California grants for Nonprofits

This grant aims to fund innovative projects that increase demand flexibility in the Industrial, Agricultural, and Water (IAW) sectors, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing grid stability, and developing new technologies and strategies for load shifting, in line with California's goal of achieving a 7,000 MW load shift by 2030.

This grant provides funding for innovative projects that enhance energy storage technologies to improve grid reliability and support California's transition to 100% clean energy.

This funding opportunity provides financial support and resources to help immigrants and individuals with limited English proficiency in California start or grow small businesses that address social challenges in their communities.

Eligible Applicants: Local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations qualified to do business in California, Public Utilities, Federally and non-federally recognized Native American tribes on the Native American Heritage Commission’s list, and Mutual water companies. Eligible Uses: Eligible projects include recycled water treatment; recycled water storage, distribution, and pumping; groundwater recharge; and indirect potable reuse. Ineligible Uses: Operation and maintenance costs.  Eligible Costs: All costs necessary to determine the feasibility of using recycled water and to select an alternative to offset or augment the use of fresh/potable water from state or local supplies may be eligible for the planning grant. Eligible Communities: All community types are eligible for funding.  This includes small and large communities, non-disadvantaged, disadvantaged, and severely disadvantaged communities. For more information, please review the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) Guidelines: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/docs/wrfp_guidelines.pdf  

This grant provides financial support to non-profit organizations focused on social betterment, including disaster relief, basic needs, education in STEM fields, health initiatives, and programs for individuals with disabilities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that assist migrant and seasonal farmworkers, focusing on enhancing job training, education, employment services, housing stability, and youth development initiatives.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in California to assist residents with enrolling in public service programs through direct outreach and enrollment assistance.

The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) is offering the 2023-2024 Public-Space Activation Fund (PAF), a grant program aimed at supporting activities that revitalize public spaces within the City of Los Angeles, California. This initiative aligns with the DCA's mission to enrich the cultural life of the city by fostering community engagement and providing accessible cultural experiences. The grant seeks to fund projects that transform public areas into vibrant hubs of activity, reflecting a commitment to broad public benefit and cultural accessibility. The primary beneficiaries of the PAF are the residents and visitors of Los Angeles, particularly those who participate in or attend the various public events and activities supported by the fund. The impact goals include enhancing community cohesion, celebrating cultural diversity, and providing opportunities for cross-cultural learning. By supporting a range of accessible events, the fund aims to improve the quality of public life and create inclusive environments for artistic and cultural expression. The PAF prioritizes projects falling under four main categories, with specific emphasis on International Festivals & Intercultural Foods (IFIF). IFIF grants, typically ranging from $7,500 to $10,000, are designed for pop-up or festival-style events such as community picnics, outdoor festivals, block parties, and food/food-truck festivals. Additionally, creative enhancements to farmers' markets that incorporate live performing arts and cultural activities are highly encouraged. These projects are expected to embrace multicultural themes and feature entertainment suitable for family-friendly, street-adjacent spaces like public parks, schoolyards, and parking lots. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in public attendance at cultural events, greater community participation in organized activities, and a visible enhancement of public spaces. The success of IFIF projects, for instance, will be measured by their ability to promote opportunities for cross-cultural learning and engage diverse audiences through multicultural entertainment. The DCA's strategic priority is to activate public spaces, and this grant program serves as a direct implementation of that theory of change, believing that by funding accessible cultural events, they can foster a more connected and culturally rich urban environment.

The Community Foundation for Monterey County offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to support initiatives that increase awareness, promote acceptance, and improve the quality of life for the LGBTQ+ community in Monterey County, CA, with a focus on arts and culture, education, civil rights, health, mental health, organizational capacity building, and programs for youth and seniors.

