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Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Climate Bond 2026 Solicitation

Grantor:
CA Natural Resources Agency
Portal ID:
158985
Status:
Active
Opportunity Type:
  • Grant
Last Updated:
Categories:

Details

Purpose:

This funding will continue to support the return of ancestral lands to California Native American tribes, planning and implementation of habitat restoration projects, protecting the California coast and oceans, advancing wildfire resiliency and cultural fire, and many other multi-benefit nature-based solutions projects across California.

Description:

Please refer to the TNBS Climate Bond Final 2026 Guidelines for detailed information.

Approximately $9.2 million is available for tribal multi-benefit nature-based solutions projects that will fund land acquisition or other fee title acquisitions benefiting California Native American Tribes. Eligible expenses include costs associated with the purchase of property rights, conservation easements, and water rights/instream flows consistent with requirements of the grant program (see Eligible Project Examples within the TNBS Climate Bond 2026 Final Guidelines). These funds are available for encumbrance until June 30, 2028.

Applications will be accepted during a defined, annual solicitation period through a 2-Step Application process. Grant application rounds will be open on an annual basis, until funds are fully allocated. CNRA may utilize these funds to support direct expenditures, block grants, contracts, or competitive grants, and may be used for support or local assistance. 

This grant program has limited funding available for escrow ready multi-benefit ancestral land return projects that are partially funded and can demonstrate requested grant funds will complete acquisition at Fair Market Value. Escrow ready projects that are eligible for TNBS funds but are not awarded during the Escrow Ready review period will be automatically included in the Standard Grant Review Process for further consideration.

Escrow ready projects will need to encumber funds (enter into grant agreement) by March 31, 2027, close escrow by July 30, 2027, expend funds by January 1, 2029, and submit all final invoices by March 31, 2029.

Key Solicitation Deadlines:

Solicitation Opens*: February 13, 2026

Step 1 Application and Escrow Ready Application due: April 15, 2026

Invitation to Step 2: May 29, 2026

Step 2 Application Due: August 29, 2026

Step 3 Site Visits (if applicable): Early September through Mid-October 2026

Award Announcement: November 23, 2026

*This is when RAPTR Submission portal will open and begin accepting application submissions. Applicants are welcome to begin preparing application materials as soon as guidelines are published.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • Nonprofit
  • Tribal Government

Eligible applicants include California Native American tribes and tribally led entities located in California. Non-tribal entities registered as 501(c)(3)s may support California Native American tribes and tribally led entities in applying for the program. Applications can be submitted on behalf of an inter-tribal consortium, tribal conservation district, or partnerships.

Eligible Geographies:

Projects must be within the State of California and must benefit California Native American Tribes.

Matching Funding Requirement:

There is no match funding requirement to participate or be eligible for grant funds. However, priority and competitiveness will be enhanced for projects with secured partial funding (from other state, federal, tribal, philanthropic, donated, or private funds) and that can demonstrate that the requested TNBS funds will fund/complete whole acquisition (at fair market value). 

Important Dates

The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight.
The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant.
November 23, 2026
The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized.
Variable

Funding Details

The total projected dollar amount of the grant.
$9,200,000
A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent.
No
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source.
No
The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number.
  • State

Funding Source Notes:

Public Resources Code Section 93040 (Senate Bill 867, Allen 2024) Climate Bond, also known as Proposition 4, and Budget Act of 2025 (Senate Bill 105, Wiener 2025)

The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly).
  • Advances & Reimbursement(s)

Funding Method Notes:

Ancestral Land Return Projects:  Min. award amount is $1,000,000; Max. award amount is total available grant funds. Escrow-Ready Projects: No min. award amount; Max. award amount is total available grant funds. 

How to Apply

State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying.

Resources

For questions about this grant, contact:
CNRA TNBS Grant Program, 1-916-653-5656, tribalaffairs@resources.ca.gov

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