California Social Advocacy Grants

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that assist California's vulnerable populations in gaining employment through social enterprises and work-based learning programs.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit and government organizations in California to develop or improve community resilience hubs that help prepare for and respond to climate-related emergencies, particularly in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

This funding provides $50,000 to individuals in San Diego County who are dedicated to advancing racial equity and social justice through impactful leadership and collaboration.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Sacramento County that promote diversity, equity, and community engagement.

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

This grant provides funding to organizations that support programs improving the lives of Jewish women and girls, with a focus on addressing their unique cultural and gender-related challenges.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Sacramento County to enhance their operations and community engagement over a three-year period.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that deliver essential services and programs for individuals with psychiatric and developmental disabilities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in specific California counties to improve educational outcomes for boys and men of color by enhancing access to post-secondary education and addressing systemic barriers.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for community projects in Pajaro, California, aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness, social services, economic development, healthcare access, language services, and community beautification for local residents.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and artists in Santa Cruz County to create and present high-quality arts programming, engage diverse audiences, and promote equitable access to the arts.

This grant provides funding to faith-based organizations in select Bay Area counties to support programs that promote racial and economic equity, civic engagement, and community services for low-income residents and communities of color.

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 supports educational and stewardship projects that connect diverse California communities to the coast and ocean, particularly those historically underserved in marine education.

The San Diego County Bar Foundation provides grants to improve public awareness of the legal system, the administration of justice and the delivery of legal services through distribution of its funds. Donor Name: San Diego County Bar Foundation State: California County: San Diego County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: By offering an effective means for the legal community to engage in law-related philanthropy, the San Diego County Bar Foundation strengthens the profession by providing lawyers the opportunity to contribute to the quality and benefit of San Diego County. Based on the belief that justice serves as the great equalizer in the society, they ensure access to justice by investing in legal aid and public interest organizations along with expertise, leadership and advocacy. They serve as a leader in the community and a model bar foundation nationwide. They maintain the highest level of commitment to the permanence of the Bar Foundation and its work by building law- related philanthropy. Core Values Access to Justice  Equal access to justice is central to the democratic society, integral to the efficient functioning of the justice system and a critical part of the safety net for the vulnerable in the society. They support the legal and non-legal community through the diligent grant making process and the on-going fundraising efforts in order to create a healthier and stronger community environment. Service – The focus always centers on providing equal access to justice, public awareness and advocacy to the underserved and vulnerable as well as increasing public awareness of these needs through on-going education.  Accountability – They are the conscientious stewards of the Foundation’s funds to ensure that they are put to the best use. The donors and the legal community have confidence in the due diligence process and know that their funds will benefit the designated community partners. The sustainability is guaranteed through the growing endowment.  Integrity – They maintain honesty in word and deed, civility in the interactions and communications, and demonstrate fairness to all. No conflict of interest.  Permanence – They preserve the longevity of the Foundation and ensure the legacy through the continual growth in the endowments. Grant Period Generally, grant awards will be for a period not to exceed one year. Eligibility Criteria  Legal aid and public interest non-profits providing services within the county of San Diego are eligible to apply. Limitations Grants will NOT be made in support of the following: Organizations which are not tax exempt as described in section 509 (a) (1) and 170B (1) (a) of the Internal Revenue Code Religious, Political or lobbying purposes Organizations whose primary function is to allocate funds to other charitable organizations or projects Projects outside of San Diego County Loans. For more information, visit SDCBF.

The Clean Power Alliance provides Community Benefits Grants to organizations working to advance clean energy, green jobs, environmental education and stewardship, and energy equity and diversity in the communities that CPA serves. Donor Name: Clean Power Alliance State: California County: Los Angeles County (CA), Ventura County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/13/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Priority Focus Areas The CBG is available to projects and organizations focused on advancing clean energy, sustainability, and resiliency through the following pathways: Research Environmental and Social Justice Communities Workforce Development Education The CPUC identified environmental and social justice communities as those where residents are: Predominantly communities of color or low-income Underrepresented in the policy setting or decision-making process Subject to a disproportionate impact from one or more environmental hazards and Likely to experience disparate implementation of environmental regulations and socioeconomic investments in their communities On the ground, targeted communities typically include but are not limited to: Disadvantaged Communities, located in the most environmentally burdened California census tracts, as determined by the 25 percent highest scores (75th percentile) when using the CalEnviroScreen tool All Tribal lands Low-income households (household incomes below 80 percent of the area median income) and Low-income census tracts (census tracts where aggregated household incomes are less than 80 percent of area or state median income). Funding Information Awards will range from $15,000 to $30,000. Grant Period  One-Year grant. Geographic Areas The CPA service territory: Agoura Hills Hermosa Beach  Sierra Madre  Alhambra  Malibu  Simi Valley  Arcadia  Manhattan Beach  South Pasadena  Beverly Hills  Moorpark  Temple City  Calabasas  Monrovia  Thousand Oaks  Camarillo  Ojai  Unincorporated Los Angeles County  Claremont  Oxnard  Unincorporated Ventura County  Carson  Paramount  Ventura  Culver City  Redondo Beach  West Hollywood  Downey  Rolling Hills Estates  Westlake Village  Hawaiian Gardens  Santa Paula  Whittier  Hawthorne  Santa Monica Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants must be an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the areas where CPA provides electricity.  Previous Community Benefits Grant recipients are eligible to apply for the 2024-2025 grant cycle. However, previous grant recipients are ineligible to receive funds more than two years in a row.  For more information, visit CPA.

