California Climate Investments Roadmap
Process and Resources for Administering California Climate Investments Programs
Once the legislature appropriates GGRF funds, administering agencies design and implement California Climate Investments programs in accordance with the Funding Guidelines and any program‑specific statutory requirements. This roadmap illustrates how administering agencies use the Funding Guidelines through program design, implementation, and reporting. This is not a comprehensive resource; please refer to the Funding Guidelines for details. Download a PDF version of the roadmap activities.
Step 4: Develop guidelines and solicitation materials for projects
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Purpose: Administering agencies will incorporate GGRF requirements in their official program documents. After reading through the key elements that should be included, many of which have been discussed in previous modules, use the Program Guideline and Solicitation Review Checklist to determine whether the program already includes key elements or if changes are needed for compliance.
Resources:
o Program Guideline and Solicitation Review Checklist
Discussion Questions:
o Will the program include a solicitation? If not, what process will be used for project selection?
o Does the program need to create guidelines and solicitation materials, or will it be re-purposing existing materials?
o At what stage in the program timeline does the agency plan on publishing these materials?
| Activity | Lead | Notes |
|---|---|---|
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Read section III.B (p. 31) of the Funding Guidelines. |
All | |
| Meet with agency to review guidelines/solicitation language requirements in the Funding Guidelines. | CARB |
Section III.B, specifically Table 4. |
| Fill out the Program Guideline and Solicitation Review Checklist and share with CARB for review. | Administering Agency |
The checklist includes requirements in the Funding Guidelines in a fillable PDF. |
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Meet with agency to review Program Guideline and Solicitation Review Checklist and provide requests for edits, specifying which edits are required or recommended. |
CARB | |
| Finalize changes to guidelines and solicitation materials. | Administering Agency |
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Purpose: CARB and administering agencies will work together to develop a quantification methodology (QM) and calculator tool for estimating project greenhouse gas emissions reductions and selected co-benefits, either by using existing methods or by developing new methods (e.g., through an external research contract). These QMs and tools support administering agencies in reporting the benefits of their funding to the public and the Legislature and prioritizing investments that maximize benefits in the project selection process.
Resources:
o California Climate Investments Quantification, Benefits, and Reporting Materials
Discussion Questions:
o Do existing and proven tools or methodologies (developed by CARB or others) apply to the project types proposed for funding?
o Can emissions reductions and co‑benefits be estimated more than once over the project lifetime (e.g., once based on initial assumptions and again after specific project data is known)?
| Activity | Lead | Notes |
|---|---|---|
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Review section II.C.1 (p. 14) and III.C (p. 36) of the Funding Guidelines. |
All | |
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Determine if QMs already exist for the project types proposed for funding and/or whether a new QM needs to be developed. |
All |
Components from different tools can be combined if the project types funding via the proposed program fit components from multiple methodologies/QMs. |
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Create a schedule to align QM development (if needed) with the program timeline. |
All |
Timeline should allow for ongoing coordination between CARB and agency staff, and involvement with all relevant stakeholders on the scope of eligible project types being quantified. If creating the QM relies on compiling existing methods/components into a new tool that will be a shorter timeline than developing a novel method for a new project type. |
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Compile and update existing CARB-developed methods; Consult the administering agency and technical experts to develop new project types and quantification approaches. |
CARB | CARB may agree to use administering agency’s own methods or third-party tools to quantify GHG emissions reductions and key variables, but this should be decided on a case-by-case basis. |
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If project types do not have quantifiable GHG emissions reductions: |
Administering Agency | |
| Draft and seek agency feedback on QM approach. | CARB | |
| For new and updated methods, post final draft for at least a 2-week public comment period. | CARB | |
| Revise draft and post final QM. | CARB |