June 2023 California Climate Investments Newsletter
June Newsletter
In This Edition...
A person holding a bucket with wheat samples in a field
Year-round Workforce Training Opportunities for California Conservation Corps, Find a Community Partner for Your Next California Climate Investments Project through Community Connections, Explore California Climate Investments Benefits by Region and more… 
People walking on the street next to a light rail train.
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Healthy Soils - Block grant Program Accepting Applications Through June 19, The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) Block Grant Pilot Program Accepting Applications through June 19, and more…
People flying kites in a park.
San Joaquin Council of Governments and Its Partners Launch First Electric Bikeshare, Carshare in the San Joaquin Region, West Sacramento Holds Groundbreaking Construction for New Bike and Pedestrian Bridge and more…

Project Profiles
A collage showing hikers, a map, a screenshot of Terra Bella's Elementary School Air Quality as shown through an app, a tire swing, and a schoolyardLearn About Grantees from Oakland, San Joaquin Valley, and Northern California
Take a deep dive into three new profiles of projects in Oakland, San Joaquin Valley, and Northern California. These profiles provide a narrative perspective on how California Climate Investments supports investments in community capacity building, capturing methane and generating renewable electricity, 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 Map to learn more about projects underway across the state. 
  • Improving Forest Health in the Yurok Community Forest and Salmon Sanctuary: The Yurok Tribe and Western Rivers Conservancy have worked together over the past decade to purchase lands in the Blue Creek watershed, in an effort to return Yurok ancestral lands to Yurok ownership.

    Now, these partners are teaming up with Humboldt County Resource Conservation District and CAL FIRE to implement forest health and fuels reduction work in the watershed to improve the resilience of this special place through a $4.3 million grant from the Forest Health Program.  

Announcements and Updates
An aerial image of a town with an orange overlay with the words "Community Connections", the California Climate Investments Logo, and a graphic of a network of people.Find a Partner for Your Next California Climate Investments Project through Community Connections
Community Connections is a tool developed by California Climate Investments to assist community-based organizations and local government agencies with finding partners for their next grant or endeavor. Visit the directory to add yourself or your organization and find potential community partners for your next project!
 
A flyer for the Arvin Clean Energy Fair.
Visit California Climate Investments at the City of Arvin’s Clean Energy Fair
 
Join California Climate Investments at the Arvin Clean Energy Fair on Saturday, June 24! This free, family-friendly event will showcase organizations that provide resources and information about renewable energy and energy efficiency. The fair will offer food, music, entertainment, and a raffle!!

Come and stop by our booth to learn more about California Climate Investments and our programs.

More details can be found on the City of Arvin website.
A banner for the Zero-Emission truck showcase.
Explore and Try New Zero-emission Trucks and Off-road Equipment
 
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and CALSTART invite you to experience the free Zero-Emission Truck Showcase + Ride & Drive event on June 21, 2023, from 8:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA (2650 E. Shaw Ave., Fresno, CA 93710). Test drive the vehicles and learn about the technology and funding opportunities to switch your equipment to zero-emission. 

Anyone interested in learning more about this opportunity can reserve an appointment for a free 1 on 1 consultation with a zero-emission expert. Complementary lunch will be provided.

For more information, visit zeroemissiontrucks.org.
 
 
An Energy Corps member retrofitting lighting indoors and to the left, the California Climate Investments logo is centered above text and the California Conservation Corps logo.Year-Round Workforce Training Opportunities for California Conservation Corps

The California Conservation Corps offers year-round workforce development opportunities in their Energy Corps and Forestry Corps programs. New this year, the Forestry Corps is expanding and opening training centers in Fresno, Los Padres, and San Diego.  

At these centers, Forestry Corps trains the next generation to help reduce the risk of wildfires through their training in fuel removal and vegetation management. Energy Corps trains members with the skills to enter the electrical and renewable energy industries. These programs are open to youth and veterans in California providing them compensation and certifications helpful for future employment. 

