other than the US. Awards run up to about three years and typically start around $200,000; the funds support only the US research team, so international partners must seek their own national funding. This is well suited to US research institutions leading global collaborations.

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

Open to individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects that expand convenient beverage container recycling across California, such as collection at multi-family housing, schools, parks, and community events, water refill stations, and US-Mexico border litter cleanup. Awards range roughly from $75,000 to $275,000, and funding must tie directly to California Redemption Value (CRV) beverage containers. Note that education materials are capped at 25 percent of the award and out-of-state containers cannot be funded, so this is geographically limited to California programs.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and other legal entities that own 20 to 5,000 acres of California forest land, this program provides cost-share assistance for forest improvement such as a Registered Professional Forester management plan, reforestation, thinning, pruning, and wildlife habitat work. Because it is cost-share, applicants must contribute a portion of project costs; controlled/cultural burning is not eligible. Eligibility is tied to owning qualifying California forest acreage.

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.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Eligibility is unrestricted and open to any type of entity (subject to any clarifications in the program's eligibility text), making this NSF program broadly available. The Accountable Institutions and Behavior (AIB) Program funds theoretically grounded, methodologically rigorous basic social-science research on attitudes, behavior, and institutions related to public policy and public services, and also supports undergraduate research experiences and methodological infrastructure. Note that the program does not fund applied research, so proposals must be basic-science oriented.

State Treasurer's Office · Amount varies

California's Sales and Use Tax Exclusion (STE) Program lets eligible manufacturers exclude qualifying equipment purchases from state and local sales and use taxes when building or upgrading facilities for advanced manufacturing, recycling, alternative energy, or advanced transportation. Businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply, but the project must occur in California and involve qualified manufacturing property. This is a tax-exclusion benefit rather than a cash grant, so confirm the qualifying-property and project requirements with CAEATFA before applying.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Open to any type of entity (the NSF lists eligibility as unrestricted, though awards typically go to universities and research institutions). The U.S. National Science Foundation's Research on Research Security (RoRS) program funds evidence-based, interdisciplinary research, conferences, and planning that build the emerging field of research security, with international collaboration encouraged where appropriate. No award amount or deadline is stated here.

Ocean Protection Council · $200K–$1.5M

California's Ocean Protection Council offers this Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation grant (Track 1) to fund planning activities such as community visioning, vulnerability assessments, data collection, and adaptation plans to prepare coastal and San Francisco Bay communities for sea level rise. Eligible applicants are businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, and awards range from roughly $200,000 to $1.5 million. Track 1 proposals are accepted on a rolling, non-competitive quarterly basis if they meet program criteria, and projects must address California coastal or Bay shoreline impacts.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF program funds fundamental engineering research on process systems, reaction engineering, and molecular thermodynamics, including reactor design, multi-scale modeling, and sustainable chemical manufacturing. Eligibility is unrestricted, meaning most entity types (including universities, businesses, and nonprofits) may submit, though NSF research awards are most commonly made to academic researchers. Funding amounts and a specific deadline are not listed, so confirm program details and proposal windows with the NSF disciplinary program officer.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Chemical Process Systems (CPS) program funds fundamental research on chemical and biochemical processes to make manufacturing, energy, and biotechnology more efficient and sustainable, spanning catalysis, reactor design, separations, and process optimization. Eligibility is unrestricted, so universities, research organizations, and other entity types may apply. No specific award amount or deadline is listed in the program description.

NSWC CRANE - N00164 · Amount varies

This Navy (NSWC Crane) Broad Agency Announcement seeks innovative research and technology demonstrators in national-security focus areas such as electronic warfare, sensors, hypersonics, and power systems. Eligibility is unrestricted to any entity type, so businesses, nonprofits, universities, and research organizations may propose, though work must align with the Navy's defense mission. No fixed award amount or deadline is stated; proposers are encouraged to contact the listed points of contact before submitting.

CA Energy Commission · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, public agencies, and tribal governments, this California Energy Commission program provides matching (cost-share) funds to support applicants pursuing federal geothermal energy funding opportunities. It targets energy science, technology, and R&D projects. Award amounts are not stated; applicants should consult the application manual, and because it is a cost-share program, recipients must secure the corresponding federal award.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Electrochemical Systems program funds fundamental engineering research on electrochemical and photochemical processes for sustainable production of electricity, fuels, and chemicals, and for energy storage. Eligibility is unrestricted in principle (open to the entity types NSF lists, typically universities, research institutions, and qualifying organizations), subject to NSF's standard clarifications. No specific award amount or deadline is given in this listing, so check the current NSF solicitation for proposal windows and limits.

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · $1–$190K

Businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to the CA Department of Food and Agriculture's Beet Curly Top Virus Control Program, which funds projects developing new methods to manage the beet leafhopper (the virus's main vector) or to enhance other program areas. Awards range up to about $190,000. Funded approaches must use either no-pesticide alternatives or pesticides approved by CA's Department of Pesticide Regulation for the relevant use. Proposals must be submitted 30 days before posted Control Board meetings, so timing depends on the published meeting schedule.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Infrastructure Cluster supports oversight and operation of facilities that enable atmospheric and geospace research, including the National Center for Atmospheric Research, community instrumentation, and data services. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications in the full solicitation. Award amounts and deadlines are not specified here; this is oriented toward research facilities and institutions rather than typical small nonprofits or individuals.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Upland Game Bird Account grant, which funds projects—including habitat conservation—carrying out the purposes of Fish and Game Code §3684. Any proposal meeting the statutory criteria can qualify, and projects must serve California upland-game-bird purposes. Funding amounts and deadline are not specified in the listing.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Open to any type of entity (the NSF lists eligibility as unrestricted, though awards typically go to universities and research institutions). This U.S. National Science Foundation program funds fundamental engineering research on biological and biomedical systems, including biosensing platforms, optical imaging, biomanufacturing, tissue/organ function, and rehabilitation engineering. Note: proposals focused mainly on drug design, drug delivery, or developing animal disease models are not supported. No award amount or deadline is stated here.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Open to any type of entity (the NSF lists eligibility as unrestricted, though awards typically go to universities and research institutions). This U.S. National Science Foundation program funds fundamental engineering research in biophotonics, including deep-tissue imaging, optical sensing and biomarkers, neurophotonics, and low-cost, minimally invasive medical diagnostics and therapies. No award amount or deadline is stated here.