California Science and Technology Grants

This grant provides funding to various organizations and entities in California to promote innovation and sustainability in the forest products industry, supporting projects that enhance wood utilization and address workforce gaps.

This grant provides funding for researchers with expertise in marine biology to study the reproductive ecology of black abalone at San Clemente Island, supporting both environmental conservation and military readiness.

This funding opportunity supports small and mid-sized organizations and individual artists in San Francisco who are connected to historically marginalized communities, helping them sustain their work and remain in the city.

The Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation is accepting applications for its Mini-Grant Program, offering $2,500 grants to organizations in Bronx County, NY, Fresno County, CA, and San Joaquin County, CA, that support youth leadership, citizenship, health, school activities, and community involvement.

This funding opportunity supports the development of affordable multi-family housing in San Diego County for low-income households, prioritizing projects that serve extremely low-income individuals and families, particularly in transit-oriented areas.

The various grant programs are structured to address systemic community challenges, reflecting a core alignment with the foundations’ missions to drive change, promote equity, and foster vibrant communities. The Community Foundation (Des Moines) offers three key competitive grants: Leadership, Capacity Building, and Strategic Alignment, all rooted in community plan alignment and focused on inclusive engagement and impact. Leadership Grants are designed to catalyze systems change by investing in solutions that challenge existing systems and address root causes, not just projects. Similarly, the San Antonio Area Foundation employs trust-based philanthropic principles, offering general operating and multi-year support to help non-profits focus on their missions and achieve stability as a direct means to closing opportunity gaps. The grant-making strategies are defined by specific priorities that target key community issues, often reflecting a multi-sectoral and cross-cutting approach. The Minneapolis Foundation’s grants, for instance, focus on priorities like creating an equitable education system (Reimagine Education) and being nimble in response to emerging community needs (OneMPLS), previously addressing issues like affordable housing and pandemic relief. The San Antonio Area Foundation structures its work around four pillars: Cultural Vibrancy, Livable and Resilient Communities, Aging Adults Success, and Youth Success, with activities like building capacity for under-resourced arts groups or supporting programs to strengthen safety nets for older adults. This demonstrates a comprehensive approach where investments aim to address a diverse range of interconnected human, animal, and environmental health issues. Target beneficiaries and high-level impact goals are diverse yet universally focused on empowering vulnerable populations and transforming systems. Beneficiaries include schools, students, small businesses, older adults, youth, and non-profits across various sectors. For instance, the ACDP in Liberia aims to meet the real needs of the most vulnerable rural populations, reducing poverty while strengthening human capital and resilience. Its specific goal is to significantly improve conditions for residents of targeted rural and urban communities through environmentally sustainable and equitable access to basic services by 2025. Other goals include advancing criminal justice reform through the Fund for Safe Communities, and promoting conservation education for K-12 students via specialty grants like the Explore the Ozarks Fund. A strong emphasis is placed on generating clear, measurable results that align with the strategic theory of change—that focused investments lead to demonstrable community benefits. Outcomes are expected to be specific and measurable, often guided by the SMART mnemonic (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound). These expected outcomes describe the consequences and results of the work, detailing the change in participants or the programmatic/operational level. For example, expected results include achieving greater stability for non-profit partners through multi-year support, or, in the public health sphere, strengthening the institutionalization of a functional One Health approach in Liberia to address Public Health events and develop joint policy guidance on prevention, detection, response, and recovery.

This grant provides funding for research and monitoring projects aimed at understanding and managing the impacts of ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms on California's marine ecosystems and public health.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for research and development projects focused on designing high-voltage direct current substations and environmental monitoring systems for floating offshore wind energy in California.

This funding opportunity supports projects that reduce air pollution and improve air quality in communities disproportionately affected by pollution, targeting local organizations, tribal governments, and air districts.

This grant provides financial support to local nonprofits in Orange County that promote renewable energy awareness and environmental stewardship.

CAL FIRE's Wood Products and Bioenergy team seeks to maintain and enhance the wood products infrastructure of California to promote healthy resilient forests throughout the state by supporting a diverse set of business development and workforce development projects.  ; Eligible business development projects include facilities, operations, and professional services that support the restoration of healthy, resilient forests.   Eligible workforce development projects include universities, colleges, government and community organizations, and businesses that aim to increase workforce capacity in the fields of logging, fuels treatment, transportation, manufacturing, or other support services that bolster the development of a resilient forest sector workforce.   Research and development projects related to both business and workforce development will also be considered. Check out the Wood Products website and subscribe for updates.     

This funding opportunity provides financial support for projects that develop fast public electric vehicle charging stations in California, particularly benefiting underserved communities and promoting clean transportation.