Learn more by visiting the Forestry Corps and the Energy Corps program page. 
An aerial photo of California hills with the words "Investments by Region" positioned in the sky.Explore California Climate Investments Benefits by Region
Each year, Climate Investments programs empower hundreds of community-led projects that improve health and wellbeing across 9 regions of California. Visit our new California Climate Investments regional webpages to learn about investments made in your part of the state. 
 
Find your region in the list below and click on each link to learn more about these projects:
 
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Opportunities for Funding
Two people using farm tools to till soil on a farm.California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Healthy Soils - Block Grant Program Accepting Applications Through June 19 
The Healthy Soils - Block Grant Pilot Program is part of the California Healthy Soils Program (HSP) which provides financial incentives to growers and ranchers in California to encourage the implementation of agricultural management practices that lead to carbon sequestration, reduced atmospheric greenhouse gasses, and improved soil health. The Healthy Soils Block Grant Pilot Program is designed to facilitate financial assistance to California agricultural operations through regional block grant administrators.

Eligible applicants for the block grants are Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs); University of California (UC), California Community Colleges, or California State Universities (CSU); Federally- and California-Recognized Native American Indian Tribes; local or regional government agencies; marketing companies for California commodities; and nonprofit organizations. For-profit entities and individuals are not eligible. 

Applications are due by 5:00 PM on June 19. Learn more and apply on the CDFA website.
A man driving a green zero-emission riding mower.
Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) Vouchers Still Available for Small Business Landscape Professionals
 
Zero-emission landscaping equipment voucher incentives are still available. Landscapers can purchase discounted zero-emission landscaping equipment through CARB’s Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE).

Visit the CORE website to learn how to receive this voucher and to stay up to date on the program. 
Children tending a garden with an adult in the background.
Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Application Initiation Forms Due July 3
 
Is your organization interested in applying to the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program?
If so, don’t forget to take the first step towards applying for TCC Implementation Grants, Project Development Grants, and Planning Grants by submitting an application initiation form by
Monday, July 3.

All applicants must submit the form to proceed with the application process. While resources are available, applicants may be eligible to receive Application Technical Assistance. More information is provided on the TCC website. 

 
 
A large irrigation rig watering a field on a farm.
 

















The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP)
Block Grant Pilot Program Accepting Applications Through June 19

The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement - Block Grant Pilot Program is part of the CDFA State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), that was created to address the state’s severe drought conditions and aims to encourage the adoption of water-efficient irrigation methods in California's agricultural areas.

The SWEEP Block Grant Pilot Program is designed to facilitate financial assistance to California agricultural operations through regional block grant administrators. Ultimately, the SWEEP Program provides financial incentives for California agricultural operations to invest in irrigation systems that save water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Eligible applicants include Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs); University of California (UC), California Community Colleges, or California State Universities (CSU); Federally- and California-Recognized Native American Indian Tribes; local or regional government agencies; marketing programs that represent California commodities; and nonprofit organizations. For-profit entities and individuals are not eligible.

Applications are due by 5:00 PM on June 19. Learn more and apply on the CDFA website.
Aerial view of various divided green agricultural plots.

Deadlines for the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program
Are Just Around the Corner

Funding is still available to cities, counties, Native American tribes, land trusts, other local government agencies, and nonprofits to conserve agricultural land through the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program. SALC empowers communities to acquire conservation easements and promote smart land use planning while protecting agricultural land and open spaces.

There are three types of grant opportunities:

Acquisition Grants provide applicants with funds to purchase agricultural lands. 
  • Acquisition Project Proposals are due on June 16.
Planning Grants allow applicants to develop and implement plans for the protection of agricultural land. 
  • Planning Project Proposals are due on June 30.
Capacity Grants allow applicants to build organizational and financial capacity to develop agricultural conservation acquisition projects. 
  • Capacity Grant Applications are due on July 21.
     
Learn more about the grant program and the application process on their website.
 
