Technical Assistance Resources
Technical assistance can increase access to California Climate Investments programs by providing application support, implementation assistance, and capacity building activities to eligible applicants. Technical assistance can support recipients in exploring local opportunities and constraints, assess needs and resources, and supporting development of viable projects and applications.
What is Technical Assistance?
According to the California Strategic Growth Council’s Technical Assistance Toolkit, technical assistance is a critical strategy to address disparities in investment across California communities, while tackling the state’s most pressing social, economic, and climate challenges holistically and equitably. California communities with a history of systemic discrimination and underinvestment often lack the staff capacity, partnerships, and resources to address these complex challenges without support. Technical assistance and capacity building services can help under-resources communities to secure funding and implement projects and policies that can help reverse past disinvestment.
Agencies administering California Climate Investments programs are increasingly providing technical assistance to level the playing field for applicants that may lack the capacity to successfully access funding, particularly those that live in the state’s most disadvantaged communities.
Open and Upcoming Funding Opportunities for Technical Assistance Projects
Explore programs that are now accepting applications for grants, loans, incentives, and more.
Funds conservation and management of natural and working lands and technical assistance for land managers.
Grants that support the development of sea level rise adaptation plans and projects to build resilience with a dedicated funding pathway for Tribes to assess and plan for impacts on cultural resources.
Financial incentives for EV charging stations with priority for shovel-ready projects in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
Grants for land use planning, capacity building, and land acquisition projects that protect agricultural land from conversion to non-agricultural uses.
Grant application assistance and implementation support for Tribal, disadvantaged, and low-income communities applying for or carrying out climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience projects.
Funds installation of ultra-low global warming potential refrigerant technologies and refrigeration system retrofits in newly constructed and existing supermarkets.
Funds administration of Access Clean California, which engages in outreach and capacity building activities for clean transportation and clean energy incentive programs.
Investments in Action: Technical Assistance Project Profiles
California Air Resources Board
In August 2023, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and transportation nonprofit CALSTART launched Cal Fleet Advisor, which offers free technical assistance to help owners and operators integrate more zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles into their fleets. The program, which receives California Climate Investments funding as part of the administration of the Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), provides helpful services to ease the transition to cleaner technology for fleets across the state.
Supported by $3.57 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Climate Smart Agriculture initiative provides technical assistance to help farmers find funding and implement projects that support their work while helping to achieve the State’s climate goals. These funds, which were leveraged by California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Strategic Growth Council, support 10 Community Education Specialists, a group of technical experts with the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Since 2019, these Community Education Specialists have assisted over 850 farmers and ranchers across the State with applications to programs under the Climate Smart Agriculture initiative.
The Partners Advancing Climate Equity (PACE) pilot program is a capacity-building program administered by the California Strategic Growth Council and funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The year-long pilot program began in 2021 and supported 22 participants – all local leaders deeply rooted in their communities across the state – and sought to increase their ability to advance equitable and community-driven climate solutions.
With the help of technical assistance providers funded by the California Strategic Growth Council’s California Climate Investments Technical Assistance program, Arcata 30th Street Commons became the first tribal led project funded by California Climate Investments through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program. The project, proposed by the Yurok Indian Housing Authority, earned a $11.4 million award and exemplifies how a strong vision, combined with partnership, technical assistance, and investment can help transform an under resourced community.
In a partnership with the Strategic Growth Council and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is providing outreach, education, and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers across California
In the wake of the Tubbs fire, the Strategic Growth Council gave technical assistance to the City of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County in pursuing funding to support wildfire recovery efforts.
Resources to Help You Design, Implement, and Evaluate Technical Assistance Projects and Programs
California Strategic Growth Council
Case studies, lessons, and scalable templates to support program administrators and funders in designing programs to serve under-resourced communities.
California Strategic Growth Council
This toolkit is designed to support California state agencies and other public and private funders in developing technical assistance programs that make a meaningful difference in under-resourced communities. Due to historic and continued under-investment, under-resourced communities often lack the staff capacity, partnerships, or resources to secure competitive funding and implement projects and policies. Technical assistance and capacity building support can be pivotal in leveling the playing field and ensuring that State resources go to the communities that need them the most.
California Strategic Growth Council
If your organization isn’t ready yet to apply for a planning or implementation grant, find resources here to help you prepare for success. Through the Community Assistance for Climate Equity (CACE) suite of programs, SGC provides technical assistance and capacity building to help under-resourced communities access critical funding resources, implement high-impact projects, and enact community-led initiatives.
California Strategic Growth Council
Explore key considerations for evaluating technical assistance (TA) programs, including guidance to determine evaluation goals and processes as well as budgeting and contracting considerations for hiring an outside evaluator.
California Strategic Growth Council
Lessons learned and recommendations from SGC and technical assistance providers to support capacity building efforts.
All Programs that Fund Technical Assistance and Capacity Building
Learn about all past and present programs that fund technical assistance and capacity building, including programs that are not actively receiving California Climate Investments funding.
Funds conservation and management of natural and working lands and technical assistance for land managers.
Grants for eligible communities to hire technical advisors that will support communication about cleanup activities at sites overseen by DTSC.
Grants that support the development of sea level rise adaptation plans and projects to build resilience with a dedicated funding pathway for Tribes to assess and plan for impacts on cultural resources.
Financial incentives for EV charging stations with priority for shovel-ready projects in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
Grants for affordable housing and transportation projects near jobs, schools, and other daily destinations.
Grants for land use planning, capacity building, and land acquisition projects that protect agricultural land from conversion to non-agricultural uses.
Grant application assistance and implementation support for Tribal, disadvantaged, and low-income communities applying for or carrying out climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience projects.
Grants that support planning and implementation of community development projects in disadvantaged communities.
Funds capacity building and air quality improvement activities for California community-based organizations, nonprofits, and California tribal governments that participate in the Community Air Protection Program.
Funds installation of ultra-low global warming potential refrigerant technologies and refrigeration system retrofits in newly constructed and existing supermarkets.
Funds administration of Access Clean California, which engages in outreach and capacity building activities for clean transportation and clean energy incentive programs.
Funds community-led planning and capacity building projects that increase transportation equity in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
Technical assistance for farmers and ranchers participating in the Healthy Soils Program, the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, and the Alternative Manure Management Program.