Community composting grants, Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, and more…
California Climate Investments in action $757 million awarded for affordable housing and sustainable transportation, El Monte Union High School District celebrates Clean Air Day…
Project profiles
Air quality, renewable energy, and zero-emission transit –
learn about four California Climate Investments Projects
developed in collaboration with the communities
Take a deep dive into these new project profiles highlighting innovative projects that are improving air quality, creating pathways for renewable energy, and expanding zero-emission transit opportunities. Learn more about these projects and how California Climate Investments funding supports the betterment of Californians and their communities.
Select the project profiles below to read about the full project or visit the Project Profiles Map to see additional projects underway across the state.
San Joaquin Valley Community Air Monitoring Network expands access to air quality data (Community Air Grants Program): The San Joaquin Valley Environmental Justice Collaborative is using $600,000 to engage disadvantaged communities that are not near existing regulatory air monitors. The Collaborative leads the San Joaquin Valley Community Air Monitoring Network in installing air monitors, including recent installations of two school-based networks, and engages residents to learn about their air quality concerns, develop local Community Steering Committees, and inform residents about air pollution resources.
California Climate Investments projects benefit
ecosystems, residents, and local economies in California
The benefits of California Climate Investments projects extend well beyond emissions reductions. Many projects contribute to ecosystem services, or the benefits that healthy functioning ecosystems provide to improve the well-being of California residents, communities, and the economy. The California Air Resources Board worked with Industrial Economics, Inc. to identify and measure the many and diverse ecosystem service benefits generated by California Climate Investments projects.
Introducing the Funding Workbook for All California Tribes
The Funding Workbook for All California Tribes (Funding Workbook) is a new educational and interactive resource that supports Tribes in assessing which California Climate Investments programs may be a good fit for their priorities and capacity.
It was developed to clearly communicate eligibility and address common information roadblocks faced by Tribes, particularly Tribes who don’t currently hold federal recognition, Tribes with limited capacity, and Tribes who operate through nonprofits. The Funding Workbook was developed following a series of conversations with Tribal leaders and staff as well as program staff, resulting in a resource that was fully tailored to Tribes from inception. California Climate Investments staff are now rolling out the resource, aiming to get the Funding Workbook into the hands of as many Tribes as possible. The Funding Workbook will be available soon on the California Climate Investments website. If you are a Tribal leader or Tribal staff and would like to receive a physical copy of the Funding Workbook or request engagement in your area, submit your contact information via this form.
California Smoke Spotter mobile app now available in Spanish!
CARB released an update to the California Smoke Spotter mobile app that will now provide fire mapping and smoke updates in Spanish.
This new update to the mobile app will make information about smoke from wildfires and prescribed fires easily accessible to help all Californians take the necessary health precautions, such as limiting outdoor activities and using air filters.
New features include:
72-hour smoke forecast
Personalized alerts for multiple locations
Current Air Quality Index (AQI) data
Latest information on wildfires and prescribed fires
Health section shows users how to protect themselves from smoke
Thank you for attending our Assembly Bill 680 workforce standards workgroup
- recording available
California Climate Investments hosted a public workgroup on October 24 to discuss the workforce policy requirements set forth in Assembly Bill (AB) 680 for certain California Climate Investments programs.
During the workgroup, we summarized takeaways from our summer interagency workgroup series and provided an opportunity for the public to give input and share success stories. Discussion topics included implementation approaches for the AB 680 requirements as well as strategies to scale workforce development across programs in a manner that minimizes potential administrative burdens and is most meaningful to the community.
We encourage anyone who was unable to attend the workgroup and is interested in the nexus between climate policy and workforce development in the California Climate Investments portfolio to view the recorded AB 680 workgroup or visit the workforce development website to learn more.
Announcing the Updated Technical Assistance Toolkit:
A Funder’s Guide to Community Capacity Building and Resilience
The Strategic Growth Council's staff are pleased to announce the release of the Technical Assistance Toolkit: A Funder’s Guide to Community Capacity Building and Resilience. Formerly known as the Technical Assistance Guidelines for State Agencies, this updated toolkit provides a roadmap for state agencies and other funders to design and implement effective and equitable technical assistance (TA) and capacity-building programs.
The update incorporates feedback from state agency staff including new sections on securing funding for TA, selecting TA providers and recipients, making the case for TA, reducing barriers within grant programs, and more. The toolkit also features new and updated case studies, templates, checklists, and other resources for designing and implementing an equitable TA program.
Proposed CARB Fiscal Year 2023-24 Funding Plan: Over $624 million for Clean Transportation Incentives
The California Air Resource Board will consider approval of the proposed Fiscal Year 2023-24 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives at the November 16 board meeting. If approved, the plan will invest over $624 million to support the transition to zero-emission transportation options. Proposed investments include $375 million for zero-emission public school buses and $140 million for clean transportation equity programs like Clean Cars 4 All and Sustainable Community-Based Transportation Equity Projects (STEP), which increase access to zero-emission mobility options like electric vehicles and bikes.
