Small Grants Program
🏛 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy (California)
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Oct 7, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for California organizations implementing large-scale wildfire and landscape resilience projects. Eligible applicants must demonstrate strong administrative, technical, and operational capacity to manage multi-partner projects and handle awards of $5–20 million. Projects must address regional priorities through activities like fuels reduction, prescribed fire, reforestation, workforce training, or pest management.
The program prioritizes projects that serve disadvantaged communities, involve tribal partners, engage regional stakeholders, and leverage CAL FIRE funds with other investments. Applicants should have completed or substantially completed environmental compliance. Previous project maintenance is also eligible if it supports resilience goals.
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Program description
The Grant has three focus areas: Nature Based Solutions (NBS), community enhancement and access, and ecosystem restoration. NBS goals are to support restoration, conservation, and 3 climate projects that will stop or reverse ongoing subsidence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions occurring on highly organic soils. NBS projects provide technical assistance and financial support for crop conversion, restoration of managed wetland, research, education and outreach on related topics, land acquisition or easement, and technical assistance to access the Voluntary Carbon Market. Community enhancement and access projects will benefit Delta communities through public access, recreation and tourism, historic and cultural preservation, environmental education, and community engagement or education. Ecosystem Restoration and Climate Adaptation projects will restore and conserve the Delta and Suisun Marsh’s natural resources, environment, and biodiversity. Current projects restore, research, plan or educate about landscape health or reduce the risks of climate change impacts upon natural resources, fish, and wildlife. Priorities within these programs include: 1. Protecting and enhancing habitat and habitat restoration. 2. Protecting and preserving Delta agriculture and working landscapes. 3. Providing increased opportunities for tourism and recreation in the Delta. 4. Promoting Delta legacy communities, historical preservation and economic vitality in the Delta. 5. Mitigating the impacts of climate change and increasing climate change resilience. 6. Increasing the resilience of the Delta to the effects of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, in coordination with the Delta Protection Commission. 7. Protecting and improving water quality. 8. Protecting, conserving, and restoring the region’s physical, agricultural, cultural, historical, and living resources. 9. Promoting environmental education. 10. Other projects that show a significant benefit to the environment, economy, culture or agriculture in the Delta. 11. Projects that plan for or provide capacity for any of the priorities in this list. 12. Research projects that provide a scientific foundation or inform the priorities listed above.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Concept proposal (phase 1)
- Regional priority documentation
- Stakeholder and tribal engagement plan
- Budget and funding leverage narrative
- Environmental compliance status
- Organizational capacity documentation
Program contact
- 📧 grants@deltaconservancy.ca.gov
- 📞 1-916-375-2084
FAQ
What organizations can apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants must demonstrate capacity to manage large, complex multi-partner projects worth $5–20 million. This typically includes counties, resource agencies, nonprofits, and consortia with proven track records.
When is the deadline?
Concept proposals are due June 30, 2026 at 3 p.m. PDT. A full application phase follows invitation.
What types of projects are funded?
Funded activities include fuels reduction, prescribed fire, reforestation, pest management, workforce training (up to 10% of funds), and maintenance of completed resilience projects.
How should I make my application competitive?
Partner with tribes and regional stakeholders. Align with transparent regional priorities using data-driven analysis. Serve disadvantaged communities. Leverage non-CAL FIRE funding sources. Use certified conservation corps.
What is the funding range?
Awards range from $5 million to $20 million per project. Total available funding is $30 million across the program.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate capacity early: Show experience managing large multi-partner projects and budgets at this scale before applying.
- Build the right team: Partner with tribes, community organizations, and regional agencies to show broad stakeholder buy-in.
- Align with regional priorities: Use transparent data-driven prioritization processes and practitioner expertise to ground your concept.
- Layer your funding: Combine CAL FIRE money with state, federal, local, and private investments to increase competitiveness.
- Plan for compliance: Have environmental compliance completed or nearly complete before submitting your concept proposal.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting projects without confirmed regional stakeholder and tribal support. Proposing single-benefit activities instead of multi-benefit projects that address multiple landscape and community needs. Applying without demonstrated capacity to manage projects at the $5–20 million scale.
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