Browse grants

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Small businesses in California that own or operate underground storage tanks can apply to the State Water Resources Control Board's RUST program to finance up to 100% of the cost to upgrade, remove, or replace gasoline tanks to meet state requirements. Grants range from $3,000 to $70,000 (with up to an extra $140,000 for certain remote public fueling stations). Applicants must employ fewer than 20 people, be CA-domiciled, have sold less than 900,000 gallons annually for the prior two years, and meet specific compliance conditions, making eligibility narrow.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, this Coastal Conservancy program funds the planning, design, permitting, and construction of lower-cost overnight coastal accommodations so more Californians, especially low- and middle-income households and underserved communities, can stay at the coast. Award amounts and deadlines are not listed. The program is geographically limited to the California coast and is not open to individuals or for-profit businesses.

State Treasurer's Office · $1–$5B

This California Health Facilities Financing Authority program offers tax-exempt bond financing (loans, not grants) to nonprofit 501(c)(3) health facilities and public health facilities such as district hospitals. Applicants must qualify as a health facility under the Authority's Act, have provided the same services for at least three years, and demonstrate fiscal soundness and ability to repay; new organizations are generally not eligible. There is no loan maximum and maturities can run up to about 40 years, with funds usable for construction, acquisition, equipment, refunding prior debt, and related costs, subject to issuance and annual fees.

State Treasurer's Office · $1.5M–$550M

This California State Treasurer's Office program provides tax-exempt conduit bond financing (not grants) to businesses for pollution control, waste disposal, recycling, water, and resource recovery facilities. Only businesses may apply, projects must be in California, and at least 95% of bond proceeds must go to the defined project; if the project defaults, the borrower alone is responsible for repaying bondholders. Financing amounts range from about $1.5 million to $550 million, and final eligibility depends on bond and tax counsel opinion.

Coastal Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for projects along the California coast, San Francisco Bay, and coastal watersheds that increase public access to beaches and trails, restore habitat, preserve working lands, and build climate resilience. The Conservancy funds most project stages from feasibility studies through construction and monitoring, but does not fund ongoing operations and maintenance. Awards are made through a rolling pre-application process; amounts and deadlines are not specified, and the program is geographically limited to California.

Department of Toxic Substances Control · Up to $2.5M

This is a loan program (not a grant) from California's Department of Toxic Substances Control, listed here as eligible to public agencies. It provides loans up to $2,500,000 to investigate, clean up, and redevelop abandoned or underutilized urban properties contaminated with hazardous materials. Applicants must have no disqualifying felony/misdemeanor convictions related to hazardous materials, fraud, or similar offenses, and no violations of environmental orders; funds are reimbursed against documented eligible costs and must be repaid over up to seven years.

Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank · Amount varies

California's Infrastructure State Revolving Fund (ISRF) Program, run by IBank, provides low-interest financing (loans, not grants) from $1 million to $65 million with terms up to 30 years for public infrastructure and economic development projects such as streets, water and wastewater systems, transit, parks, and public facilities. Only public agencies (city and local governments) are eligible, and applications are accepted year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. Note this is loan financing rather than grant funding, and projects must be in California.

U.S. Mission to the United Nations · $1K–$100K

Open to both individuals and organizations (nonprofits, think-tanks, civil society, NGOs, nonprofit educational institutions, and foreign public/UN entities), this U.S. Mission to the United Nations–Geneva small grants program funds projects advancing U.S. multilateral policy priorities such as human rights, humanitarian response, global health, climate action, UN transparency, and gender. For-profit and commercial entities are not eligible. Projects should target international audiences and have a presence in or be carried out in Geneva. Awards range from about $1,000 to $100,000.

Department of Housing and Community Development · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply for California HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds to support affordable housing for low- and very-low-income households. Funds (as loans/grants) cover program activities such as first-time homebuyer assistance, owner-occupied rehabilitation, and tenant-based rental assistance. This reopened NOFA distributes unclaimed 2024 funds over-the-counter on a first-come, first-served basis until exhausted, so timing matters; awards are limited to California and to projects serving households at or below 80% of Area Median Income.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply for this California (Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy) funding tied to the Randall Preserve. It supports work that reduces climate impacts on disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations and that creates, protects, or expands outdoor recreation opportunities. Funds must be encumbered or spent by June 30, 2028, and the program is specific to this preserve, so it is geographically narrow. No award range or application deadline is stated; contact the Conservancy for details.

