California Environment Grants

This grant provides financial assistance to local agencies and organizations in California for the construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities that help recreational boaters properly dispose of sewage waste, promoting cleaner waterways and safer boating experiences.

The Innovation Fund by Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in California offers grants over $1 million to stimulate innovative public service projects and programs in areas like equitable access to services, economic vitality, and environment, available to IRS tax-exempt organizations operating in Contra Costa County, with application deadline on 10/07/2024.

The Clean Power Alliance (CPA) offers Community Benefits Grants (CBG) to support organizations that are advancing clean energy, fostering green jobs, promoting environmental education and stewardship, and championing energy equity and diversity within the communities served by CPA. This grant program directly aligns with CPA's mission to drive sustainability and resiliency through various pathways, reflecting their strategic priority to invest in community-level initiatives that complement their core energy services. The CBG program targets several key beneficiaries, particularly focusing on environmental and social justice communities. These include areas predominantly inhabited by communities of color or low-income populations, those underrepresented in policy and decision-making processes, and communities disproportionately affected by environmental hazards. Specifically, targeted communities include disadvantaged communities (based on CalEnviroScreen scores), all Tribal lands, and low-income households or census tracts. The impact goals are to alleviate environmental burdens, promote equitable access to clean energy benefits, and empower these communities through education and workforce development. The program prioritizes projects and organizations that advance clean energy, sustainability, and resiliency through specific focus areas: Research, Environmental and Social Justice Communities, Workforce Development, and Education. These priorities are designed to address systemic inequalities and foster a just transition to a clean energy economy. The expected outcomes include increased community engagement in clean energy initiatives, the development of a skilled green workforce, improved environmental literacy, and a reduction in environmental disparities in historically underserved areas. Awards for this grant range from $15,000 to $30,000, with a grant duration of one year. Eligible applicants must be IRS-designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations operating within the CPA service territory, which encompasses numerous cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. While previous grant recipients can apply for the 2024-2025 cycle, they are ineligible to receive funds for more than two consecutive years. This structure aims to ensure a broad reach of funding and sustainable impact across the service areas.

This funding opportunity supports public agencies in California to create regional conservation plans that protect and restore habitats for vulnerable species through collaborative efforts and the use of scientific data.

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  

Eligible applicants include: • Manufacturers that produce (or will produce) an eligible product.• Waste tire processors that also manufacture an eligible product.• Manufacturers of devulcanized rubber.• Rubber compounders.• Manufacturers of calendered rubber sheeting products.• Manufacturers that produce products on a contract basis for other companies provided they have that other company’s written permission to produce an eligible product and receive the incentive. Eligible products include: • A new or existing product that has not benefited from the Tire-Derived Product Grant Program.• An existing or new/improved product currently manufactured with virgin rubber, plastic or other material which will be produced with a minimum of five percent crumb rubber and may be co-extruded, injected, compounded, calendered or otherwise combined (also known as “feedstock conversion”). This includes compounded rubber and calendered sheet rubber as intermediate products.• An existing or new/improved product currently manufactured with virgin rubber, plastic or other material which will be produced with a minimum of five percent devulcanized crumb rubber and may be co-extruded, injected, calendered or otherwise combined. This includes devulcanized crumb rubber as an intermediate product.• An existing or new/improved product that will use fine (≤50) mesh crumb rubber. Particle size and particle size distribution are determined in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D5644 and D5603 and will be verified by CalRecycle or a CalRecycle contractor.

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.

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.

This program provides financial support to property owners and businesses in downtown Bishop to improve building aesthetics, restore historic features, and stimulate economic growth through private investments.

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.

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.

This funding opportunity supports small and mid-sized organizations and individual artists in San Francisco who are connected to historically marginalized communities, helping them sustain their work and remain in the city.

This funding opportunity is designed to assist local governments and organizations in California with urgent tasks related to the conservation and management of natural habitats for wildlife and plant species.

The Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation is accepting applications for its Mini-Grant Program, offering $2,500 grants to organizations in Bronx County, NY, Fresno County, CA, and San Joaquin County, CA, that support youth leadership, citizenship, health, school activities, and community involvement.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state agencies in six targeted states to improve regional preparedness and resilience against catastrophic events, focusing on housing, community resilience, and long-term vulnerability reduction.

This grant provides financial support to local nonprofits in Orange County that promote renewable energy awareness and environmental stewardship.