A smiling woman holding a Clean Cards for All voucher in in front of an electric car with people and canopies in the background.
Clean Cars 4 All – Applications Still Open

Have you heard of the Clean Cars 4 All program? It is a CARB program that is administered by select air quality management districts to provide financial assistance to low-income individuals in California to help them replace their high-polluting vehicles with cleaner and more efficient ones. The program offers grants and incentives to eligible participants, making it easier for them to access clean transportation options. Most importantly, applications for the Clean Cars 4 All program are still open, providing an opportunity for eligible individuals to apply and take advantage of the benefits it offers.
 
The Program’s Incentives:
  • Up to $9,500 towards a new or used plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), battery electric vehicle (BEV), or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).
     
  • Up to $7,500 for use of shared mobility options, such as public transportation.
Program funding is available through participating air districts:
 

Visit the Clean Cars 4 All website to learn more. 
     

Interior photo of a large covered holding pen for cows.
 
Applications launching soon for CDFA Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), and new Dairy Plus Progra

CDFA is preparing solicitations for three programs: Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), and the new Dairy Plus Program. 
 
  • AMMP grants provide dairy farmers and operators financial support to implement non-digester manure management practices.
     
  • DDRDP funds innovative dairy digester projects that convert manure to renewable energy sources and reduce methane emissions. Past AMMP grantees are eligible to apply for DDRDP to further improve the methane-reducing and capturing capacity of their operations.
     
  • Dairy PLUS Program (New!) awards competitive grants to adopt advanced manure management practices that reduce methane and nutrient surplus, and also funds technical assistance and community outreach.
     
Sign up for CDFA email notifications to receive information on when these programs become available!
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California Climate Investments
in Action
People gathered around a Miocar electric carshare vehicle.
San Joaquin Council of Governments and Its Partners Launch First Electric Bikeshare, Carshare in the San Joaquin Region
 
The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) and its partners launched the first-ever carshare and bikeshare programs in the San Joaquin region, made possible through a California Air Resources Board's Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) grant.

This exciting initiative focuses on providing clean and affordable transportation options, with a special emphasis on serving economically disadvantaged communities. Through the Stockton Mobility Collective, you can now enjoy electric carsharing with Míocar and bike sharing through Bike Stockton. This project not only enhances transportation options but also promotes air quality improvement and serves as a model for sustainable initiatives throughout the region.
 
Read More
Rendering of a parking with the West Sacramento Sycamore Trail Extension Phase II bridge in the background.
West Sacramento Holds Groundbreaking for
Construction of New Bike
and Pedestrian Bridge -
CBS Sacramento

This past April, West Sacramento broke ground on the construction of a new bridge designed for bikes and pedestrians. The bridge will span over Highway 50 and will connect the northern and southern sections of the city. Residents will have a safe path to access their community’s amenities.

This crucial component of the Sycamore Trail Extension Phase II project secured funding from the Urban Greening grant, administered by the California Natural Resources Agency through the California Climate Investments program.







 
Read More
An aerial view of the Light Tree apartments.
AHSC-funded Light Tree Apartments is now Open

The Light Tree Apartments in East Palo Alto celebrated its grand re-opening last month. Light Tree Apartments received a $20 million award from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC) to help build 128 new apartment units and completely renovate 57 apartments and townhomes. Additionally, AHSC funded a new express SamTrans bus route to BART, renovated bus stations, increased bike and pedestrian connectivity, and helped fund bus passes and an onsite bike clinic for residents. The housing and transportation elements of the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36,000 metrics tons of CO2, the equivalent of 7,826 passengers’ average annual emissions. The project will provide homes for families, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, formerly unhoused individuals, and former foster youth, in addition to offering on-site services and case management.
Read More

 
A group of people inspecting a tree.Urban Forest Jobs Program Starts Off on Upward ‘Treejectory’
 
Tree San Diego, a local nonprofit organization, is excited to announce its Treejectory+ program, made possible through CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program. Treejectory+ provides hands-on urban forestry training for young adults from disadvantaged communities in San Diego County to gain valuable skills in a friendly and supportive environment.
 
Read More
Contact us at info@caclimateinvestments.ca.gov

California Climate Investments | Cap-and-Trade Dollars at Work