Browse grants

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through the California Wildlife Conservation Board's Desert Conservation Program, but limited to projects in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts region of California. Funds land acquisition, restoration, and management to protect biodiversity, air/water quality, and climate resilience; applications are accepted on a continuous basis. No award amount or deadline is specified.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments through the California Wildlife Conservation Board's Regional Conservation Investment Strategies program, though public agencies typically lead these voluntary regional conservation planning efforts. Priority goes to areas lacking an existing conservation plan and to proposals that include matching funds (cash or in-kind) and demonstrate readiness. No specific award amount or deadline is listed.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in the San Fernando Valley area can apply for this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy grant funded under California's Proposition 68 (2018), a $4 billion bond supporting drought, water, parks, climate, and coastal protection projects. No award amount or deadline is listed here; applicants should review the Conservancy's Proposition 68 Grant Program Guidelines for full details.

State Water Resources Control Board · $2M–$10M

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments operating public water systems in California, for construction of drinking water infrastructure like treatment facilities, storage, and distribution systems. Eligible community water systems may receive principal forgiveness (effectively grant funding) from $2 million up to 100% of project cost depending on the community served and local water rates; other financing carries 0% to roughly half the state bond rate. Applications are accepted continuously but undergo a detailed technical, legal, and financial review.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open broadly to individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and California Native American tribes, this program funds habitat conservation projects tied to upland game birds through California's Upland Game Bird Account. Any proposal that meets the criteria in Fish & Game Code §3684 can qualify — eligibility isn't limited to established organizations. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, so applicants should confirm current cycle details with CDFW.

Ocean Protection Council · $250K–$750K

This Ocean Protection Council program funds only California Native American tribes and nonprofits for pre-planning and planning work to assess sea level rise impacts on tribal cultural resources, ancestral lands, and lifeways, with typical awards between $250,000 and $750,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling, quarterly, first-come first-served basis (non-competitive), making eligibility notably narrow and tribal-specific compared to general nonprofit grants.

Department of Water Resources · Amount varies

This forecasted California Department of Water Resources program will fund nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments to implement watershed-scale water conservation projects, such as irrigation efficiency upgrades, leak detection and repair, water-efficient landscaping conversions, and metering or monitoring improvements. Awards are expected to range from $3 million to $15 million. No application deadline has been set yet since the program is still in forecasted status, so applicants should watch for the official funding announcement. Not open to for-profit businesses.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California for projects that improve climate resilience, protect coastal/rural economies and wildlife habitat, or expand outdoor recreation, with top priority given to projects removing barriers to steelhead trout migration. Funded under Proposition 68; no specific award amount or deadline is listed in this posting.

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

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for wildfire prevention planning, fuel load reduction, invasive species management, and forest health projects in the San Gabriel Mountains, Foothills, and nearby urban wildland areas of California. Awards range from $50,000 to $2,000,000, with a two-phase Concept Proposal then Full Application process. Limited to projects within the Conservancy's designated Southern California service area.

San Diego River Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply to this San Diego River Conservancy program (Proposition 4) for hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education. No specific award amounts or deadlines are provided, so applicants should confirm current funding availability directly with the Conservancy.

Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy · Amount varies

This $48 million California Proposition 4 climate resilience program, administered by the Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy, funds projects that reduce climate risks to communities, fish, wildlife, and natural resources, with priority for disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities, tribes, and vulnerable populations; nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments may apply. Projects are evaluated against the Conservancy's Community and Climate Resilience framework and must demonstrate measurable benefits and community engagement; funding is limited to the Conservancy's California service area. No specific per-award amount or deadline is listed in this posting.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in California pursuing oak woodland conservation, particularly projects that bring ranchers and conservationists together for sustainable farming and habitat protection. No specific award amount or deadline is published for this ongoing program. Limited to California oak woodland projects, so it is not a fit for out-of-state or unrelated environmental work.

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

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments for Lower Los Angeles River watershed projects in California that must meet at least four of thirteen statutory objectives, such as fish passage restoration, climate adaptation, or reducing water pollution, under Proposition 1. Awards range from $50,000 to $2,000,000. Eligibility is limited to projects addressing the Proposition 1 objectives within the Lower LA River watershed.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments serving severely disadvantaged communities in the San Fernando Valley can apply for this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy grant funded under Proposition 68 (2018), part of a $4 billion bond for drought, water, parks, and climate resilience projects. No specific award amount or deadline is listed here; the severely-disadvantaged-community designation narrows eligibility to projects serving that specific population.

Wildlife Conservation Board · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply to this Wildlife Conservation Board program funding stream flow enhancement projects, including planning, scientific studies, implementation, and land/water rights acquisition, with priority for watersheds supporting salmonids and other at-risk species. Planning and Scientific Study projects must be submitted as stand-alone applications (not combined with other categories); no specific award amount or deadline is listed here.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

Open to California local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public utilities, recognized Native American tribes, and mutual water companies for recycled water infrastructure projects (treatment, storage, groundwater recharge, potable reuse). Covers construction costs only — operation and maintenance are not eligible — and all community types, including disadvantaged communities, may apply. No specific award amount or deadline is listed; see the Water Recycling Funding Program guidelines for details.

Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments to acquire mountainous or natural community conservation lands in California's Coachella Valley, or in limited cases fund capital improvements on existing conservation lands. Matching funds are preferred but not required. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, and eligibility is limited to land acquisition/improvement projects within the Coachella Valley region.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to a broad range of applicants in California, including businesses, individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, public agencies, and tribal governments, but specifically for livestock producers seeking compensation for confirmed or probable wolf depredation losses. No set award amount or deadline is listed; compensation is determined case-by-case following a CDFW investigation of each incident. Not a general grant program — it only applies to documented wolf-livestock conflict losses in California.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy · Amount varies

Nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments in the Los Angeles area can apply for this Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy program funded by Proposition 4. It funds projects that protect or restore rivers, wetlands, streams, lakes, or watersheds, or improve fish/wildlife and climate resilience, with a required focus on the Los Angeles River Watershed or the ULART revitalization plan. Award amounts are not published; applicants should confirm project fit against Section 91032 requirements before applying.

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

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments applying to Prop 68 funding programs through the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. This is a technical-assistance program, not a direct cash grant: it provides application help, mentoring, and grant-writing support, with priority access for applicants in High-Need or Very-High-Need Areas. No award amount or deadline applies since this funds assistance services rather than projects.