Grant-Writing Workshops

Grant Writing Workshops are available to help build the capacity of organizations that serve the Sierra Nevada Region. Workshops are now available as online webinars. Contact your SNC Area Representative to organize or attend a workshop.

More Information and Assistance Consult with the SNC Funding Team to get advice about specific funding opportunities or general funding development strategies. Contact your SNC Area Representative to set up a meeting with the Funding Team.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making EPA making $6.5 billion in funding available for water infrastructure projects. This round of funding from the EPA’s Water Finance and Innovation Act program will provide up to $5.5 billion to support $11 billion in water infrastructure projects and prioritizes five areas:

• Supporting economically stressed communities.
• Protecting water infrastructure against the impacts of climate change.
• Reducing exposure to lead and addressing emerging contaminants.
• Updating aging infrastructure.
• Implementing new or innovative approaches including cybersecurity and green infrastructure.

The EPA is also announcing funding under SWIFIA. This program, which was authorized by Congress as part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018, offers low-interest loans to state water infrastructure programs that then help finance needed water infrastructure projects in local communities. This round of funding will provide SWIFIA borrowers up to $1 billion to support $2 billion in water infrastructure projects.

Details are available in this news release.

The Immediate Action Wildfire and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program funds the implementation of forest health projects that address wildfire recovery and resilience and support the goals of California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan and SNC’s Watershed Improvement Program.

SNC anticipates up to $20 million available for awards. All projects must have environmental compliance complete and be ready to proceed upon award. Projects must be complete by January 1, 2025.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Projects must be developed in collaboration with SNC. Read the 2021 Immediate Action Wildfire and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program Guidelines and contact your SNC Area Representative to discuss your project. Proposal materials are available through SNC Area Representatives.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are:

• public agencies, including federal agencies
• qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
• tribal entities recognized on the current United States Federal Register or the Native American Heritage Commission as a California Native American tribe

To be eligible, projects must meet all of the following criteria:

• Completed environmental compliance.
• Be located within the Sierra Nevada Region as defined by current SNC governing legislation.
• Be consistent with the SNC mission and program areas as defined in the SNC Strategic Plan.
• Be consistent with the requirements of the funding source and budget provisions.
• Be complete by January 1, 2025.
• Request no less than $200,000.
• Result in a clear, demonstrable, and enduring public benefit.

Schedule

Proposals will be accepted and reviewed on a continuous basis as funding is available. Recommendations will be made to the SNC Governing Board no less than quarterly.

Upcoming Grants That Might be of Interest:

• EPA Environmental Education Local Grants (due January 6) support locally focused environmental education projects that promote environmental and conservation stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and citizens.

• Department of Reclamation Native American Affairs: Technical Assistance to Tribes Program (due January 8) funds projects to protect water and related resources and to improve water reliability.

• The CA Strategic Growth Council’s Transformative Climate Communities Grants (pre-application due January 15) provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits to disadvantaged communities by supporting the development and implementation of transformative climate community plans that include multiple coordinated GHG-reduction projects.

• USFS Wood Innovation Grants (due January 15) support traditional wood-utilization projects, expand wood-energy markets, and promote the use of wood as a construction material in commercial buildings.

• Captain Planet ecoSolution Grants (due January 15) allow educators to facilitate solution-oriented, youth-led projects that result in real environmental outcomes for schools and communities.

• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions (due January 15) help small and mid-sized institutions improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections.

• The National Forest Foundation Matching Award Program (due January 16) funds on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects that have an immediate, quantifiable impact on the National Forest System.

• The People for Bikes Community Grant Program (due January 17) supports bicycle infrastructure and advocacy efforts.

• American Library Association – Libraries Transforming Communities: Facilitation Skills for Small and Rural Libraries: Travel Stipends for Libraries (due January 20) help library workers that serve small and/or rural communities develop facilitation skills to engage with their communities by covering travel costs to a training workshop.

• Melinda Gray Ardia Environmental Foundation: Environmental Curricula Grants (pre-proposals due January 25) advance the development, implementation, and/or field testing of environmental curricula.

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grants (due January 30) support diverse local partnerships in implementing ecological improvements and environmental education projects.

• Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants (due February 1) fund projects that protect earth’s beauty and bounty and increase opportunities for outdoor activities.