The Legacy Business Recovery Grant Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation to the City of Los Angeles, offers grants of up to $20,000 to eligible Legacy Businesses. This initiative is designed to provide crucial financial assistance to aid these businesses in their recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program's core mission aligns with broader efforts to support local economies and preserve established community businesses, recognizing their historical and cultural value. It underscores a commitment to helping businesses adapt, reopen, and sustain operations in a challenging economic landscape. The primary beneficiaries of this program are Legacy Businesses listed on the Legacy Business Registry, operating within Los Angeles city limits, and functioning from commercial, industrial, or manufacturing locations with a valid commercial lease. Home-based businesses are not eligible, and annual revenue cannot exceed $3 million. The impact goal is to facilitate the recovery and continued operation of these vital businesses, ensuring their survival and contribution to the local economy and community fabric. Businesses must demonstrate how the funds will be used for COVID-19 recovery expenses, with a focus on necessary expenditures. Funding priorities emphasize equitable distribution across finalists, with a particular focus on City of Los Angeles geographic diversity and low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. Grant application submissions from businesses located in or owned by individuals in low- and moderate-income communities (50% and 80% of Area Median Income as defined by HUD) are more heavily weighted, as are businesses facing an imminent threat of displacement. This weighted selection process reflects a strategic priority to support businesses in areas with greater need and vulnerability, aligning with a theory of change that targeted investment can produce more equitable and impactful recovery outcomes. Expected outcomes include the sustained operation of Legacy Businesses, job retention, and economic stabilization within affected communities. Measurable results will be tied to how grant funds are utilized, with eligible uses encompassing employee payroll, rent, utilities, insurance, working capital for reopening or continued operations, adapting to new technologies, payment of outstanding business expenses incurred after March 3, 2021, adaptive business practices, and legal fees for lease negotiations. Grant amounts are tiered based on employee count: $10,000 for businesses with one to five employees and $20,000 for those with six or more. This structure ensures that assistance is tailored to the operational scale of the businesses, contributing to their effective recovery and resilience.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for research institutions in California to study and reduce mercury contamination in fish within freshwater ecosystems, particularly in hydroelectric reservoirs, wetlands, and mine-impacted lakes.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Santa Barbara for social services, infrastructure improvements, and economic development projects that assist low- and moderate-income residents.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofits and government agencies for projects that help prevent homelessness and ensure housing stability for seniors in North County San Diego.

The C. J. Stafford and Dot Stafford Memorial Trust supports charitable organizations that serve residents of San Diego County, California. The trust invests in local initiatives that strengthen community well being and address needs across several fields of interest. Priority program areas include arts and culture, education, health, and human services. Average grants range from 5,000 to 7,500 dollars, with total annual giving of about 50,000 dollars. Funds may be used for projects or programs that benefit San Diego County residents and are consistent with the trust mission. Eligible applicants must be public charities qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications are accepted only through the online grant application form or accessible alternative; no other formats are accepted. Grants are geographically limited to San Diego County, California. Applications are due May 1, 2024. Grant duration is not specified. Additional information is available through the trustee portal referenced by Wells Fargo.

This grant provides funding for organizations to conduct sea turtle nesting surveys and conservation efforts at Wake Island Airfield, specifically targeting members of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units in the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii-Pacific Islands, or California.

This funding provides financial support to social service organizations in Carlsbad to improve housing and services for low-income residents and those with special needs.

The Latino Restaurant Association's Helping Latino Restaurant Owners Thrive Grant Program aims to support Latino-owned restaurants. This initiative aligns with the association's broader mission to provide resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities for Latino-owned restaurants to succeed and grow. The program specifically targets business growth and sustainability within the Latino restaurant community, reflecting the association's commitment to fostering economic development and cultural preservation through culinary entrepreneurship. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are restaurant owners of Latino heritage who have made significant contributions to the Latino community. The program intends to assist 35 restaurants located in South Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties in California. The impact goals include providing financial relief and development opportunities, with a specific focus on supporting smaller businesses, as eligibility criteria limit applicants to those owning three or fewer restaurants, each making less than $1 million per year, and having been in business for more than three years. The program prioritizes businesses that are current customers of SoCalGas and located within the specified counties. The grant size ranges from $1,000 to $10,000, with an immediate offer of a $2,500 grant for eligible applicants. This financial support is designed to address immediate operational needs and facilitate long-term stability. The grant documentation requires a W9 form, official photo ID, annual reports or taxes for the last three years, and a current SoCal Gas Commercial Bill, ensuring accountability and verification of eligibility. Expected outcomes include enhanced business operations through the use of funds for kitchen equipment, technology upgrades, and employee training and bonuses. Applicants are required to detail how the funding would impact their business and community, and how they plan to sustain the received funds, encouraging thoughtful and strategic utilization. While the "Grant Duration" is not explicitly mentioned, the focus is on immediate impact and fostering long-term sustainability, demonstrating the association's strategic priority to empower Latino restaurant owners and contribute to the economic vitality of their communities.