Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy (BH UWC) Proposition 4: Community and Climate Resilience Grant Program
🏛 Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy (California)
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Sep 13, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for county offices of education (COEs) in California seeking to become regional English learner support experts. Five to seven agencies will be selected competitively to serve as Geo-Regional Experts for Multilingual Students (GEMS). Selected COEs will receive a minimum of $250,000 to build capacity and provide technical assistance across their regions.
COEs must be prepared to build capacity of other COEs, coordinate statewide system support, and provide high-quality English language development instruction support. They will identify regional resources, support the California English Learner Roadmap implementation, and develop new capacity-building activities for local educational agencies (LEAs).
This is a California-specific program under Assembly Bill 121. Funding is $2 million annually beginning in the 2026–27 fiscal year.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
The Climate Bond, Proposition 4: the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Senate Bill (SB) 867), was approved by voters in November 2024. It added Division 50 (Commencing with Section 80000) to the Public Resources Code (PRC). Section 93020 (a)(1) of Chapter 6: Protect Biodiversity and Accelerating Nature-Based Climate Solutions authorizes the Legislature to appropriate $48,000,000 (forty-eight million dollars) to the Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy (Conservancy) for projects and programs that reduce the risks of climate change impacts upon communities, fish and wildlife, and natural resources, and increase public access. Grant funds shall be awarded to projects and programs that: Produce direct, measurable, and non-speculative benefits; Improve climate resilience for Disadvantaged Communities (DACs), Severely Disadvantaged Communities (SDACs), Tribes, or vulnerable populations; Avoid creating burdens or harms to any vulnerable community; Demonstrate community engagement, co-design, or community-identified need; and/or Provide benefits reasonably proportional to the project’s scale and cost. The Conservancy shall ensure that Proposition 4 investments provide meaningful and direct benefits to Vulnerable Populations, DACs, SDACs, and Native American Tribes. These requirements implement the California Natural Resources Agency’s Meaningful and Direct Benefits Assessment Framework and ensure that climate-resilience investments advance equity, reduce climate burdens, and strengthen community capacity to adapt to climate impacts. The Conservancy will utilize the BH UWC Community and Climate Resilience Framework to evaluate proposal applications for their ability to advance one or more of the Conservancy’s eight Community and Climate Resilience Goals: Empower Safe and Resilient Communities Increase Access to Parks and Open Spaces Protect and Manage Water Resources Increase Biodiversity Advance Urban Forest Health Remediate Degraded Lands Mitigate Impacts from Extreme Heat Prevent Wildfire These goals ensure that Proposition 4 investments advance the Conservancy’s statutory mission and deliver direct, measurable, and equitable benefits to communities experiencing persistent underinvestment. Applications will be submitted in two phases: a Concept Proposal and a Full Application. It is strongly recommended that prospective applicants contact BH UWC staff and attend a grant workshop for a consultation prior to submitting a Concept Proposal.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Request for Application (RFA) from CDE GEMS webpage
- Organizational capacity documentation
- Regional resource inventory
- English Learner program implementation plan
- Letters of support from LEAs in designated region
Program contact
- 📧 info@bhc.ca.gov
- 📞 1-111-111-1111
Funding track record
Past applications & awards under this program (California Grants Portal) — how competitive it is.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Applications | Awarded | Award rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-2026 | 98 | — | 0% |
Source: California Grants Portal
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
County offices of education (COEs) in California are eligible. Five to seven agencies will be selected competitively.
What is the minimum funding amount?
Selected COEs will receive a minimum of $250,000. Additional funds may be available based on regional needs and program size.
What are the main responsibilities of a GEMS?
COEs must build capacity for technical assistance on EL programs, provide high-quality ELD instruction support, identify regional resources, and support implementation of California's English Learner Roadmap.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is February 12, 2026. Applicants should check the CDE GEMS RFA webpage for the full timeline and application workshop details.
What is the funding source?
This grant is funded by Assembly Bill 121 (Chapter 52, Statutes of 2025) Section 50, with $2 million annually available beginning in 2026–27.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your COE's existing capacity to support English learner programs and technical assistance infrastructure.
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of California's English Learner Roadmap and how you'll integrate it regionally.
- Include specific examples of resources and professional development your region currently offers or can develop.
- Show how you'll coordinate with other COEs and tailor support to diverse LEA needs within your designated region.
- Highlight your plan to support long-term English learners (LTELs) and improve multilingual student outcomes.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack clear understanding of the EL Roadmap or fail to demonstrate existing EL program expertise. Proposals are too vague about regional coordination strategies and don't specify which LEAs they'll serve. Applicants underestimate the technical assistance capacity needed to support multiple counties.
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