Search Through Renewable Energy Grants in California in the U.S.

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

GFO-22-903 - Cost Share for Federal Funding Opportunities Clean Hydrogen Program (CA)

Background

This program was created under Assembly Bill (AB) 209 (The Energy and Climate Change budget bill, Chapter 251, Section 12, Chapter 7.6, Article 4, enacted in September 2022). The purpose is to implement projects to demonstrate or scale-up hydrogen production, processing, delivery, storage, or end use. The Clean Hydrogen Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Program and Funding Areas

Eligible projects shall include hydrogen projects that produce, process, deliver, store, or use hydrogen derived from water using eligible renewable energy resources, as defined in Section 399.12 of the Public Utilities Code, or produced from these eligible renewable energy resources. The program prioritizes projects that:

• benefit geographically diverse areas of the state and
• maximize air quality, equity, health, and workforce benefits.

The focus of applicant projects will vary based on the specific Federal FOA. 

Funding

Up to $20 million available for cost-share grants awarded under this solicitation for the Clean Hydrogen Program. The minimum and maximum funding amounts depend on the Federal FOA. 

Global Impact Cash Grants

Identifying and incubating innovative early-stage solutions. We identify, incubate, and develop innovative early-stage solutions with the highest potential for impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We're looking for programs that fit within our investment sectors, focus on the underserved, and use technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.

We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. A brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application. Please expand and carefully review each of the three sections below to learn more

Our priority social impact sectors

We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors:

Cisco Crisis Response

Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief

By leveraging Cisco’s people, technology, financial resources, and strategic partnerships, we help strengthen community resilience and drive long-term recovery from crises.

Education

Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive

Cisco is committed to inclusive access to digital skills training and supporting those who use technology to educate. Through programs like Cisco Networking Academy and social investments in education, we create new opportunities for individuals to thrive.

Economic Empowerment

Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services

Strategic grants that unlock economic prosperity and growth for individuals and communities.

Climate Regeneration

Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation, protection, and clean energy solutions

Our efforts began in 2021, when the Cisco Foundation committed US$100 million over 10 years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investing in climate solutions. 

About the Foundation

The Johnson Ohana Foundation is a non-profit public charity founded in 2008 by musician Jack Johnson, and his wife Kim, to promote positive and lasting change within communities by supporting organizations that focus on environmental, art, and music education.

Grant Program

The Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation supports organizations with strong community involvement. We are most interested in funding organizations that work creatively toward solution-based approaches to environmental or societal problems, with a commitment to long-term and lasting change. The Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation primarily supports smaller organizations working on issues relevant to their own local communities.

We fund groups that focus on one of three central themes: 

• Environmental Education
• Arts Education for Youth
• Music Education for Youth

The Johnson Ohana Foundation seeks out innovative non-profits that actively engage youth and/or volunteers in projects that provide measurable benefit to the environment and/or the community.

A majority of our grants are awarded for a single year but we do on occasion award multi-year grants for up to a 3-year period. Multi-year grants are usually awarded to non-profits with which we have built a strong relationship and are generally associated with projects focusing on the current funding theme.

Fields of Interest

The Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation regularly supports organizations that work in the following fields of interest and in addition, chooses a specific funding theme that varies periodically:

Environmental Education 

• Oceans/ Rivers/ Watersheds
• Plastic Free Initiatives
• Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Living
• Sustainable Local Food Systems
• Farm to School Programs
• Tree Planting/Restoration
• Conservation Programs (energy, waste, water)

Current Funding Theme

• Sustainable Local Food Systems

Grant Size

The Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation awards grants ranging from $2500 to $20,000. Grants can be directed to specific programs or to general operating expenses.

Grant Review Process

Environmental Education grants are reviewed in the spring.

The Leighty Foundation (TLF) is a small family foundation incorporated under Iowa law.  Directors and advisors live in Colorado, Alaska, and California.

Mission

To carry on the Leighty family legacy of service and stewardship by leveraging our time and talents, as well as our financial resources, primarily in the areas of Earth Protection, Education, Philanthropy, and Strategic Volunteer Engagement.Focus Areas Earth Protection “Environmental” has become trite, and does not convey the profound, urgent, and necessary changes in the way our species perceives and relates to our fellow species on Earth, and to its wonderful physical systems. The Leighty Foundation is especially interested in accelerating humanity’s transition to a sustainable, equitable, benign, affordable global energy system based entirely upon renewable energy sources — driven by radiant energy from our local star, the Sun, and by geothermal. Our earliest, most rewarding investments will be energy conservation and efficiency, while we invent and invest to “run the world on renewables.” We assist science education, so that we will better understand who and what and where we humans are, and to better understand Earth and our options for cooperation within its context and limits. Thus, we intend to invest wisely in Earth Protection, with both Foundation funds and with our personal involvement. An urgent Grand Challenge is transforming the world’s largest industry from about 80% fossil to nearly 100% renewable, CO2-emission-free energy sources, as quickly as we prudently and profitably can. Prudently: with acceptable social and economic disruption. Profitably: the huge amount of capital needed will flow only to attractive opportunities for returns. Electricity systems may be inadequate or technically and economically suboptimal for this transformation. Therefore, we now need to think beyond electricity, to comprehensively consider alternatives. Hydrogen (H2) and Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) are attractive, energy carriers, storage media, and fuels – as complete renewable energy systems. The Leighty Foundation Earth Protection program focuses on the Big Three challenges of time-variable renewable generation:

• Gathering and transmission;
• Low-cost, annual-scale, firming storage;
• Distribution, integration, and end-use of energy services.

Strategic Volunteer Engagement Our nation finds itself faced with a perfect storm with shrinking resources and escalating needs. Meeting these needs will require a dramatic increase in the number of people willing to give their time and skills as well as their financial resources. However, the challenge may be less about increasing the number of people who volunteer, and more about building infrastructures which connect people with worthy opportunities, and empower them to make a meaningful difference.There is a growing awareness that even if Americans respond to the myriad of calls for service, many charities are not prepared to effectively engage them. A recent survey found that more than 30% of charities do not currently have the infrastructure to effectively deploy volunteers. Now is the time for us as funders to seize this unique opportunity to financially support nonprofits in building their capacity.

Environment Grant

The Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation is interested in supporting organizations and initiatives aimed at halting climate change in order to safeguard the health of people, places and the planet.

Fossil fuel production and consumption are major factors that have caused global temperatures to rise at an alarming rate. Unchecked, climate change will drastically impact global safety, security, health, and most critically, the future of our planet. However, growing research, smart policy, strategic legal interventions, and bold innovations in education and science offer promise for a strong and effective response.

To that end, the Foundation supports efforts aimed at decreasing domestic fossil fuel demand and production, and at promoting high-quality and scientifically accurate climate change education for young adults. The Kaplan Foundation prioritizes being responsive to short- and long-term threats and opportunities, using research and data to inform decisions, and being innovative in our approach to finding solutions.

We are interested in halting climate change in order to safeguard the health of people, places and the planet.

Growing research, smart policy, strategic legal interventions, and bold innovations in education and science offer promise for strong and effective action.

Areas of Focus:

Climate and Clean Energy Policy

• Oil and Gas Infrastructure
  • If built, new and expanded oil and gas infrastructure – from natural gas-fired power plants to pipelines, LNG export facilities, refineries, and petrochemical facilities – would significantly undermine climate goals.
  • They would lock in fossil fuel consumption for decades, facilitating continued market growth of oil and gas, and impeding further integration of renewable energy.

Climate Change Education

• Provide climate change education to young adults with a focus on taking action, including leadership development and opportunities for participation in advocacy and policy efforts
• Develop or disseminate scientifically accurate climate change curriculum aimed at educating high school and college students about the imminent and profound effects of climate change

Purpose

The Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade Energy Efficiency Program’s (KTEP) goal is to provide zero-interest loans to Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade (K-12) schools in California for energy efficiency retrofits and renewable energy projects.

Description

Funds in this Program Opportunity Notice (PON) are made available by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Pub. L. No. 117-58, enacted on November 15, 2021[1]. Section 40502 of BIL states the purpose of this provision is to establish revolving loan funds (RLF) under which states can provide loans and grants for energy upgrades and retrofits to increase the energy efficiency, physical comfort, and air quality of existing building infrastructure. Loan funds for this program are contingent upon United States Department of Energy (DOE) funding and terms may change. [1] Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684

Our Mission

The Tony Robbins Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of people often forgotten.

We’re dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, homeless and the imprisoned population, all who need a boost envisioning a happier and deeply satisfying way of life. Our passionate staff, generous donors and caring group of international volunteers provide the vision, inspiration, and resources needed to empower these important members of our society.

Grants

Dedicated to meeting challenges within the global community, creating solutions and taking action, The Tony Robbins Foundation provides monetary donations to various organizations around the world. Funding requests are evaluated on an ongoing basis. We look for organizations that align with our mission to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of those often forgotten.

GFO-23-318 – BRIDGE 2024: Bringing Rapid Innovation Development to Green Energy (CA)

Purpose

The purpose of this solicitation is to fund “Applied Research and Development” (AR&D) and “Technology Demonstration and Deployment” (TD&D) projects that enable successful clean energy entrepreneurship across California by competitively awarding funding for the most promising energy technologies that have previously received an award from an eligible California Energy Commission (CEC) program or United States federal agency.

