Funding Opportunities

The California Tahoe Conservancy (Conservancy) leads California's efforts to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The principal goal of the Conservancy's Science and Lake Improvement Account program (SB 630, 2013) is to support near-shore environmental improvement program activities and projects, particularly projects that manage aquatic invasive species or improve public access to sovereign land in Lake Tahoe.More specifically, such projects manage aquatic invasive species, or improve public access to sovereign land in Lake Tahoe, including planning and site improvement or reconstruction projects on public land, and land acquisitions from willing sellers. SB 630 (2013) allocates the Conservancy approximately $350,000 annually. Please contact staff at robert.larsen@resources.ca.gov and 916.402.7508 for more information.

These projects must be consistent with the State’s climate adaptation strategy (Safeguarding California Plan), contribute to the carbon sequestration goals of AB 32, and support WCB’s Strategic Plan. In addition, projects will be consistent with other statewide plans and priorities, including the California Water Action Plan and California State Wildlife Action Plan 2015 Update.

Program funding is directed toward projects that:

Protect and restore ecosystems on natural and working lands to provide climate change adaptation and resilience for wildlife.
Assist natural and working lands managers in implementing practices that provide climate adaptation and resilience.
Increase carbon sequestration in natural and working lands, and provide additional social, economic, and environmental benefits, or "co-benefits".

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides $10,000 in funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns to start the Community Heart & Soul model. Grant funding requires a $10,000 cash match from the participating municipality or a partnering organization.

Mini Grants are small grants of up to $2,000 that are available year-round to support innovative public programs that increase understanding of the human experience. Applicants may request up to $2,000 in Mini Grants per fiscal year (November 1 – October 31). Mini Grants can be used for capacity-building, program planning, and implementation of programs. Capacity-building may include training and education for constituents to help plan and/or implement public humanities engagements. The applicant organization’s budget must not exceed $500,000. Larger institutions must partner with a smaller institution that will lead the program or project. For more information please see the Arizona Humanities Grant Guidelines.

This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water.

Implementation grants are awarded to support the one-time third-party start-up costs for Sustained Collaborations. Implementation grants may be used to pay for the costs of lawyers, accountants, and consultants, lease-breaking, moving costs, technology integration, severance, collateral materials (new business cards, signs, etc.), and other one-time costs for activities necessary to complete the transactions. Grants may not be used to cover staff time.

Exploration grants are available to support the one-time third-party costs associated with exploring the feasibility of a proposed transaction. Exploration grants may be used to pay for external facilitators, consultants, offsite meetings for relevant Board members and staff, etc. Grants may not be used to cover staff time.

Seed grants fund the organizations to convene key parties and/or retain outside experts to educate those parties on the general technical and logistical aspects of collaboration. Seed grants may also be awarded to provide consulting expertise to an organization’s leadership through the process of defining ideal collaboration partners, creating a target list and approaching partners for opportunities. These grants will not exceed $2,500, but will be eligible to cover up to 100% of the associated costs Arizona Together for Impact will make these grants only in situations that it believes are reasonably likely to lead to a follow-on exploration grant (see below).

This grant provides resources for keeping boater sewage from California waterways.

The Pumpout Facility Grant Program funds the construction of pumpout and dump stations on California's waterways.