Take a deep dive into six new profiles of projects in Manteca, Fresno, Morro Bay, and other communities. These profiles provide a narrative perspective on how California Climate Investments supports investments in electric vehicles, food waste diversion, forest fire research, and more, for the betterment of Californians and their communities.  Click the name of each program below to read the full project profile or check out our Project Profiles Webpage and Project Profiles Map to learn more about projects underway across the state. 

Following the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s (OEHHA) update to CalEnviroScreen 4.0, the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) has released a new set of designations of disadvantaged communities.

The disadvantaged community designations are based on geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard criteria. California Climate Investments are required by statute to allocate 35% of funding to these and designated low-income areas. Learn more about these statutory requirements and investments made so far by visiting the California Climate Investments website or viewing this interactive map.

The official update is available to read in English and Spanish. Downloadable data and additional maps are also available on the OEHHA website.  
 

The California Strategic Growth Council has launched the Regional Climate Collaboratives Program (RCC), which aims to build and strengthen community partnerships in support of climate action. This capacity-building grant program goes beyond technical assistance by working to foster collaborations that can catalyze and sustain equitable climate-focused projects.

Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to:

• California Native American Tribes
• Community-based organizations
• Nonprofit organizations
• Small businesses
• Other organizations with a history of community-based outreach and technical assistance.

Interested applicants should note that pre-proposals are required and due at 5:00 p.m. July 15, 2022.

Please note that this program is currently funded through the California General Fund and not connected to California Climate Investments.

Read the latest edition of California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Investing in California Small Businesses newsletter. Find out about the small businesses playing a role in building the statewide high-speed rail system and learn about upcoming opportunities to partner with the Authority. In this edition, look out for “Mistler’s Musings”, which highlights construction updates, workshops on partnering with state agencies, and more. Additional information and interactive maps to explore the project can be found at Build HSR.

This year’s California High-Speed Rail Business Plan highlights recent milestones reached by the statewide high-speed rail initiative, from the miles of construction underway to the environmental review efforts that have been secured. Take some time to interact with the 2022 Business Plan website and explore high-speed rail’s economic benefits and latest notable updates.

The California Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) Racial Equity Resource Hub is a new, centralized database of resources, plans, and tools being used by state agencies to advance racial equity through their work. Learn how dozens of agencies are prioritizing racial equity and browse resources for equity implementation, including: racial equity plans, course curricula and trainings, toolkits, fact sheets, funding solutions, and datasets and visualization tools. This hub is a result of SGC’s Racial Equity Resolution and exists to broaden access and build common understanding about best practices and lessons learned in operationalizing racial equity in state government and beyond.

The California State Water Resources Control Board’s annual Drinking Water Needs Assessment provides valuable insight into the resources needed to bring failing water systems into compliance with drinking water standards and prevent at-risk water systems from failing. The 2022 report will inform the prioritization of state funding and technical assistance from the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) program.
 
Read the report and learn more about SAFER and the SAFER Advisory Group by visiting the State Water Board website.

The Department of Conservation is soliciting applications for the 8th round of funding for the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC).

The total amount of available funds in Round 8 has yet to be determined.  This round now includes funding for Capacity and Project Development grants, which provide up to $250,000 to organizations to develop the financial and organizational capacity necessary to create competitive agricultural conservation project proposals

To date, SALC has allocated nearly $300 million to conserve 144 properties in 36 counties; protect over 142,000 acres of agricultural land; and support the development of 27 agricultural land conservation plans.

Interested applicants should note that pre-proposals are required and due at 5:00 p.m. PT on July 1 for planning projects.

Financial incentives  are still available through the Clean Cars 4 All program. Don’t wait to apply!
Incentives:

Eligibility:
Program funding is available to through participating air districts: South      Coast Area, San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area, and Sacramento Metropolitan.        

Visit the Clean Cars 4 All website for links to the participating air districts.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) and CARB are jointly funding 14 zero-emission workforce training and development projects through the IDEAL ZEV Workforce Pilot Project, which launched earlier this year. This includes over $6.5 million in funding to develop ZEV and infrastructure career pathways, create jobs, provide advocacy for the ZEV industry, and support priority communities through skill development and expanded economic opportunities. Below is a snapshot of some grantees and their projects:

• National Indian Justice Center, Inc. for ZEV and ZEV infrastructure training
• Green Paradigm Consulting, Inc. for qualified EV charging technician training focused on California Veterans, disabled veterans, and military personnel
• Kern Community College District for developing EV charging curricula and training to address skills gaps in EV charging installation, service, and replacement
• Community Resource Project, Inc. for ZEV manufacturing, EV charging installation, operation, and service training.

Learn more about IDEAL ZEV Workforce Pilot Project investments by visiting the CEC website.

CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants Program awarded 22 Fire Health Grants, totaling over $98 million for the 2021/2022 fiscal year. Awardees received grant funding toward active restoration and reforestation activities which will support the resiliency and longevity of California forests. 

The full list of awardees can be viewed here.

The Three Rivers community successfully developed its first community wildfire protection plan, funded by the CAL FIRE - Fire Prevention Grant. The plan prioritizes the ability to adapt and prepare for the realities of wildfires. Three Rivers worked for over a year to develop the recently completed plan.  Overseen by the Three Rivers Fire Safety Council, the council partnered with federal, state, and local agencies alongside residents and environmental consultants to finalize its plan to protect the community from impacts related to wildfires.

The City of Richmond launched its first on-demand public shuttle service. The service, dubbed Richmond Moves, fills the access gaps in the transportation system by expanding access to efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation at the low price of $2 per ride. In particular, the program focuses in neighborhoods historically underserved by mobility options. Richmond Moves is funded by the Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program, administered by CALSTART, and funded by California Climate Investments.

South Los Angeles launched the first-of-its-kind Universal Basic Mobility Pilot (UBM) - one of the largest programs of its kind in the country.  The concept behind UBM is a belief that robust transportation options are crucial to community advancement.  The pilot program is bringing e-bikes, shared EV cars, and on-demand EV shuttle services to residents who historically have lacked accessibility to transportation options.  The pilot is funded by CARB’s Sustainable Transportation Equity Project.

UC Berkeley's student-run newspaper, The Daily Californian, highlighted the release of California Climate Investment’s Annual Report. Since 2016, California Climate Investment has implemented $10.5 billion towards emission-reducing projects across the state. Additionally, program funds have helped plant more than 170,000 trees in urban areas, funded more than 8,900 affordable housing units, expanded bus and rail services, and more. The combined CO₂ emissions reductions from all California Climate Investments made to date are expected to equal 76 million metric tons.