The California State Coastal Conservancy funds projects that protect and restore coastal and watershed ecosystems while expanding equitable public access to California’s coast. It supports capital projects, planning and adaptation efforts, species recovery, environmental education, and community engagement—typically partnering with local governments, park districts, tribes, and conservation nonprofits. Grants range from small program-specific awards for outreach and access to multi-million-dollar capital and restoration projects, with solicitations and priorities determined by state bond and program funding.
Program-driven competitive grants (open solicitations and rolling programs) with award sizes from up to $100,000 for outreach/access programs to $200,000–$5,000,000 (and up to $3,000,000+ under some bond-funded programs). Many opportunities are tied to specific funding sources (Proposition 1, Proposition 68, etc.), have periodic application windows or rolling review, and favor multi-benefit, shovel-ready capital projects and demonstrated local partnerships.
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Review the Conservancy grants page for program-specific solicitations and deadlines, confirm geographic eligibility (California coastal zones/coastal watersheds), note program caps (e.g., Explore the Coast up to $100k; Prop 68 up to ~$3M), assemble strong partnerships (local agency, nonprofit, or tribal sponsor), identify matching or leveraged funds to increase competitiveness, and contact Conservancy staff listed in each solicitation before applying.
Current and upcoming funding from California Coastal Authority (not found). Relevant entities identified: California Coastal Commission; California State Coastal Conservancy that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Projects should advance wildfire resilience objectives and fit Conservancy project selection criteria; the program funds planning and implementation support, especially where multiple projects can be made ready to implement.
Deadline: Rolling pre-application process; no fixed deadline stated.
Who can apply: Projects must align with the Santa Ana River region’s resource and recreational goals and the Conservancy’s broader project selection criteria.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.