Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program

The Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) Sea Level Rise (SLR) Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program is administered by the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) under the SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program. Funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund via California Climate Investments, the program supports California Native American tribes in preparing for and adapting to the impacts of sea level rise on ancestral lands, cultural resources, and heritage. The program recognizes the unique challenges SLR poses to tribes, including the potential loss or degradation of culturally significant sites, restricted access to resources, and threats to traditional knowledge and practices. It aims to provide a flexible funding pathway distinct from the broader SB 1 program by accommodating both federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribes through nonprofit partners, inter-tribal consortiums, tribal conservation districts, and tribal partnerships. The primary goal of the program is to fund tribal-led projects that conduct pre-planning activities such as community visioning, data collection, vulnerability assessments, education, and outreach, as well as planning activities including setting adaptation priorities and developing culturally appropriate strategies to preserve and protect tribal cultural resources. Projects should align with OPC’s strategic objectives to build resiliency to sea level rise and enhance engagement with tribes. Eligible activities include assessing SLR impacts on both tribally owned and culturally significant non-tribally owned lands, using both scientific research and traditional knowledge. Funding available under this solicitation totals up to $5,000,000, with individual project awards anticipated to range between $250,000 and $750,000, though higher or lower amounts are possible with justification. Projects are expected to be completed within two years. Awards are made on a rolling quarterly basis through non-competitive review cycles, with anticipated proposal deadlines of September 12, 2025; January 5, 2026; April 2026 (TBD); and July 2026 (TBD), corresponding to earliest OPC meeting dates in March, June, September, and December, respectively. Funding is allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis to ensure readiness and responsiveness to urgent tribal needs. Eligible applicants include all California Native American tribes, regardless of federal recognition, provided they have cultural resources potentially threatened by SLR and seek to assess them for protection. Nonprofit organizations applying on behalf of non-federally recognized tribes must demonstrate established relationships via resolutions, memoranda of understanding, or letters of commitment from the tribal government. Proposals must also include a cover page, application form, budget, resumes/CVs of project team members, and applicable project letters. Certain projects, such as land acquisition or capital improvements, may require a limited waiver of sovereign immunity. Applications must be submitted electronically to OPC-SB1@resources.ca.gov with the subject line “[Main Applicant Name]-Tribal Cultural Resources-Proposal” by the applicable quarterly deadline. All accepted proposals undergo administrative and technical evaluation. Technical evaluation criteria include the use of best available science and traditional knowledge, evidence of urgency, likelihood of success, budget alignment, and engagement with tribal, local, and regional planning processes. Data confidentiality is a key requirement, with applicants prohibited from submitting site-specific sensitive data unless coordinated with OPC to ensure protections under existing law. For inquiries, applicants may contact Ella McDougall, Climate Change Program Manager, or Megan Williams, Coastal Resilience Program Manager, at OPC-SB1@resources.ca.gov. Additional information, application templates, and updates are available on the SB 1 Tribal Funding Program webpage. OPC also offers technical assistance through a complementary program to support eligible applicants in capacity building, grant writing, and proposal development for Tribal Cultural Resources Planning Projects.