The City of Twentynine Palms is launching its 2024-2025 Community Event Grant program, aiming to support events that celebrate the city's unique character, diversity, and history, while fostering community engagement and showcasing its vibrant culture. This program aligns with the city's mission to enhance the quality of life for its citizens by promoting a lively cultural scene and bringing people together through public events. The target beneficiaries are primarily the citizens of Twentynine Palms, with a focus on enhancing their quality of life. The impact goals include increasing community engagement, celebrating local culture and history, and providing accessible public events. Events should not be exclusive or celebrate small groups, but rather be open and beneficial to the broader community. The program prioritizes events that showcase Twentynine Palms’ character, diversity, or history. There is a strong focus on inclusivity, with a requirement for events to be held at ADA-accessible venues. While residency is not mandatory for applicants, events must occur within the city limits. Free attendance is encouraged, ensuring broad public access. Expected outcomes include a more vibrant community, increased civic pride, and a wider array of cultural and historical celebrations. Measurable results could include the number of events supported, attendance figures, and feedback from community members on the quality and impact of the events. The funding structure, providing 75% upfront and 25% upon completion, ensures accountability and successful execution of the proposed activities.

This program provides funding to local nonprofit organizations that support the social, family, and economic well-being of residents in Claremont, including students of the Claremont Unified School District.

Grants will be awarded for specific eligible activities, such as speaking on a panel, participating in a working group, or participation in other decision-making processes. The PP Grant Account cap per organization of $15,000 will ensure a proportional distribution of funds over time and across various organizations. Submissions for grant awards will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the grant period and payment for these discrete engagements will be prompt.

The City of West Hollywood's Cultural History Grant Program offers funding to individual artists, artist collectives, and nonprofit arts organizations. This initiative aligns with a broader mission to support and enrich the local arts scene by fostering the production, performance, or presentation of art projects within the city or those that specifically serve the West Hollywood community. The program aims to ensure a vibrant cultural landscape, reflecting a strategic priority to integrate arts and culture into the city's identity and community life. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are individual artists, artist collectives, and nonprofit arts organizations. The impact goal is to empower these entities to create and present art projects that resonate with or are situated within West Hollywood. By supporting these groups, the program seeks to enhance the accessibility and diversity of artistic expressions available to residents and visitors, contributing to a more culturally engaged and cohesive community. The program prioritizes and focuses on projects that take place in the City of West Hollywood or directly serve its community. There is a strong emphasis on inviting and encouraging applications from artists and organizations representing diverse populations and artistic disciplines, ensuring broad representation and equitable access to funding opportunities. This focus underscores a strategic commitment to inclusivity and the celebration of a wide array of artistic forms and cultural backgrounds. Expected outcomes include an increase in the number and variety of art projects produced, performed, or presented within West Hollywood, leading to a richer cultural environment. Measurable results would involve tracking the number of grants awarded, the types of art projects funded, the number of artists and organizations supported, and the estimated audience reach of these projects. The program's theory of change posits that by providing financial support to artists and arts organizations, the city can stimulate artistic creation and community engagement, thereby strengthening its cultural heritage and promoting a lively arts ecosystem. The maximum award per grantee is $10,000, with a total of $40,000 available funding for the program. This financial framework allows for a targeted approach, supporting multiple smaller-scale projects that can collectively make a significant impact on the local arts scene. The grant duration is not explicitly mentioned, suggesting a project-based funding model that allows flexibility for various artistic endeavors.

The City of Lubbock’s Cultural Arts Grant Program, administered by Civic Lubbock, Inc., offers financial support to local cultural organizations. This program aims to fund projects that actively promote tourism and enhance the arts and humanities within Lubbock. Funding is sourced from the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT), collected from local hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast inns. The program’s mission is directly aligned with the legal stipulations governing the use of HOT revenues, which mandate that funds be utilized for expenditures that promote tourism and the arts. To be eligible for funding, projects must demonstrate a direct promotion of tourism and the convention and hotel industry, specifically aiming to attract tourists and hotel guests to Lubbock. Additionally, projects must involve the encouragement, promotion, improvement, and application of various art forms, including instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, and visual arts, among others. The target beneficiaries are 501(c)3 tax-exempt cultural organizations or government equivalents that have been actively pursuing their goals for at least one year. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly outlined: enhancing the arts, boosting tourism, and supporting organizations in good standing with both the City of Lubbock and Civic Lubbock, Inc. The expected outcomes include an increase in tourism, a richer cultural landscape in Lubbock, and the successful execution of diverse art-related projects. Measurable results would likely include increased hotel occupancy rates, visitor numbers, and the number and quality of cultural events offered to the public. The City of Lubbock's strategic priority, as reflected in this grant program, is to leverage its Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue to foster economic growth through tourism and cultural development. The underlying theory of change is that by investing in cultural arts, the city can create a more attractive destination for visitors, thereby stimulating the local economy and improving the quality of life for its residents. The 2024 Grant Cycle will support projects taking place between September 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. Certain restrictions apply, prohibiting the use of grant funds for accumulated debt, general operational expenses, fundraising, or capital improvements.