Fiscal Year 2023-24
priority population
targets released
California Climate Investments are required to invest certain percentages in disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households, collectively referred to as priority populations. Each year, we work closely with programs to set targets for the percentage of investments that will provide direct, meaningful, and assured benefits to priority populations.
Visit the Priority Populations webpage to view the priority populations targets for FY 2023-24, as well as the updated targets for FY 2022-23 that reflect legislative and program adjustments.
CalRecycle accepting applications for community
composting for Tribal communities
CalRecycle’s Community Composting for Green Spaces Grant Program is now accepting applications from Tribal groups. Grant funding from this program is designed to increase community led small-scale composting programs, prioritizing disadvantaged and low-income neighborhoods. $510,000 in funding is currently available and applications are due January 23, 2024.
Program benefits include:
Reduced food and organic waste disposed of in landfills
New Zero-Emission Transit Capital Program and the Transit and
Intercity Rail Capital Program now accepting funding applications
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) is accepting applications for the Zero-Emission Transit Capital Program (ZETCP) and the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). Local governments and transit agencies can apply for funding for transformative capital improvements that modernize intercity rail and bus service, including vanpool and micro transit. TIRCP received $3.9 billion for Cycle 6 which will be distributed on a population-based formula to regional transportation planning agencies, unlike the traditional competitive solicitation. ZETCP received $1.1 billion to be distributed on a population-based formula and another formula based on transit operator revenues.
TIRCP funding is available for mobility projects that will:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Expand and improve transit service to increase ridership
Integrate rail service
Improve transit safety
ZETCP funding is available for use by the regional transportation planning agencies for zero-emission transit equipment, including zero-emission vehicles and refueling infrastructure, as well as money to fund transit operating expenditures that prevent service reduction or elimination in order to maintain or increase ridership.
Technical assistance is available upon request through December 8. Please contact SB125transit@calsta.ca.gov for questions regarding applications and/or to request a meeting. The application deadline for initial allocation packages is December 31.
Visit the CalSTA website to learn more about these programs.
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program Round 8 applications opening in 2024
In October, the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC) team released the program's Round 8 Draft Guidelines for public comment and held three virtual workshops to solicit public feedback. Final Guidelines will be presented for adoption at the December Strategic Growth Council (SGC) meeting.
Following adoption, a $650 million Notice of Funding Availability will be released in January 2024 with applications due 60 days later in March 2024. Awards will be presented for adoption at the August 2024 SGC Council Meeting. AHSC offers no-cost capacity building and technical assistance to eligible applicants.
New CARB program under development for
statewide community engagement and mobile air monitoring
CARB's Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative will include meaningful and inclusive community engagement and outreach in establishing a mobile monitoring program to report air pollution data in an accessible format for community members in priority populations and other areas of the state. A Request for Information was released on September 20 and closed on November 3. A request for proposals will soon be announced to solicit applications from organizations interested in conducting the program for mobile air monitoring and/or facilitating community engagement to better understand air quality concerns across the state.
California Energy Commission Equitable Building
Decarbonization Program guidelines adopted
The California Energy Commission adopted the Equitable Building Decarbonization Direct Install Program Guidelines at their October meeting. The goals of the program are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in homes and advance energy equity. In addition to reducing GHGs, the program will strive to encourage resiliency to extreme heat, improve indoor air quality, improve energy affordability, provide electric grid support, and increase payment of prevailing wage to the implementing workforce.
The program will fund the installation of all-electric appliances, energy efficiency and weatherization measures, and related building upgrades. Targeted program participants are low-income households living in single-family and multi-family dwellings in under-resourced communities. The program will release a competitive solicitation in 2024 to select regional administrators.
California awards $757 million for affordable housing and clean transportation
In August, The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) approved the staff recommendation to fund 21 projects in the 7th Round of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program. The investment of $757 million will create more than 2,500 affordable homes, 150 zero-emissions buses, and over 50 miles of new bikeways. In total, projects will reduce an estimated 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equal to removing 178,000 gas-powered cars from California’s roads for one year.
El Monte Union School District celebrates Clean Air Day
El Monte Union High School District celebrated Clean Air Day by showcasing their electric school bus fleet and new charging stations supported by the California Air Resource Board's Clean Mobility in Schools Pilot Project.
Local school leaders and air quality experts also highlighted a student-driven campaign to address air quality issues, which produced a Clean Mobility in Schools animation and companion videos in English and Spanish to amplify the clean mobility message to communities across the state.
