California Permitting Academy

The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has launched the California Permitting Academy Host Grant, a state-funded initiative designed to enhance the technical capabilities of local governments in streamlining permitting processes. GO-Biz serves as California’s central hub for economic development and business assistance, including helping developers and businesses navigate complex permitting systems across state and local levels. Through this grant, GO-Biz aims to expand its reach by supporting a host organization capable of administering the newly established California Permitting Academy, which will offer structured technical assistance and professional development to local government personnel. This initiative arises from years of internal GO-Biz work developing educational tools and facilitating inter-agency coordination to support permitting improvements, particularly for clean energy and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure projects. The Permitting Academy is envisioned as a series of in-person, week-long training intensives delivered across California—specifically in Northern, Central, and Southern regions. Each academy session will cater to representatives from up to five local governments that commit to pursuing concrete streamlining objectives. Participating local governments must identify a specific permitting project and a team of three to six key staff members to attend, including officials with oversight over permitting functions. Curriculum elements will include sessions on permitting modernization best practices, California-specific permitting guides, process mapping exercises, and legal compliance updates. The selected host organization will be responsible for developing the curriculum, managing recruitment and logistics, conducting the sessions, and providing follow-up technical assistance. This includes planning and managing all program deliverables—from creating a promotional strategy and application intake to coordinating meals, accommodations, and faculty engagement. Each cohort will be required to complete both pre- and post-academy surveys, assessing current permitting timelines and identifying areas of potential improvement. The grantee will also work closely with GO-Biz staff throughout the implementation period to ensure effectiveness and consistent program evaluation. A minimum of six academy cohorts must be delivered during the two-year grant term. The total funding allocated to this opportunity is $5 million in state funds, with only one award to be made. This amount is intended to cover all deliverables and may be used by the grantee to incentivize local government participation. Payment is structured on a reimbursement basis, contingent upon submission and approval of quarterly deliverables. Invoices are to be submitted within 30 days of each quarter’s end. The period of performance for this grant is from April 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit or community-based organizations—including 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) entities—with primary operations in California. They must demonstrate current active status with the California Secretary of State and not be under any government-imposed debarment. Additionally, applicants must show organizational capacity and experience in professional development, economic development, or government modernization. The designated Project Manager must have expertise in relevant fields such as public policy, economics, land use planning, or communications. Proposals must be submitted electronically to [email protected] by 5:00 PM PT on March 6, 2026. An optional Letter of Intent may be submitted by February 27, 2026. Proposal requirements include a cover letter, resumes, technical proposal, implementation plan and timeline, sample work, budget overview, budget justification, and at least three letters of reference. Proposals will be scored based on experience, alignment with RFP requirements, quality of references, and budget justification. The tentative award announcement is scheduled for March 16, 2026. While this grant is not designated as recurring, the structured delivery over two years implies a continuous evaluation and improvement cycle.

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