Bringing Rapid Innovation Development to Green Energy (BRIDGE) 2024 seeks to:

• help start-up companies minimize the time between when their successful publicly-funded project ends and new public funding becomes available; and
• mobilize more early-stage capital in the clean energy space by providing non-dilutive, matching investments in promising clean energy companies in conjunction with investors and commercial partners.

BRIDGE provides increased support for the most promising clean energy technologies that have already attracted interest from the market as they are developed and continue their path to market adoption.  

Eligible projects must fall within one or more of the following technology categories:

• Category 1: Energy Efficiency; or
• Category 2: End-use Electrification; or
• Category 3: Energy Storage; or
• Category 4: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Advanced Sensing; or
• Category 5: Advanced Power Electronics/Power Conditioning; or
• Category 6: Zero- and Negative-Carbon Emission Generation (Renewable Generation)

Funding

There is up to $25,776,915 available for grants awarded under this solicitation. The minimum funding amount for each project is $1,000,000. The maximum funding amount is $4,000,000.

As the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, the California Energy Commission (CEC) plays a critical role in creating the energy system of the future—one that is clean, modern, and ensures the fifth largest economy in the world continues to thrive. Combating climate change is fundamental to maintaining California’s future. The agency’s research, programs and policies remain crucial today as the state plans for 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality by mid-century. CEC is helping create the energy system of California’s future through activities such as Planning and Policy Development, Renewable Energy Growth; Energy Efficiency; Energy Innovation; Cleaner Transportation; and Responsible Electricity Infrastructure.

Coordinated Holistic Orchestration of Inverter-based Resources (CHOIR)

Purpose

The purpose of this solicitation is to demonstrate and advance the capabilities of virtual power plants (VPPs) that coordinate high concentrations of inverter-based distributed energy resources (IBDERs) – such as solar photovoltaics (PV), battery energy storage systems (BESS), and electric vehicles (EV) – to provide distribution-level power quality services, alleviate grid congestion due to electrification growth, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Location: The demonstration and deployment must be located in a Disadvantaged Community per CalEnviroScreen 4.0, in a California electric IOU service territory and optimized within a single substation area or within a single distribution circuit. Where applicable, applicants may also partner with Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) operating within the selected IOU’s service territory.

About Us

The Foxwynd Foundation comprises dedicated members of the Bentley family residing across the United States. Across numerous years, the family's philanthropic endeavors have catalyzed significant change on both domestic and international fronts, reflecting their deep-rooted commitment to humanitarian causes. This longstanding legacy of giving underscored the imperative to establish a family foundation.

With a diverse and passionate board of members, interests range from supporting domestic violence shelters and children's aid organizations to advancing renewable energy initiatives and safeguarding endangered species.

Today, the Foxwynd Foundation is dedicated to serving as a beacon of hope for communities in need, enhancing access to essential pillars of human dignity and potential, including healthcare, housing, and sustainable environmental initiatives. While presently focused on domestic causes, the foundation aims to expand its impact and secure international funding opportunities by the conclusion of 2024.

Priorities

• Healthcare
  • We support programs dedicated to assisting domestic violence victims, abuse survivors, and the protection of women's rights.
• Environmental Projects
  • We prioritize funding projects with a clear, measurable impact rather than initiatives with broad or abstract objectives. For example, we are more inclined to support tangible activities such as tree planting over programs like conservation education. Additionally, our focus is on building partnerships with organizations that are nonpartisan and refrain from engaging in lobbying activities.
• Housing
  • We are committed to funding established programs that address critical needs, including supporting shelters, preventing homelessness—particularly among children through initiatives such as orphanages—providing or establishing housing facilities, offering housing assistance to prevent eviction, and creating employment opportunities for individuals in need.

BEAM Circular Accelerator

The BEAM Circular Accelerator invests in world-class founders driving the future of innovation in biomanufacturing and bio-enabled climate solutions. We support rising entrepreneurs with breakthrough innovations to accelerate their path to scale-up in California’s North San Joaquin Valley, a region in the heart of the most productive agricultural land on the planet with a burgeoning biomanufacturing industry cluster and innovation ecosystem. The accelerator provides capital, expertise, and connections to develop bioeconomy startups into thriving enterprises that deliver positive community and environmental impact.

About the Program

The BEAM Circular Accelerator will support five innovative and high-growth startups spearheading advancements in the circular bioeconomy. This program delivers capital, coaching, and connections to help startups grow into high-value companies with scalable infrastructure. Open to any startup focused on enhancing sustainability through bioeconomy solutions, the program actively engages with founders who reflect the depth and breadth of the North San Joaquin Valley and other communities impacted by environmental challenges.