The A Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy Fund is a grant program established to create a lasting legacy for the Blood Bank of the Redwoods, which has served North Bay communities since 1949. Administered in partnership with Community Foundation Sonoma County, the Fund aims to support initiatives that contribute to a stable blood supply. The Community Foundation of Mendocino County's mission aligns with this goal by fostering community well-being and supporting vital services. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations, including educational institutions, that are actively working to increase a stable blood supply. The primary impact goal is to strengthen the blood supply through community engagement. This includes reaching out to diverse populations, educating the public on the importance of blood donation, and engaging youth in blood donation efforts to cultivate future donors. The program's priorities and focuses include outreach, education, and youth engagement. Funding can be used for salaries or wages, marketing/promotional expenses, and stipends or incentives, all of which must directly relate to the proposed project. This focus ensures that the grants directly support activities that contribute to a more robust and reliable blood supply in the North Bay communities. Expected outcomes include an increase in blood donations, a more informed public regarding blood supply needs, and greater participation from youth in blood donation initiatives. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the focus on direct project-related expenses implies an expectation of tangible improvements in blood supply stability. The foundation's strategic priority is to uphold the legacy of the Blood Bank of the Redwoods by continuing its critical work through community-based programs.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government agencies in California to create and expand service opportunities specifically for young men and boys, promoting their engagement in community service and personal development.

This grant provides funding to tribes and community organizations to enhance their advocacy, education, and outreach efforts related to California Public Utilities Commission processes and decisions.

The purpose of this solicitation is to fund demonstrations of community-based virtual power plant (VPP) approaches and demonstrations of innovative energy management systems (EMS) in commercial buildings with the goal of increasing demand flexibility. Demand flexibility refers to comprehensive programs and strategies that align electricity consumption with dynamic grid conditions. These can include both event-based demand response (DR) and load shifting strategies. Accelerating demand flexibility is a key strategy for California to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the state’s climate and clean energy goals reliably and affordably.    VPPs are portfolios of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as smart thermostats, rooftop solar photovoltaics, electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and smart water heaters that are actively controlled by software to benefit the power system, consumers, and the environment. While these resources have the potential to meet grid needs as reliably as conventional alternatives such as gas-fired generators, their advantages extend further, offering greater affordability and substantial decarbonization benefits.[3] However, research and development of both technologies and business models is needed to fully capitalize on and understand VPPs’ potential, especially the systems that feature predictive controls and require minimal consumer engagement. The examples of predictive controls relevant to this research include, but are not limited to, the use of artificial intelligence or model predictive controls for EV load shifting or building pre-cooling applications.   Projects will be funded in two groups. Group 1: Virtual Power Plants: Demonstrations that showcase community-based demand flexibility programs as a long-term (10 or more years) grid resource. Project teams must partner with local governments or non-profits to facilitate customer participation and smart device installations. Projects must evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of community-based VPP approaches that use state-of-the-art DER management software (DERMS).   ·       Group 2: Commercial Building Energy Management in Low-Income or Disadvantaged Communities: Demonstrations of innovative EMS in commercial buildings focused on specific characteristics such as interoperability and adherence to open-source standards. Demonstrations require participation in electric investor-owned utility (IOU) or third-party DR programs and partnerships with device and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). These projects must showcase the latest advancements in energy management in the commercial sector and ensure technology adaptability, efficiency, and collaboration within the broader energy landscape.       

This grant provides funding for researchers with expertise in marine biology to study the reproductive ecology of black abalone at San Clemente Island, supporting both environmental conservation and military readiness.

This funding furthers the purposes of the Conservancy’s mission, enabling legislation Public Resources Code, Division 22.9, Sections 32630 et al. (“the San Diego River Conservancy Act”), the Conservancy’s Strategic Plan Update 2018-2023, and other state approved priorities and plans.