California State Grants

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy program funded by California's Proposition 68 for drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor-access projects in the San Fernando Valley river area. Funding amounts and deadline are not specified in the listing. Projects must be located in the eligible California geographic area, so this is geographically restricted to that region.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to California's Wildlife Conservation Board Regional Conservation Investment Strategies (RCIS) grant program, which funds development of voluntary regional conservation strategy documents. Note that only public agencies may formally propose an RCIS, and proposals with matching funds (including in-kind) are prioritized, so a cost share is favored. Funding amounts and deadline are not specified in the listing.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Upland Game Bird Account grant, which funds projects—including habitat conservation—carrying out the purposes of Fish and Game Code §3684. Any proposal meeting the statutory criteria can qualify, and projects must serve California upland-game-bird purposes. Funding amounts and deadline are not specified in the listing.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Only public agencies and tribal governments (Native American tribal governments, counties, cities, and special districts) may apply to California Fish and Wildlife's Local Oil Spill Response Equipment Grant, which funds pre-positioning of oil-spill response equipment near state waters. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis with total available funding of $400,000. Projects must protect resources within or adjacent to California waters of the state, so this is geographically and entity restricted.

Ocean Protection Council · $250K–$750K

Only California Native American tribes (and nonprofits working in that capacity) are eligible for this Ocean Protection Council program, which funds tribal-led planning to assess and adapt to sea level rise impacts on tribal cultural resources, ancestral lands, and lifeways. Projects are expected to range from about $250,000 to $750,000 and may cover pre-planning (visioning, outreach, data collection, vulnerability assessments) or planning activities. Applications are accepted on a rolling, quarterly basis and reviewed non-competitively first-come, first-served, so eligibility is narrow and geographically limited to California.

State Treasurer's Office · $1–$5B

This California State Treasurer (CEFA) program offers tax-exempt bond financing, not a grant, to private nonprofit, accredited, degree-granting postsecondary schools located in or operating in California. Applicants must be regionally accredited by WASC, have operated at least three years with three years of audited financials, teach secular subjects neutrally, and have revenue or collateral sufficient to cover debt service. Funds can finance construction, renovation, land, equipment, or refinancing; there is no loan maximum but fees apply (including a $1,000 non-refundable application fee), so it suits established California institutions rather than new or out-of-state organizations.

Department of Housing and Community Development · Amount varies

Only eligible California Tribal Entities may apply to this Homekey Tribal NOFA from the California Department of Housing and Community Development; funds are available solely and exclusively to tribes. The money supports developing multifamily affordable rental housing for homeless and at-risk populations, including new construction, rehabilitation, manufactured housing, or conversion of non-residential space to permanent housing. Eligibility is narrow and limited to California tribal entities, so most nonprofits and businesses do not qualify.

San Diego River Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to this San Diego River Conservancy program funded by California's Proposition 4. It supports hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education. Award amounts and a deadline are not listed; projects are likely tied to the San Diego region.

San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy · $50K–$2M

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to this San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy wildfire prevention program. It funds fire prevention planning, fuel reduction, invasive species management, and forest-health/restoration work in the San Gabriel Mountains, foothills, and surrounding hills, with awards roughly $50,000 to $2,000,000. Applications proceed in two phases (concept proposal, then full application), and cost share is considered during review, so applicants should be prepared to discuss matching funds.

Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply to this Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy program funded by California's Proposition 4 climate bond. It funds projects that reduce climate-change risks and improve climate resilience, with priority on meaningful, direct benefits to disadvantaged communities, severely disadvantaged communities, tribes, and vulnerable populations. Specific award amounts and a deadline are not stated; projects must serve the Conservancy's region and goals.

CA Energy Commission · Amount varies

Only tribal governments are eligible for this CA Energy Commission program, which provides cost share to support federal funding applications for the Carbon Removal Innovation Support System (CRISP) focused on direct air capture of atmospheric carbon. Eligible work includes technology research, development, demonstrations, and pilot test centers; projects that benefit petroleum or gas production (including enhanced oil/gas recovery) are not eligible. Award amounts and a deadline are not listed.

CA Energy Commission · Amount varies

This California Energy Commission program provides cost-share funding to help applicants match federal clean-energy awards, and it is open to individuals and public agencies. The eligible projects vary depending on which federal funding opportunity you are pursuing, so you must already be tied to a qualifying federal opportunity listed in the solicitation. Funding amounts are not specified, and applicants generally need a corresponding federal award to use these matching funds.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, this California Wildlife Conservation Board program funds projects that measurably increase stream flow, including planning, scientific studies, implementation, and water-rights acquisition for in-stream flow. Priority goes to projects in critical salmonid watersheds, watershed/regional approaches, and efforts that enhance Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta outflows. Funding amounts are not stated; projects must align with California water and anadromous-fish objectives, so this is geographically limited to California.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

This California State Water Resources Control Board program (Proposition 68) funds water-recycling construction projects such as recycled-water treatment, storage, distribution, groundwater recharge, and potable reuse. Eligible applicants are local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofits qualified to do business in California, public utilities, recognized Native American tribes, and mutual water companies; operation and maintenance costs are not covered. Applicants must be California-based and grants cover construction costs only; funding amounts are not stated.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

California's Department of Fish and Wildlife offers this Wolf-Livestock Compensation program to reimburse livestock producers for confirmed or probable direct losses (death or injury) from wolf depredation, verified through a CDFW investigation. Eligible applicants are broad, including businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, but the program is geographically limited to California and tied to documented wolf depredation incidents. Recipients are expected to consult with the Department afterward on deterrent strategies; no award amounts or deadline are posted.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy offers this California Proposition 4 grant to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for water-related projects that protect or restore rivers, wetlands, streams, lakes, or watersheds, improve fish and wildlife resilience, or enhance climate and water resilience. Projects must comply with specific Prop 4 statutory sections and support a regional priority such as Los Angeles River Watershed climate resilience. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible, and projects are geographically focused on California; no award range or deadline is listed.

San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

This is a Technical Assistance Program from California's San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy that helps eligible applicants navigate the Conservancy's Proposition 68 grant process — providing tools, mentoring, and professional grant-writing/facilitation support rather than direct project funding. It is open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, with preferential access for projects in High-Need or Very-High-Need areas of the Conservancy's California jurisdiction. No award amount or deadline applies since this is assistance, not a cash grant.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy administers this California Proposition 68 grant program for nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, funding drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access projects under the 2018 bond act. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible, and projects are limited to California within the Conservancy's jurisdiction. No specific award amounts or deadline are stated; review the Conservancy's Prop 68 guidelines for project requirements.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

The San Joaquin River Conservancy program funds property acquisition for resource conservation and public access, plus habitat enhancement and restoration projects. Eligible applicants are nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments; individuals and most businesses cannot apply. Projects are geographically tied to the San Joaquin River area and must be approved by both the San Joaquin River Conservancy Board and the Wildlife Conservation Board, and no specific funding amounts or deadline are listed.

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy · Amount varies

The Community and Economic Enhancement Grant Program (Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, Proposition 68) funds recreation and tourism, historic and cultural preservation, and environmental education projects in California's Delta region, including planning and shovel-ready implementation projects. Eligible applicants are nonprofits and public agencies; individuals and businesses are not eligible, and projects serving disadvantaged communities receive priority. It is an ongoing noncompetitive process requiring a concept proposal before a full application, with no fixed deadline and no stated award amounts.