The BEAM Circular Accelerator will support five innovative and high-growth startups spearheading advancements in the circular bioeconomy.

Ameriprise Financial Grantmaking

At Ameriprise Financial, giving back is deeply rooted in our culture. We’ve initiated positive change in the communities where we live and work for more than 120 years. We believe our community involvement enables us to actively live our values. Through grant making, volunteerism and employee and financial advisor gift matching programs, we support a diverse group of over 6,000 nonprofits across the country.

Focus Areas

Awarding grant dollars to nonprofits is one way we strengthen our communities and help individuals on a path to financial independence. To ensure we're meeting the needs of our communities and making an even greater collective impact, we focus on three key giving areas when awarding grants.

Volunteer engagement is a priority across all focus areas:

The engagement of Ameriprise employees and financial advisors is a critical component of our philanthropy. Whether it’s serving on a nonprofit board, engaging friends, clients and community members in volunteering or providing skills-based support, our relationships with nonprofits go deep. For this reason, we give priority across all focus areas to applications where there is active volunteer engagement of Ameriprise advisors and employees. 

Meeting Basic Needs

At Ameriprise Financial, we help clients achieve financial security and peace of mind. That’s satisfying, meaningful work. We also help the people in our neighborhoods who struggle to meet basic needs such as where their next meal comes from, where they’ll sleep tonight or how they’ll find a higher wage job. We’re here to help them through the three platforms of our Meeting Basic Needs focus area.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Hunger
• Food banks, food shelves and food pantries, daily meal programs or meal services for the homebound
• Hunger-relief programs targeted to meet the special needs of children, ethnic populations or veterans
• Food programs run by nonprofits where hunger is not their sole focus, for example a youth meal program at the YWCA or a backpack program run by a Boys & Girls Club
• Shelter
• Emergency shelter, including youth homelessness
• Transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and efforts to end chronic homelessness
• Housing-first models (programs quickly providing housing and then addressing needed services)
• Achieving and maintaining home ownership, repair and maintenance efforts helping keep seniors, veterans and other populations in their homes 
• Adult Self-Sufficiency: Programs serving adults age 21 and older that help address the following areas:
• Basic hard and soft skills that help adults achieve economic and family stability
• Basic financial and budgeting skills
• Increase employability and wages, including work readiness and job transitions
• Employment of disabled adults

Supporting Community Vitality

We believe communities should be strong, healthy and resilient. We want livable places for all, where neighbors look out for one another, cultural events are well-attended and people pull together in times of crisis and joy. We work to create economic vitality and cultural enrichment through the following areas of focus.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Community Development
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Economic development
• Strengthening and supporting small businesses and nonprofits through technical expertise
• Cultural Enrichment
• Arts education
• Access for underserved populations
• Diverse artists and performances that spark topical community conversations 

Volunteer Driven Causes: Ameriprise employees and financial advisors are outstanding volunteers who serve in teams and also as individuals bringing personal skill-sets to nonprofits. Volunteering is part of the culture at Ameriprise and we are proud to support communities through contributions of both service and financial resources. 

Funding for Volunteer-Driven Causes is determined by current Ameriprise volunteerism. In general, funding is in proportion to the size of the Ameriprise volunteer team supporting a nonprofit. A team may include employees, financial advisors and/or staff or a combination of any Ameriprise volunteers. 

Purpose

CAEATFA supports California's mission to provide financial incentives to cutting-edge companies by offering a sales and use tax exclusion to manufacturers purchasing equipment to promote alternative energy, advanced transportation and recycling, as well as advanced manufacturing. These manufacturers create tens of thousands of high-paying, permanent jobs that bolster the state's economy.

Description

The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) Sales and Use Tax Exclusion (STE) Program (the “Program”) excludes from sales and use taxes purchases of Qualified Property:

• if its use is either to process Recycled feedstock or using Recycled feedstock in the production of another product or soil amendment, or
• that is used in an Advanced Manufacturing process, or
• that is used to manufacture Alternative Source products or Advanced Transportation Technologies.

Eligible manufacturers planning to construct a new manufacturing facility or expand or upgrade a currently existing manufacturing facility may apply to CAEATFA for an STE award, and if approved, the purchases of Qualified Property for the project are not subject to state and local sales and use tax.

The exclusion applies to Qualified Property purchases:

• tangible personal property if at least 50 percent of its use is either to process Recycled feedstock that is intended to be reused in the production of another product or using Recycled feedstock in the production of another product or soil amendment, or
• tangible personal property that is used in the state in an Advanced Manufacturing process, or
• for the design, manufacture, production, or assembly of Advanced Transportation Technologies, or Alternative Source products, components, or systems.

