Capacity Building and Community Engagement Grant Program

The Capacity Building and Community Engagement (CBCE) Grant Program is administered by the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation through the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC), a division under the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement. OCPSC is charged with overseeing California’s key statewide public awareness and community outreach campaigns with the aim of fostering inclusive and effective engagement while addressing equity gaps in outreach. This program continues that mission by investing in nonprofit-led networks that can equip local organizations to better respond to state initiatives and community challenges. The purpose of the CBCE Grant Program is to identify and fund a single awardee who will establish and manage a network of community-based organizations (CBOs). This network will be designed to strengthen CBO capacity through training and technical assistance, enabling them to more effectively engage with the state and address challenges faced by their communities. The awarded organization will focus on enhancing organizational strength, fostering collaborative partnerships, and expanding outreach capabilities within vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations across California. This program builds on prior successful state initiatives, such as Census 2020 and COVID-19 response efforts, where smaller CBOs proved to be critical in reaching underserved communities. The awardee’s responsibilities include forming collaborative networks, strengthening organizational capacity, leveraging resources, and tying these activities to OCPSC’s broader priorities. These priorities emphasize the importance of “trusted messengers,” shared learning opportunities, and improving community resilience for current and emerging challenges. Eligibility is restricted to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status or those with a fiscal sponsor that has such status. Applicants must also have active tax-exempt standing with the California Franchise Tax Board at the time of application and must submit an IRS Form 990 from either the 2022 or 2023 tax year, showing gross revenue above $1 million. IRS 990 Postcards are not accepted. This funding opportunity is open to organizations across the state of California. The grant offers an estimated total of $800,000 in funding and anticipates making a single award. The period of performance is approximately 10.5 months. Applications must be submitted by May 19, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. PT. A question-and-answer webinar for prospective applicants is scheduled for May 9, 2025, at noon PT via Zoom. The anticipated award announcement is in June 2025. For questions, applicants may contact Aubrie Fong at 1-916-322-2318 or via email at OCPSC.Procurement@opr.ca.gov. Additional details and the full grant guidelines are available through the California Grants Portal.