Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program Round 2

The Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program is administered by the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation through the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program. It was established through state legislation to address the increasing risks posed by extreme heat across California, one of the most dangerous climate hazards affecting public health and infrastructure systems. The program provides competitive grant funding to support projects that reduce heat-related risks, particularly for communities that are disproportionately impacted due to historical inequities, limited infrastructure, and heightened vulnerability. The program is funded through the 2024 Climate Bond and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, with approximately 27.5 million dollars available for Round 2 awards. It supports two distinct project types: Early Infrastructure Projects and Advanced Infrastructure Projects. Early Infrastructure Projects focus on planning and demonstration efforts, requiring applicants to produce a heat-related infrastructure planning document alongside a demonstration project that tests solutions such as cooling infrastructure or shading systems. Advanced Infrastructure Projects support the full implementation of infrastructure solutions that have already been planned and deemed feasible, including construction and long-term operational readiness. Funding ranges from 750000 to 1.2 million dollars for early projects and from 3 million to 4.5 million dollars for advanced projects. Eligible uses of funds include planning, design, engineering, construction, community engagement, and evaluation activities directly tied to reducing extreme heat impacts. Projects may include built environment solutions such as cool pavements, transit shelters, or cooling centers, as well as nature-based strategies such as urban forestry or green infrastructure. The program requires that specific portions of project budgets be allocated to partnerships, community engagement activities referred to as belonging, and post-award participation. Indirect costs are capped at 15 percent of the total award. Matching funds are not required, although applicants may leverage program funding to secure additional resources. Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit entities operating in California. This includes local and regional public agencies, community-based organizations, public higher education institutions, California Native American Tribes, and coalitions. Applications must include a Lead Applicant and at least one Co-Applicant, except in specific cases for Tribal applicants. The program emphasizes partnerships that combine institutional capacity with community knowledge to ensure projects are both feasible and responsive to local needs. The application process requires a two-step submission through the Submittable platform. Applicants must first submit a Pre-Application Interest Form during one of two designated windows, which provides feedback on eligibility and alignment. Only applicants who complete this step may submit a Full Application, which includes narrative responses, a workplan, a budget, and supporting documentation. The full application is evaluated based on criteria including harm reduction, partnerships, belonging, and long-term community benefits, along with funding priority points for projects serving disadvantaged or vulnerable populations. The timeline for Round 2 includes a Pre-Application Interest Form window from June 16 through July 21 for technical assistance access, and a second window closing August 11. The Full Application deadline is October 13. Projects must be completed within 30 months for early infrastructure or 48 months for advanced infrastructure projects. Awards are determined through a multi-stage review process that includes eligibility screening, panel scoring, and interviews. The program places strong emphasis on equitable outcomes, requiring that at least 40 percent of funding support disadvantaged or vulnerable communities, with a subset allocated to severely disadvantaged communities. It also requires ongoing reporting, including quarterly updates, a mid-term report, a final report, and a case study. Applicants are expected to participate in peer learning and technical assistance activities throughout the grant term. Contact for the program is available via email and phone through the administering office in Sacramento.

Strong applications clearly demonstrate community partnerships, direct benefits to vulnerable populations, and alignment with program values such as harm reduction and belonging; prioritize clear infrastructure plans and feasible implementation strategies