Youth Community Access Grant Program (Round 4)

Portal ID:
191673
Status:
Active
Open Date:
9/21/26 00:00
Opportunity Type:
  • Grant
Last Updated:
 | 

Details

Purpose:

YCA Grants will fund projects that serve youth from low-income and disadvantaged communities and provide immersive and meaningful experiences with natural or cultural resources within California that participants otherwise would not have.

Low income and disadvantaged communities are defined in the program guidelines as those that disproportionately lack access to natural and cultural resources.

Description:

California voters passed the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64) on November 8, 2016, which legalized the recreational sale and use of cannabis to people over the age of 21 and levied new excise taxes on the cultivation and retail sale of all state-regulated cannabis. Proposition 64 created the Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account (YEPEITA) into which the State Controller deposits 60% of the tax revenue from marijuana sales for youth programs to support youth substance use prevention, which is overseen by the Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS). A portion of these funds are appropriated to the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) for grants to support youth access to natural or cultural resources, with a focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities. Funding is distributed by CNRA as grants awarded through the Youth Community Access (YCA) grant program. 

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • Nonprofit
  • Public Agency
  • Tribal Government

Eligible applicants include local or state public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and California Native American tribes.

Eligible Geographies:

Statewide

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.
April 2027
The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized.
March 1, 2030

Funding Details

The total projected dollar amount of the grant.
See Notes Below
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.
$30,000 – $300,000
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

Available Funding Notes:

Approximately $15 million is available for local assistance.

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:

The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64) created the Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account (YEPEITA) into which the State Controller deposits 60 percent (60%) of the tax revenues from marijuana sales for youth programs designed to educate about and prevent substance use disorders, and to prevent harm from substance use.

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).
  • Reimbursement(s)

Funding Method Notes:

Payments will be made on a reimbursement basis: the Grantee pays for services, products, or supplies for direct project costs; submits invoices and proof of payment; and is then reimbursed by the State. 10% of the amount requested for reimbursement may be retained and issued as a final payment upon completion. The State allows advance payments of grant funds in certain circumstances, not to exceed 25 percent of the grant amount.

How to Apply

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

Resources