Generally, Qualified Property includes manufacturing machinery and equipment with an estimated useful lifespan of over one year, as well as information technology used to operate or control the machinery and equipment. Qualified purchases may also include tangible personal property required for infrastructure improvements to the manufacturing facility, such as foundation, reinforcement, piping, and fire safety.

Qualified Property does not include consumables or the raw materials of which the product being manufactured is composed; typically this will include items with an estimated useful lifespan of less than one year.

The property must be used to process Recycled feedstock or create another product or soil amendment utilizing Recycled feedstock, or in an Advanced Manufacturing process or for the manufacturing of the Alternative Source product or Advanced Transportation Technology for more than 50% of the time.

Award Amount

Statute limits the Program to awarding $110 million in sales and use tax exclusions in each calendar year.

Applicants are limited to $10 million of STE in a given calendar year. However, during the first application period of the calendar year, $15 million of STE is available for the Board to award to applicants seeking more than the $10 million cap in STE. The $15 million in STE is awarded on a competitive basis on top of the $10 million cap, and requests are limited to $10 million in STE, for a total potential award of up to $20 million in STE.

Also, $20 million in STE will be set aside for smaller Projects, those seeking an STE award of $2 million or less. If any of the $20 million in sales and use tax exclusion remains after September, it will be made available to award to all applicants.

Applicants may also receive more than the $10 million individual cap at end of the calendar year if STE allocation is available after all other Applications are considered.

Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program Introduction and Summary

The Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC), a component of the Strategic Growth Council’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program, supports California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals by making strategic investments to protect agricultural lands from conversion to more GHG-intensive uses. It also contributes to implementation of Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-82-20, which calls for the accelerated use of nature-based solutions to address the climate and biodiversity crises. Protecting critical agricultural lands from conversion to urban or rural residential development promotes smart growth within existing jurisdictions, ensures open space remains available, and supports healthy agricultural and tribal food systems, and resulting food security. Healthy and resilient food systems are becoming increasingly important in meeting the challenges occurring and anticipated as a result of climate change.

SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment– particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zeroemission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.

Program Components

These Guidelines cover the following investment types:

• Agricultural Conservation Acquisition Capacity Funding – Grants to develop agricultural conservation easement and fee acquisition projects and/or cover associated costs to help close acquisition projects where the cost of the acquisition is covered by an alternate source of funding.
• Agricultural Conservation Acquisitions – Grants to protect important agricultural lands under threat of conversion to nonagricultural uses through the acquisition of voluntary, permanent agricultural conservation easements (easements) or fee title purchases.
• Agricultural Conservation Planning – Grants to develop and implement plans for the protection of agricultural lands under pressure of being converted to non-agricultural uses.

For the purposes of this program, agricultural land includes both cultivated and non-cultivated lands that support an agricultural use, including gathering and activities that promote healthy trees, shrubs, and perennial forbs for the cultivation of traditional foods, herbal medicine, fibers (such as basketry material), and dyes so long as such activities are led by or conducted in partnership with a a Federally recognized or non-federally recognized California Native American tribe on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, or members thereof. 

Anthony Grassroots Prize

The Anthony Grassroots Environmental Prize was established in 1999 by environmental activist Juliette Anthony. Every year, the Prize recognizes an outstanding example of grassroots environmental activism in California with public recognition and a $1,000 cash award.

About Juliette Anthony

The Anthony Grassroots Prize was established in 1999 by environmental activist, Juliette Anthony. Ms. Anthony devoted most of her life to protecting natural habitats and promoting renewable energy – almost always as a volunteer helping to mobilize grassroots community power. She is recognized for helping to prohibit a development in the Santa Monica Mountains which successfully resulted in the acquisition of the 2000 acre Ahmanson Ranch in 2005, and the 440 acre Soka University property (the former Gillette Ranch) in early 2005 for permanent dedicated open space.

Her long and varied professional career included working as a Research Librarian at Harvard College Library, the New York Public Library on 42nd Street, the University of Virginia Library, and the UCLA Theatre Arts Library. She also served as Film & Music Librarian at the Beverly Hills and Santa Monica Libraries. But her true passion in life was the preservation of our fragile planet, and she was a politically active and passionate supporter of environmental causes and social justice. In addition to her long tenure on the Rose Foundation’s Advisory Board, over the course of her lifetime she maintained deep volunteer relationships with Heal the Bay, Coalition for Clean Air and Communities for a Better Environment, and numerous successful movements to preserve open space in California. She was a long-time renewable energy consultant and was an early advocate for solar power. In addition to her environmental work, she volunteered at the Venice Family Clinic, Lieu-Cap Shelter for Women and Children in Venice, CA and CLARE Foundation and most recently, for the REST program in San Rafael, CA.