State Treasurer's Office · Amount varies

California's Charter Access to Bank Loan Enhancement (Charter ABLE) Program, run by the State Treasurer's Office with federal funds, provides credit enhancement to lower the cost of financing permanent charter school facilities. Nonprofits and public agencies are eligible, but this is a facilities-financing credit enhancement tied to charter schools rather than a general-purpose grant, so it is narrowly targeted. Funding amounts and deadlines are not stated.

Tahoe Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to the California Tahoe Conservancy's Science and Lake Improvement Account program, which funds near-shore environmental work in the Lake Tahoe Basin, particularly managing aquatic invasive species or improving public access to sovereign land. Projects can include planning, site improvement or reconstruction on public land, and land acquisition from willing sellers. The program is funded at roughly $350,000 per year and is geographically limited to the Lake Tahoe Basin. No formal deadline is listed; contact grants@tahoe.ca.gov for details.

Department of Public Health · Amount varies

California Department of Public Health's Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment Grant funds projects that improve the lives of skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents, such as person-centered care, infection-control training, and arts/engagement programs. Eligibility is broad, including businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments. Note that research-only projects, capital improvements, staff salaries, and high-cost technology are not fundable; projects run up to 36 months and applicants must use the CDPH template.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This U.S. National Science Foundation program (Chemical Evolution of the Solid Earth and Volcanology) funds fundamental research on the origin and evolution of Earth's core, mantle, and crust, including volcanology, igneous and metamorphic processes, ore deposits, and geochronology. Only U.S.-based institutions of higher education and non-profit, non-academic research organizations (such as museums, observatories, and research laboratories) may submit proposals, so for-profit firms and individuals are not eligible to apply directly. Funding amounts and deadlines are not stated.

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery · Amount varies

California's CalRecycle Recycling Market Development Zone Revolving Loan Program offers financing (a loan, not a grant) to recycling-related businesses, nonprofits, and public agencies that prevent, reduce, or recycle waste through value-added processing or manufacturing. Applicants must be California-based and located within a designated Recycling Market Development Zone, which limits eligibility geographically. Award amounts are not specified.

Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy funds the acquisition of mountainous or natural conservation lands in California's Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains, and in limited cases capital improvements on existing conservation lands. Eligible applicants are nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments; the program is geographically restricted to the Coachella Valley area. Matching funds are preferred but not required, and priority goes to acquisitions supporting the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. No award amounts or deadline are listed.

Headquarters · $0

This is an informational notice from Headquarters regarding sequestration in the energy area, not an active funding opportunity. The listed award amount is $0 and no eligibility, deadline, or application details are provided. It does not offer money to apply for and is unlikely to be actionable for grant seekers.

Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy funds park, recreation, and conservation-land-access projects under California Proposition 68, open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and require a pre-application form plus a staff consultation before the full application. Projects serving severely disadvantaged communities (median income under 60% of the statewide median) receive priority, and the program is geographically limited to the Coachella Valley area; no fixed award amount is stated.

Department of Commerce · $0–$300K

This EDA Planning and Local Technical Assistance program (Philadelphia region) funds economic development planning in economically distressed areas. Eligible applicants are limited to District Organizations, Indian Tribes, states and political subdivisions, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits acting in cooperation with a political subdivision; private individuals and standalone for-profits are not eligible. Awards range up to about $300,000. Applications are submitted through EDA's EDGE platform, not Grants.gov.

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery · $500K–$4M

Businesses and nonprofits in California may apply to CalRecycle's Empty Glass Beverage Transportation Grant Program, which funds projects that move empty glass beverage containers by rail to CalRecycle-certified glass processing facilities. Eligible costs include rail transportation equipment, supplies, transport costs, new or upgraded rail lines, and directly related personnel. Awards range from roughly $500,000 to $4,000,000, but all projects and transportation must be located in and originate from California, a significant geographic restriction. No deadline is stated.