The California Wildlands Grassroots Fund (Cal Wildlands) supports the heroic efforts of grassroots activists to preserve California’s wildlands and natural habitat. Donor Name: Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment State: California County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  08/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: The Fund champion’s conservationists advocating for the permanent protection, including restoration and stewardship, of intact wildlands on both public and private lands, to help preserve California’s wilderness and native biological diversity. This includes policy advocacy, litigation and regulatory watchdogging at the local, state and federal levels; efforts to advance wildlands and open space protection through county general plans and local planning; as well as direct stewardship and maintenance of intact wild areas. Priority Areas Community-based advocacy and organizing efforts steered by affected community members. Efforts predominantly driven and staffed by volunteers. Projects in areas that have not received significant foundation support, including rural communities. Projects that build diverse constituencies for wildlands protection and engage non-traditional stakeholders, especially communities of color. Project-specific requests, though general support requests will be accepted from strong organizations whose work is well aligned with the fund’s objectives. Projects that will establish or combat a critical precedent that will influence other wildlands protection efforts. Funding Information Maximum grant award is $10,000, and typical grants range between $4,000-$8,000. If your organization’s actual annual income and expenses are $30,000 or less, they strongly encourage you to request a grant of $5,000 or less. Organizations seeking the maximum grant size of $10,000 must be able to articulate a clear project and budget that justifies the full grant. Grants are for a one year period. Geographic Scope Project impact must be within the state of California. Eligibility Criteria Annual actual expenses and income of $200,000 or less. Applicants may be a nonprofit, or an individual/organization fiscally sponsored by a nonprofit. The Fund supports: Projects that protect and preserve wildlands and open space, or support the good stewardship, restoration and management of wild areas. Cal Wildlands defines “wildlands” as natural habitats, privately or publicly owned, that are (or have the potential to be) permanently preserved through legislation or deed restrictions, and are on a scale necessary to support significant native plant and animal life. Projects in urban or suburban settings, must feature connectivity to larger protected areas and/or be located along critical wildlife corridors. Activities such as grassroots organizing and outreach; communications campaigns; regulatory advocacy; lawsuits; wildlands restoration and stewardship (including trail maintenance); scientific research; organizational capacity building and equipment purchases. Environmental education programs must include a strong element of environmental advocacy to be considered. For more information, visit RFCE.

The Latino Restaurant Association is accepting applications for its Helping Latino Restaurant Owners Thrive Grant Program. Donor Name: Latino Restaurant Association State: California, California County: Selected Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/23/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Latino Restaurant Association provides resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities to help Latino-owned restaurants succeed and grow. The Foundation looking to assist 35 restaurants in South Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties, focusing on owners of Latino heritage and those who made significant contributions to the Latino community. Eligibility Criteria You are a restaurant owner of Latino heritage and/or have made significant contributions to the Latino Community You own 3 or fewer restaurants making less than $1M a year each You have been in business for more than 3 years You are a business customer of SoCalGas And your restaurant is in South Fresno, Kings and Tulare Counties, CA If you meet all of these criteria requirements, you can apply for the $2,500 restaurant grant! Please do not apply if you do not meet all the eligibility requirements. Document Guideline W9 Form Official photo ID of restaurant owner Annual report or taxes for last 3 years SoCal Gas Commercial Bill (current) Summary of use of funds: How would you use these funds (ie: kitchen equipment, technology upgrades, employee training and bonuses)? How would the funding impact your business in a manner that reflects on your restaurant/community? How do you plan on sustaining funds received in your restaurant? For more information, visit Latino Restaurant Association.

The Neighborhood Beautification Grant (NBG) initiative, a component of the City’s Community Partnerships & Engagement Division (CPED), is designed to engage and encourage residents to work with their neighbors on an enhancement and improvement project that promotes healthier, safer, and cleaner neighborhoods, while strengthening community connections and the social fabric within them. Donor Name: City of Salinas State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/26/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The NBG objective is to cultivate healthy and resilient neighborhoods, support engaged and informed residents, stimulate a thriving community, and properly manage shared assets and spaces to achieve a collective impact in the development of neighborhood communities and service delivery strategies to improve the overall quality of life in Salinas. Funding Information To carry on with the program, the City council approved an allocation of funds for beautification projects in the amount of $42,000, to be equally distributed at $6,000 to each Council District and the Mayor’s office Project Criteria Projects submitted should:   Be able to be completed within the grant established timeline.   Promote neighborhood self-help efforts.   Promote neighborhood improvement and beautification.   Provide health and safety benefits as well as improvements for residents.   Have confirmed neighborhood support.  Be visible and accessible to all city residents.  Support a neighborhood need.  Eligibility Criteria Any resident, group, and/or organization with a new or established community project in Salinas is eligible to apply. The group project must focus on beautification, restoration, neighborhood improvements, fostering neighborhood leadership and/or address neighborhood problems. Each group must include at least five volunteers or members to be eligible.   The following groups working on a project that will directly benefit their community are encouraged to apply: Residents   Community-led groups   Advocacy groups   Art organizations   Apartment or community associations   Neighborhood watch groups  For more information, visit City of Salinas.

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.