• CA Natural Resources Agency Recreational Boating Facilities Grants and Loans (due February 1) provide funding to support boat-launching ramps, boarding floats, associated parking areas, restrooms, and lighting, as well as improvements to marinas.

• CA Department of Parks and Recreation: Non-motorized Recreational Trails Program Grants (due February 3) fund non-motorized recreational trails and trail-related projects.

• CA Department of Parks and Recreation: Land and Water Conservation Grants (due February 3) provide funding for the acquisition or development of land to create new outdoor recreation opportunities for the health and wellness of Californians.

• American Library Association: Libraries Transform Communities: Engagement Grants (due February 3) provide support for school, public, academic, tribal and special libraries to expand their community engagement efforts through a library-led community project.

• Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation Grants (due February 3) support a variety of project areas, including encouraging planning and development at the regional level to integrate economic and social goals with sound environmental policies.

• WaterSMART: Drought Contingency Planning Grants (due February 5) allow tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations to develop and update drought contingency plans that build long-term resiliency to drought.

• USDA Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-14 Classroom Challenge Grants (due February 6) enhance the quality of K-14 instruction in order to help meet current and future national food, agricultural, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences’ workplace needs, and to increase the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a two- or four-year degree in the FANH sciences.

• The Bay Area Council’s California Resilience Challenge Grants (due February 7) fund planning projects aimed at improving local resilience to climate impacts, including drought, flooding, extreme heat, and wildfire.

• EPA Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Grants (due February 7) assist recipients in building collaborative partnerships to help them understand and address environmental and public health concerns in their communities.

• The CA Strategic Growth Council Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (due February 13) reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through projects implementing land use, housing, transportation, and agricultural land preservation practices to support infill and compact development.

• Campbell Foundation Grants (due February 14) fund projects that involve scientifically based and strategically focused action related to water quality, land-sea connections, and protection of special places.

• National Park Trust: Kids to Parks Day National School Contest (due February 14) funds school events for preK-12 students to participate in Kids to Parks Day, a nationwide grassroots movement to celebrate America’s parks and public lands that will take place on May 16, 2020.

• The Rose Foundation California Watershed Protection Fund (letters of inquiry due February 15) supports projects designed to benefit the water quality of California’s watersheds and their ecosystems.

• Strong Foundation for Environmental Values Grants (due February 15) educate, assist, nurture, and sustain local nonprofit grassroots organizations that help build an ethic of environmental stewardship in their communities.

• Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services: Robert F. Schumann Foundation Grants (due February 20) support programs in education and those emphasizing environmental sustainability, particularly those focused on open-space habitats and animals, especially birds and ornithology studies.

• The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (“NFWF”) Sacramento District California In-Lieu Fee (ILF) Program (new applications now accepted) can be used to create, enhance, and restore wetland resources in designated areas, including most of the SNC Region.

Spread the News!

Three-day California Forest Stewardship Workshops – March 7th, 8th, and 14th: Shasta College, Redding. This workshop series will help landowners develop plans to improve and protect their forest lands in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner. The workshops address management objectives and planning, forest restoration, fuels reduction, project development, permitting, and cost-share opportunities. Participants will connect with other landowners and learn how to develop their own management plans. The workshop series costs $60, which covers lunches on two days and materials. Register at http://ucanr.edu/forestryworskhopregistration.

SNC Funding Team Consultation

Your SNC Area Representative can help you set up an individual consultation with the SNC Funding Team to get advice about specific funding opportunities or general fund development strategies. To take advantage of this resource, contact your SNC Area Representative.

Grant Writing Workshops

are available to help build the capacity of organizations that serve the Sierra Nevada Region. If you are interested in organizing or attending a workshop, contact your SNC Area Representative.

Sierra Nevada Conservancy

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES NEWSLETTER

August & September 2019

Funding Research Memos for fuel reduction, parks and trails, habitat preservation, environmental education, and other program areas are available on the SNC funding opportunities webpage. This is a great way to find funding opportunities for your projects!

