Grants in California

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery

Tire-Derived Aggregate (TDA) is made from shredded tires as an alternative to conventional lightweight aggregates that is: Lightweight Free-draining Less expensive Eligible Applicants Include: -All California local government entities, including cities, counties, and cities and counties. -Special districts, including transportation districts. -Joint Powers Authorities in which all JPA members are also eligible applicants. -Public school districts. -All California state agencies, including offices, departments, bureaus, and boards. -University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges. -Private, for-profit entities.      Defined as a business intended to operate at a profit and return a profit to its owner(s).      The business must be California-based, or if in another state, must have an operational presence in   California: see Application Guidelines and Instructions for complete details and restrictions. -Non-profit organizations, except private elementary or secondary schools, registered with the federal government under section 501(c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(6), or (c)(10) of the Internal Revenue Code. -Qualifying Tribal Entities.       A Qualifying Tribal Entity is defined as a tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, residing within the borders of California, which:           Is recognized for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of the               status of its members as Indians or:           Can prove that it is a government entity and meets the criteria of the grant program. Eligible projects include: Category 1: Mechanically Stabilized TDA for retaining walls. Category 2: Low Impact Development, stormwater mitigation including stormwater infiltration galleries. Category 3: Lightweight film, slope stabilization, embankment fill, landslide repair, and retaining walls. Category 4: Vibration mitigation under rail lines. Category 5: Landfill application, aggregate replacement projects such as leachate and gas collection systems, drainage layers, and leachate injection.   How to apply: Funding - CalRecycle Home Page  Applications due July 16, 2026.

Coastal Conservancy

Conservancy priority for the funding is for projects that advance the evaluation of sea otter reintroduction as a potential recovery strategy for southern sea otters in California. This may include activities such as conducting biological and socioeconomic studies, stakeholder engagement, risk and impact analyses, baseline assessments, and other research and planning.   Other projects that plan, implement, or conducted research related to other critical recovery actions of the Federal Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan will be considered as a second priority.

Coastal Conservancy

Conservancy priority for the funding is for projects that advance the evaluation of sea otter reintroduction as a potential recovery strategy for southern sea otters in California. This may include activities such as conducting biological and socioeconomic studies, stakeholder engagement, risk and impact analyses, baseline assessments, and other research and planning.   Other projects that plan, implement, or conducted research related to other critical recovery actions of the Federal Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan will be considered as a second priority.

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

The application will consist of a concept proposal followed by review and selection. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal followed by a second review and selection period. Concept proposals are due by 3 p.m. (PDT), July 30, 2026. Full invited proposals are due by 3 p.m. (PST), November 18, 2026. The Forest Health Research Program (hereafter “Research Program”) was established as part of CAL FIRE’s plan for implementing the California Forest Carbon Plan. It is one of several CAL FIRE programs funded through the California Climate Investments (CCI) program, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The mission of the Research Program is: To identify and prioritize research topics in forest health and fire science critical to the State of California To fund sound scientific studies that support forest landowners, resource agencies, and fire management organizations within the state To ensure scientific information generated from the program is made available to support decision making and policy To further the goals of the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, California Forest Carbon Plan, the California Natural and Working Lands Implementation Plan, CCI, and AB 32 Global Warming Solutions Act The program, procedures and requirements apply only to “stand-alone research” projects, where research-related activities are the only activities proposed. The following topics have been identified as priorities for study for the Research Program for FY 2026-27: Recovery, restoration, regeneration and reforestation strategies following wildfires and other disturbances in an altered future climate. Implementation, effectiveness, impacts, and tradeoffs of current and alternative management strategies to reduce unwanted wildfire impacts to communities, improve hydrologic functions including water quality and supply, improve air quality, sustain and promote biodiversity, mitigate impacts of pests, pathogens, and invasive species, and/or increase beneficial fire effects.  Methods of ecological monitoring to continually evaluate effectiveness, impacts and benefits of vegetation treatments at various scales.  Community resilience to wildfires and other ecological disturbances under current and future climate conditions. Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and tribal forest and fire management, especially research by tribal organizations or indigenous researchers. Forest products and utilization of forest residues related to fuel reduction and forest health treatments.Improved prediction of wildland fire spread, behavior, severity, and potential impacts, particularly under extreme weather conditions and/or within the wildland-urban interface.  In addition, the following special topic has been identified as priorities for the Research Program for FY 2026-27: Utilizing novel applications of FireSat Quick Beam Instrument data to answer ecological questions.