Juliette’s commitment to the power of grassroots environmental stewardship led her to serve on the Rose Foundation’s pre-launch Advisory Board, helping catalyze the launch of the Rose Foundation in 1993. She endowed the Anthony Grassroots Prize in 1999 and for many years Juliette led the Prize’s annual review of nominations. Juliette passed away in 2022, and the Rose Foundation is proud to continue the Anthony Grassroots Prize as a living testament to Juliette’s activism: caring for other people and fighting for a more just, healthy and compassionate world.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

As the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, the California Energy Commission (CEC) plays a critical role in creating the energy system of the future—one that is clean, modern, and ensures the fifth largest economy in the world continues to thrive. Combating climate change is fundamental to maintaining California’s future. The agency’s research, programs and policies remain crucial today as the state plans for 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality by mid-century. CEC is helping create the energy system of California’s future through activities such as Planning and Policy Development, Renewable Energy Growth; Energy Efficiency; Energy Innovation; Cleaner Transportation; and Responsible Electricity Infrastructure.

GFO-24-312 - Advanced Grid Technology Acceleration Projects

This solicitation is under the California Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program which invests in scientific and technological research to accelerate the transformation of the electricity sector to meet the state’s energy and climate goals.

The purpose of this solicitation is to fund technology demonstration projects that validate the performance and benefits of advanced grid technologies while informing future deployments. These advanced grid technologies can be a combination of hardware and software solutions that increase the capacity, visibility, flexibility, reliability, and/or resilience of grid assets as an alternative to conventional infrastructure enhancements like construction of new lines in new rights of way. 

Eligible technologies must be at a technology readiness level (TRL) of 7 to 9. Projects demonstrating technologies that have been previously deployed by a California IOU are encouraged to focus on novel applications or to deploy suites of technologies to inform understanding of how they interact and what additional benefits can be derived for ratepayers when used together in operations.

Advanced grid technology demonstration areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Advancements in distributed energy resource management systems combined with customer-owned power controls systems and/or smart inverters that allow DERs to dynamically adjust electricity consumption and/or production based on near-real-time grid conditions.
• Front-of-the-meter microgrids or substation-sited energy storage systems operated to provide distribution or transmission services as an alternative to conventional infrastructure enhancements.
• Distribution system operator pilots that explore development of market and/or other mechanisms for DERs to provide grid services such as flattening circuit/feeder demand.

Up to $24,000,000 is available for grants awarded under this solicitation.  There is a minimum 30% total match share percentage requirement for this solicitation.

Purpose of Solicitation The purpose of this solicitation is to fund projects that advance the demonstration and deployment of clean hydrogen production, storage, delivery, and end use in California. Hydrogen can serve as a zero-carbon energy carrier and act as a potential replacement for fossil fuels in hard-to-electrify applications, particularly for the transportation, industrial, and electricity generation sectors. For the purposes of this solicitation, clean hydrogen is defined as hydrogen produced from water using eligible renewable energy resources, as defined in Public Utilities Code 399.12, or produced from these eligible renewable energy resources.

To achieve sustainable wide-scale deployment, hydrogen must be produced cleanly at increased scale and reduced cost. This solicitation aims to reduce the cost burden of clean hydrogen production through large-scale, centralized production coupled with storage, delivery, and pre-determined offtakers to support a comprehensive hydrogen value chain. Expected outcomes include the development and deployment of low-carbon, cost-competitive hydrogen production from renewable energy sources and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in hard-to-electrify sectors.

Project FocusThe overall goal of this solicitation is to support the adoption of commercially available hydrogen technologies and kickstart large-scale, centralized clean hydrogen production through demonstration and scale-up in California. The awards resulting from this competitive solicitation will address challenges and opportunities to deploy large-scale quantities of clean hydrogen at centralized locations by leveraging economies of scale and co-locating renewable energy resources to reduce overall system costs and distribute hydrogen to diverse end users. By deploying clean hydrogen production at a large scale, this endeavor can benefit communities, workforce, air quality, and natural environments should hydrogen be used to replace diesel, fossil gas, or other fossil fuels. Projects must avoid any benefit to facilities associated with fossil fuels, such as oil refineries. Additionally, offtakers must not be located on the same site as the production facility.

Gupta Family Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, USA. Our mission is to support organizations that provide focused intervention in the lives of people who have been disadvantaged in some way to help them become self-reliant. We take a very broad view of “disadvantage” to include anything that holds a person back from realizing their potential, such as poverty, physical or mental disability, social alienation, etc. The foundation also supports relief agencies that serve people affected by emergencies such as natural disasters.

The foundation evaluates and awards annual and multi-year grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000 (USD). Our focus is on funding smaller organizations all around the world that are led by individuals with a deep personal commitment to their missions. 