Upcoming Grants That Might be of Interest:

• The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment: Northern California Environmental Grassroots Fund (due August 1) provides modest general support grants to small grassroots organizations that address tough environmental problems, such as toxic pollution, sustainable agriculture, climate change, environmental degradation of rivers and wild places, and the environmental health of communities.
• The Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation Grant Program (due August 1) promotes the long-term good health and viability of communities and regions, including supporting regional planning and sustainability in agriculture and food systems.
• The California Statewide Parks Program (due August 5) provides funding to create new parks and recreation opportunities in critically underserved communities across the state.
• The Nature Conservancy Natural Climate Solutions Accelerator Grant (due August 5) supports innovative demonstration projects with potential for large-scale implementation of natural climate solutions in natural and working lands, such as forests, agricultural lands, grasslands, and wetlands.
• The US Department of Labor YouthBuild Program (due August 6) funds education, occupational skills training, and employment services for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24.
• The National Endowment for the Arts: Our Town Program (due August 8) supports projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities, and strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes.
• The Cedar Tree Foundation: Regenerative Grazing Initiative (due August 12) supports projects that will increase the number of farmers, ranchers, and other land managers who use regenerative grazing practices to increase their soil organic matter and improve overall soil health, thereby achieving multiple environmental benefits while increasing their resilience to floods and droughts.
• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Wetlands Restoration for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Program (due August 13) supports mountain meadows restoration projects, which provide quantifiable GHG benefits.
• The Leary Firefighters Foundation: Jeremiah Lucey Grant Program (letters of inquiry due August 15) provides funding and resources for fire departments to obtain the best available equipment, technology, and training.
• The Thornton S. Glide, Jr. and Katrina D. Glide Foundation: Regular Grants (due August 15) fund animal protection, as well as other land and wildlife conservation projects.
• The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment: California Wildlands Grassroots Fund (due August 15) supports conservationists advocating for the permanent protection, including restoration and stewardship, of intact wildlands to help preserve California’s wilderness and native biological diversity.
• The USDA Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (due August 15) supports training and technical assistance projects designed to assist socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and operating viable agricultural enterprises.
• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Natural Community Conservation Planning Local Assistance Grant Program (due August 23) supports fish and wildlife habitat preservation, restoration, and enhancement that will help local public and nonprofit agencies implement Natural Community Conservation Plans (NCCPs).
• The CA Department of Water Resources Urban Streams Restoration Program (due August 30)provides funding to restore streams impacted by urban development to a more natural state.
• The CA Department of Water Resources San Joaquin Fish Population Enhancement Program (due August 30) improves conditions for survival of various life stages of salmonids and other native fishes in the tributaries of the San Joaquin River, including the Cosumnes, Mokelumne, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and the Merced.
• The DigitalLead: Rural Libraries Creating New Possibilities Program (due August 30) increases digital skills programming and access to technology in rural communities by providing hardware and digital skills training and resources to rural libraries.
• The Wildlife Conservation Board’s Stream Flow Enhancement Program (due September 10) funds multi-benefit projects that result in enhanced flows for streams that support anadromous fish; support special status, threatened, endangered, or at-risk species; or provide resilience to climate change.
• The California Energy Commission Energy Conservation Assistance Act (rolling) provides 1% interest loans for projects involving energy efficiency and renewable energy generation.

Does your community need help with climate change adaptation planning? 

EcoAdapt, in partnership with Virginia Tech, is offering support for up to eight communities to undertake a stakeholder-driven climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning workshop (1-2 days). They are looking for interested communities who are creating, updating, or implementing a local plan (e.g., comprehensive/general, hazard mitigation, neighborhood). The goal of these workshops is to build local capacity for climate change adaptation, improve understanding about local climate change vulnerabilities, and develop implementable adaptation responses. Following the workshop, each community will receive a climate adaptation action plan summarizing local climate vulnerabilities and impacts, as well as adaptation strategies and actions designed to minimize vulnerabilities and increase community resilience. Application forms should be submitted by August 30.

Your SNC Area Representative can help you set up an individual consultation with the SNC Funding Team to get advice about specific funding opportunities or general fund development strategies. To take advantage of this resource, contact your Area Representative.

Grant Writing Workshops are available to help build the capacity of organizations that serve the Sierra Nevada region. If you are interested in organizing or attending a workshop, contact your Area Representative.

Stream Flow Enhancement Program – 2019 Proposal Solicitation Notice

The Wildlife Conservation Board’s 2019 Proposal Solicitation Notice (PSN) for the Stream Flow Enhancement Program is now available. Proposals for multi-benefit projects that result in enhanced stream flow are encouraged. Enhanced stream flow is defined as a change in the amount, timing, and/or quality of the water flowing down a stream, or a portion of a stream, to benefit fish and wildlife. The primary focus is on enhancing flow in streams that support anadromous fish; support special status, threatened, endangered, or at-risk species; or provide resilience to climate change. Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, on September 10, 2019. For questions, contact the Stream Flow Enhancement Program at wcbstreamflow@wildlife.ca.gov

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is pleased to announce a Request for Pre-Applications to the Watershed Improvement Program Forest Health Grant Program, funded through Proposition 1 and Proposition 68. There is currently $10.5 million available to support forest health projects that result in multiple watershed benefits.