Department of Health Care Access and Information

This grant opportunity will result in funding organizations to educate and train primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, and pediatric) residents to work in underserved communities. All residency programs shall incorporate the following strategies into their programs:    1.      Providing training sites in medically underserved multi-cultural communities, lower socioeconomic neighborhoods, or rural communities, and preparing primary care physicians for service in such neighborhoods and communities. 2.      Establishing procedures to identify, recruit, and match primary care residents who possess characteristics which would suggest a predisposition to practice in areas of unmet need, and who express a commitment to serve in areas of unmet need. 3.      Implementing counseling and placement programs to encourage training program graduates to enter practice in areas of unmet need. 4.      Providing preceptorship experiences in an area of unmet need to enhance the potential of training program graduates to practice in such an area.  

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Projects under this grant: Make funding available through agreements with private nonindustrial forest landowners to pay for specific, non-commercial ecological forest improvement and wildfire resilience practices to the extent they support reforestation and longevity of existing regeneration.Provide technical assistance to promote information sharing and education on the full range of effective reforestation practices and opportunities as well as forest management education and management planni         Promote long-term storage of carbon in forest trees and soils through reforestation and reduction of forest overcrowding and pests. Further the goals of the California Forest Carbon Plan, California’s Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, California’s Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan, California’s Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire, and AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan.CAL FIRE seeks to significantly increase reforestation of forests degraded by overcrowding, drought, pest infestation, and catastrophic fire.

Strategic Growth Council

Eligible activities include but are not limited to Planning Activities, such as Community Needs Assessment . Feasibility Studies, Market Analyses . Environmental Assessments , and similar activities to determine housing needs and develop a project plan that is responsive to the needs of the community. The grant also funds Infrastructure Investments, such as Sewage and Drainage Infrastructure, Waste Management, and Electric Utility, Broadband, and Renewable Energy Infrastructure. The grant funds Sustainable Transportation Investments  such as Road and Safety infrastructure that do not increase vehicle capacity. The grant funds Site Acquisition and Preparation Site Appraisal and Acquisition, such as Site Preparation, including Surveying, Grading, and Mitigation, Architectural and Engineering costs, Ecological and Wildlife Restoration, and Disaster Preparedness. The grant also funds Other Associated Costs Legal Fees, such as Consultant Fees, Staff Development and Training, and Staff Salaries.

Strategic Growth Council

Eligible activities include but are not limited to Planning Activities, such as Community Needs Assessment . Feasibility Studies, Market Analyses . Environmental Assessments , and similar activities to determine housing needs and develop a project plan that is responsive to the needs of the community. The grant also funds Infrastructure Investments, such as Sewage and Drainage Infrastructure, Waste Management, and Electric Utility, Broadband, and Renewable Energy Infrastructure. The grant funds Sustainable Transportation Investments  such as Road and Safety infrastructure that do not increase vehicle capacity. The grant funds Site Acquisition and Preparation Site Appraisal and Acquisition, such as Site Preparation, including Surveying, Grading, and Mitigation, Architectural and Engineering costs, Ecological and Wildlife Restoration, and Disaster Preparedness. The grant also funds Other Associated Costs Legal Fees, such as Consultant Fees, Staff Development and Training, and Staff Salaries.

Strategic Growth Council

The Tribal Capacity Building Program provides funding and technical assistance to California Native American Tribes, enhancing staff capacity to advance Tribes’ climate- and housing-related work. The goal of the program is to help Tribes develop long-term capacity to secure funding and implement Tribal-led climate- and housing-related projects. More details about the program can be found below: Eligible Applicants: California Native American Tribes listed on the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) Contact List as of February 2026, including federally recognized and non-federally recognized Tribes. Non-federally recognized Tribes must be registered with the California Secretary of State as a nonprofit, a for-profit corporation, or a limited liability company. Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE) listed in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s National Directory of Tribes and TDHEs.  Eligible Activities: The program funds staff salaries and activities that advance Tribes’ climate- and housing-related work. Activities may include planning, securing funding for, and implementing housing projects and related efforts to advance climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.  Funding Available for Round 2 Awards: Grantees may receive funding between $350,000 and $420,000 total for the three-year grant term.  Grant Term Length: 36-month period  Grant Availability Type: Competitive  Match Funding Required: No  Limited Waiver of Sovereign Immunity: The SGC will not require a waiver of sovereign immunity from Tribes who are receiving funds on a reimbursement basis. However, requests for advance pay will necessitate federally recognized Tribal awardees to sign a limited waiver of sovereign immunity.  Disbursement Type: Reimbursement/advance pay for eligible entities Technical Assistance: In addition to providing funding, the program will offer grantees no-cost, flexible support that responds to each Tribe’s needs. The capacity building and technical assistance services offered include, but are not limited to:  Grant application assistance; Grant management support; Planning support; Implementation assistance; Staff development; Economic development; Trainings and workshops; Partnership building; Peer learning 

California Department of Education

STEM education initiative grants for CA to expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs in K-12 and postsecondary institutions.

Department of Parks and Recreation

Provides education to promote public awareness about boat sewage, its proper disposal, as well as tracking and monitoring use of existing pumpouts and dump stations along California’s waterways.