Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks Grant
🏛 State Water Resources Control Board (California)
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Sep 5, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for California charter schools serving low-income student populations. Eligible schools must serve a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, or be located in a public elementary school boundary with similar demographics. Schools must be chartered and operating in California.
The grant offsets annual ongoing facility costs. Schools do not need to provide matching funds. This is a state-level California program, not a federal grant.
Funding availability is announced annually on the California School Finance Authority (CSFA) website. Interested schools should monitor CSFA communications for application windows and specific requirements each year.
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Program description
Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) grants are available to assist small business underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators in financing up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove, or replace project tanks to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code section 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, 25292.5, or 41954. Please note that removal-only projects are now eligible for RUST grants. Grants are available for between $3,000 and $70,000 to eligible UST owners/operators. An additional $140,000 in RUST grant moneys above the $70,000 maximum is available for remote public fueling stations for the purpose of removing and replacing a single-walled UST. (See Health and Safety Code § 25299.107(e) for more information.) Eligibility Requirements Grant applicants must be a UST owner and/or operator and meet all of the following requirements: • The applicant is a small business that employs fewer than 20 full-time and part-time employees, is independently owned and operated, and is not dominant in its field of operation; • The grant applicant’s principal office and its officers must be domiciled in California; • The facility where the project tank is located was legally in business retailing gasoline after January 1, 1999. • All of the tanks owned and operated by the grant applicant are subject to compliance with Health and Safety Code chapter 6.7 and implementing regulations; • The facility where the subject tank is located has sold, at retail, less than 900,000 gallons of gasoline annually for each of the two years preceding the submission of the grant application; (Gallonage is based upon taxable sales figures provided to the State Board of Equalization (BOE) on the grant applicant’s BOE 401 GS including Schedule G.) • The grant applicant meets either of the following: The grant applicant is in compliance with Health and Safety Code sections 41954 and 25290.1, 25290.2, 25291, or subdivisions (d) and (e) of section 25292; (The facility must provide a current UST permit, a current Permit to Operate, and proof of EVR compliance as evidence of compliance with the permit compliance requirements.) or Revised 1/2020 The grant applicant meets the requirements for a waiver from the RUST grant permit compliance requirements. (The project is for removal-only and the grant applicant does not qualify for a RUST loan.) This is not a reimbursement program. Work cannot begin until you have an agreement executed by the State Water Board.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- School demographic data and free/reduced lunch enrollment numbers
- Facility cost documentation and itemized budget
- Charter school authorization documentation
- Current enrollment records
Program contact
- 📧 RUST@waterboards.ca.gov
- 📞 1-916-341-5765
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 40 | — | 0% |
| 2022-2023 | 24 | 24 | 100% |
| 2023-2024 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 2024-2025 | 18 | 18 | 100% |
| 2020-2021 | 56 | 7 | 13% |
| 2025-2026 | 34 | 10 | 29% |
Source: California Grants Portal
FAQ
Who is eligible for this grant?
California charter schools serving high-percentage free/reduced lunch populations or located in similar school boundaries. Schools must be chartered and operational.
When does the application window open?
Funding availability is announced annually. Check the CSFA website each year for specific deadlines.
What can grant funds cover?
Funds offset annual ongoing facility costs for eligible charter schools.
Is matching funding required?
No. This grant does not require cost-sharing or matching funds.
How much can a school receive?
Award amounts vary. Contact CSFA directly for current funding levels and individual award ranges.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Visit the California School Finance Authority website regularly to catch annual funding announcements. Deadlines may shift year to year.
- Document your school's student demographics and meal eligibility data before applying. Have enrollment and poverty statistics ready.
- Clearly itemize facility costs in your application. Show how funds directly support operations and maintenance.
- Submit applications early if rolling acceptance is available. Do not wait until the final deadline.
- Contact CSFA staff before applying if you have questions about school eligibility or what qualifies as facility costs.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Missing the annual announcement window and failing to apply before the deadline. Schools must monitor CSFA communications actively. Underestimating eligible student population and not clearly documenting free/reduced lunch percentages or school boundary demographics. Submitting incomplete facility cost justifications without clear connection to school operations.
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