Our selection criteria include:

• Mission alignment
• The organization is run by the founder or, if not, by a successor who embodies the original inspiration, passion and commitment of the founder.
• At least 90% of grant monies reaches the intended beneficiaries.
• The organization is non-sectarian, i.e.,
  • It does not, directly or indirectly, support or condone the proselytization of any religion,
  • It is not supported by or affiliated to a religious organization.

As the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, the California Energy Commission (CEC) plays a critical role in creating the energy system of the future—one that is clean, modern, and ensures the fifth largest economy in the world continues to thrive. Combating climate change is fundamental to maintaining California’s future. The agency’s research, programs and policies remain crucial today as the state plans for 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality by mid-century. CEC is helping create the energy system of California’s future through activities such as Planning and Policy Development, Renewable Energy Growth; Energy Efficiency; Energy Innovation; Cleaner Transportation; and Responsible Electricity Infrastructure.

EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles (MDHD ZEV Infrastructure Incentive Block Grant project) – Transit Set-Aside Funding Lane - Rollover

EnergIIZE (Energy Infrastructure Incentives for Zero-Emission) Commercial Vehicles is the nation’s first commercial vehicle fleet infrastructure incentive project. Funded by the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program and implemented by CALSTART, EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles provides incentives for zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure equipment for medium- and heavy-duty (MDHD) battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles operated and domiciled in California.

The Transit Set-Aside funding lane is specifically for electric vehicle charging and/or hydrogen refueling infrastructure equipment that will support zero-emission transit buses.

The Transit Set-Aside funding lane pairs infrastructure incentives (EnergIIZE) with vehicle incentives from the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).

• The Transit Set-Aside Funding Lane - Rollover program for the EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles project has $8 million in funding available. The program can cover up to 100% of eligible costs, with a maximum award of $5 million per project for applicants meeting the equity criteria. 

Georgia-Pacific Foundation

Established in 1958, the Georgia-Pacific Foundation sets aside resources to improve life in the communities where we operate. We’ve worked with thousands of outstanding community-based programs, service projects and disaster relief efforts, focusing our investment in four areas we believe make the most impact:

• education
• entrepreneurship
• enrichment of community
• environment

Investment Priorities

• Aligns with GP’s mission and values
• Aligns with GP’s Four Focus Areas of giving: Education, Environment, Enrichment of Community and Entrepreneurship
• Serves communities where GP has manufacturing facilities
• Creates value by contributing to and positively impacting long term well-being and sustainability of GP communities

Funding Opportunity Overview

The California Sea Grant College Program is now soliciting proposals for applied research projects that address California Sea Grant’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan goals and objectives within the following focus areas: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and Resilient Communities and Economies (RCE). Projects that primarily address the Healthy Coastal Ecosystems (HCE) focus area are not eligible for this opportunity. Applied research (as defined in NOAA Administrative Order NAO 216-115B) is original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge, and is directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective. Proposals will be accepted into one of three tracks, each with their respective priorities and requirements: Indigenous Fisheries and Aquaculture, Graduate Research Fellowships, and Cultivate Awards. Projects that demonstrate meaningful impacts and benefits to coastal California communities and natural resources management agencies will be prioritized. Contingent upon available federal funding, the projects are expected to begin on February 1, 2026 and may be up to two years in duration. A total of $2,800,000 is available for funding across the three research tracks. Specific award maximums, match requirements and proposal requirements for each track are detailed below. There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards, or that any proposal will be selected for funding. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an official award agreement, it does so at its own risk of not being selected or of these costs not being included in a subsequent award. California Sea Grant will not be responsible for any incurred project costs if a project fails to receive full funding.

California Sea Grant

Administered by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Sea Grant is a national network of 34 university-based programs in each of the U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states, Puerto Rico and Guam. The National Sea Grant College Program is a partnership between the nation’s universities and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, and is authorized by the United States Congress.

For over 50 years, California Sea Grant has delivered science, increased ocean literacy and engaged thousands of communities to ensure that they can enjoy and depend on California’s coastal resources, through research, education, extension and communications. California Sea Grant’s mission is to provide the information, tools, training and relationships needed to help California conserve and sustainably prosper from our coastal and marine environments. We accomplish this by collaborating with a range of local, state, regional, national, and international partners to further the generation and application of relevant scientific knowledge.

Research projects supported by California Sea Grant must contribute to our eligible strategic focus areas and goals, which are listed below. For more context and example research topics, refer to our 2024 - 2027 Strategic Plan. California Sea Grant prioritizes innovative applied research on ocean and coastal resources and processes. Research that is based in or applicable to California coastal issues are of highest priority, but transferability to regional, national, and/or international contexts is welcomed. 

Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture (SFA)

California’s 840-mile coastline is home to the largest ocean-based economy in the U.S. Here fishing has long played a key role in supplying healthy food, skilled jobs and other important economic and cultural benefits. An expanding aquaculture industry looking to create a steady supply of shellfish, seaweeds and finfish is now poised for growth, bringing with it skilled jobs and other benefits.

The diverse bounty of seafood sustainably landed on the state’s coast, including tuna, Dungeness crab, Chinook salmon, rockfish, Pacific mackerel, market squid and Pacific oyster, provide an important source of highly nutritious protein for many of the state’s 39 million residents and helps sustain California’s commercial and recreational seafood industries. But significant challenges threaten these industries, including extreme changes in environmental conditions, ocean acidification and hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, financial and regulatory barriers to starting or expanding business ventures, supply chain disruptions and pressure from coastal and offshore development.

California Sea Grant has identified the following goals for this focus area.

• SFA Goal 1: California's fisheries, aquaculture, seafood systems and the environments that support them are environmentally, economically and socially more sustainable and resilient to future change through the facilitation of partnerships and the (co-) production of knowledge.
• SFA Goal 2: California’s fishing, aquaculture and seafood industries have evidence-based information, partnerships and tools needed to support decision-making and a sustainable path forward through community engagement, collaboration and education.

Key SFA topics of priority in California from 2024-2027 include: 

• Enhancing emerging and existing fisheries and aquaculture ventures, such as:
  • Feasibility of emerging species for harvest and production 
  • Basic economic, social and natural scientific information 
  • Effects of stressors on species of interest
  • Facilitating permitting of new and expanding ventures
• Innovative approaches and applications in fisheries and aquaculture, such as:
  • Conservation and restorative aquaculture
  • New technologies and modeling approaches for fisheries management 
  • Techniques to adapt fisheries and aquaculture to a changing environment 
  • Ecosystem services and impacts of aquaculture and fisheries
• Resilient and safe seafood systems, such as:
  • Seafood availability and accessibility
  • Seafood quality, safety and supply chain transparency 
  • Fishing and aquaculture infrastructure and resources 
  • Producer to public connections and education

Resilient Communities and Economies (RCE)

People throughout California, both rural and urban, are intimately linked to the health and sustainability of the state’s coastal and marine resources. How we respond to increasing threats from changing environmental conditions and other stressors will shape the health and welfare of the coast and the people and economies that depend on it. California Sea Grant is committed to helping coastal communities increase their natural and socioeconomic resilience by supporting sea level rise/coastal hazards science and planning; exploring new ways to balance economic and natural resource sustainability; and addressing harmful activities and pollutants. Access to knowledge and the opportunity to engage in solutions are emphasized to foster sustainable coastal communities.

California Sea Grant has identified the following goals for this focus area.

• RCE Goal 1: California’s coastal communities are better prepared for extreme and chronic weather and coastal hazards, economic disruptions and other threats to community health and well-being with support from science partnerships and the (co-) production of knowledge.
• RCE Goal 2: California’s coastal communities have the information, partnerships and tools needed to support planning, policy and actions for emerging marine and coastal industries and resource management that ensure an equitable and resilient path forward.  

Key RCE topics of priority in California from 2024-2027 include:

• Understanding coastal hazards and risks, such as:
  • Projections of sea level rise and extreme weather events
  • Coastal erosion, flooding and inundation impacts and trends
  • Water quality hazards (e.g., contamination, sedimentation, saltwater intrusion)
  • Increasing compound risks to coastal habitats, communities and economies
• Coastal adaptation, hazard mitigation and resilience approaches, such as:
  • Coastal and watershed adaptation and resilience science, strategies and assessments
  • Nature-based solutions (e.g., green/natural infrastructure, hybrid infrastructure, blue carbon restoration/ mitigation)
  • Socioeconomic and cultural connections to risks, adaptive capacity and adaptation pathways
  • Adaptation strategies that draw from broad knowledges and meet the needs of Native American tribes, under-resourced and frontline communities.
  • Habitat protection, migration and transition approaches for sustaining ecosystem functions and services
• Balancing coastal and ocean uses, sustainability and conservation, such as:
  • Emerging ocean and coastal uses (e.g., offshore/marine renewable energy, marine technologies)
  • Sustainable futures for historic and current coastal uses (e.g.,working waterfronts, coastal tourism and recreation, cultural heritage sites)
  • Coastal access, livelihood, health and wellbeing

Award Information and Priority Topics

There are three research tracks that applicants may submit a proposal to: Indigenous Fisheries and Aquaculture, Graduate Research Fellowships, and Cultivate Awards. Read detailed descriptions of the three research tracks here.