Please review SNC’s website and Grant Guidelines for a complete description of Grant Program requirements and details on the application process.

Pre Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on August 5, 2019.

SNC strongly encourages applicants to meet with their Area Representative to discuss projects prior to preparing their Pre-Application. For general questions regarding the Grant Program, please contact us at grants.snc@sierranevada.ca.gov or (530) 823-4689.

Sierra Nevada Conservancy

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES NEWSLETTER

July & August 2019

Funding Research Memos for fuel reduction, parks and trails, habitat preservation, environmental education, and other program areas are available on the SNC funding opportunities webpage. This is a great way to find funding opportunities for your projects!

Upcoming Grants That Might be of Interest:

• The CA Wildlife Conservation Board’s Forest Conservation Program (pre-applications due June 28) supports planning, acquisition, and restoration projects throughout the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains.
• The Dorrance Family Foundation: Animals of the Sierra Nevada Grant Program (letters of inquiry due June 30) supports high-performing nonprofit organizations in the preservation, protection, and recovery of imperiled and at-risk wildlife of the Sierra Nevada region.
• The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (due June 30) has a network of conservation and recreation planning professionals that help community groups, nonprofits, tribes, and state and local governments design trails and parks, conserve and improve access to rivers, protect special places, and create recreational opportunities.
• Honor the Earth: Native Communities Program (due July 1) supports organizations working to increase indigenous communities’ capacity to prevent and adapt to climate change in ways that preserve and restore indigenous cultures.
• The California Fire Foundation Wildland Outreach Grant Program (due July 15) supports fire prevention and education messaging on issues, such as wildfire safety, emergency preparedness, and first responder community engagement.
• USDA Conservation Innovation Grants (due July 30) stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production.
• The CA Department of Conservation Working Lands and Riparian Corridors Program (due July 31) funds local and regional planning projects focused on natural and working lands, as well as capacity and project development for land trusts engaged in agricultural land conservation.
• The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment: Northern California Environmental Grassroots Fund (due August 1) provides modest general support grants to small grassroots organizations that address tough environmental problems, such as toxic pollution, sustainable agriculture, climate change, environmental degradation of rivers and wild places, and the environmental health of communities.
• The Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation Grant Program (due August 1) promotes the long-term good health and viability of communities and regions, including supporting regional planning and sustainability in agriculture and food systems.
• The California Statewide Parks Program (due August 5) provides funding to create new parks and recreation opportunities in critically underserved communities across the state.
• The Nature Conservancy Natural Climate Solutions Accelerator Grant (due August 5) supports innovative demonstration projects with potential for large-scale implementation of natural climate solutions in natural and working lands, such as forests, agricultural lands, grasslands, and wetlands.
• The US Department of Labor YouthBuild Program (due August 6) funds education, occupational skills training, and employment services for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24.
• The National Endowment for the Arts: Our Town Program (due August 8) supports projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities, and strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes.
• The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Wetlands Restoration for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Program (due August 13) supports mountain meadows restoration projects, which provide quantifiable GHG benefits.
• The Leary Firefighters Foundation: Jeremiah Lucey Grant Program (letters of inquiry due August 15) provides funding and resources for fire departments to obtain the best available equipment, technology, and training.
• The Thornton S. Glide, Jr. and Katrina D. Glide Foundation: Regular Grants (due August 15) fund animal protection, as well as other land and wildlife conservation projects.
• The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Northern California Forests and Watersheds Program (2019 Request for Proposal is expected to be released in July) provides funding for Storrie Fire restoration (Lassen National Forest) and for California meadow restoration that benefit Desert Terminal Lakes basins.

Your SNC Area Representative can help you set up an individual consultation with the SNC Funding Team to get advice about specific funding opportunities or general fund development strategies. To take advantage of this resource, contact your Area Representative.

Grant Writing Workshops are available to help build the capacity of organizations that serve the Sierra Nevada region. If you are interested in organizing or attending a workshop, contact your Area Representative.