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Urban Greening 2026

Grantor:
CA Natural Resources Agency
Portal ID:
171387
Status:
Active
Opportunity Type:
  • Grant
Last Updated:
 | 
Categories:

Details

Purpose:

Urban Greening Grant Program funds projects that use nature-based solutions to mitigate the urban heat island effect, rising temperatures, and extreme heat impacts in urban areas.

Description:

The 2026 Urban Greening Grant Program will solicit Step 1 Concept Proposals (between May 4-June 4) and extend invitations to submit Step 2 Full Proposals in July 2026.

Successful projects will green and cool communities and offer multiple benefits including sequestering carbon, limiting stormwater runoff, providing habitat and preserving biodiversity, protecting public health during extreme heat, increasing equity, and expanding economic and workforce opportunities. Funded projects are expected to advance the goals of the State’s Extreme Heat Action Plan and Nature-Based Solutions Climate Targets.

To be eligible for funding, Urban Greening projects must comply with all the following:

• Be located in an urban area;

• Provide public benefit; and

• Provide public access

At the time of full project proposal submission, applicants must either own the property or demonstrate landowner willingness to enter into future site control negotiations.

Projects that proposing at least one of the following will be prioritized for funding:

1. Providing direct and meaningful benefits to vulnerable populations, disadvantaged communities, or severely disadvantaged communities, and meet these 4 criteria (A thru D):

a) Create direct, tangible, and substantial benefits that would not have happened without the project. Meaningful benefits are not incidental, indirect, or speculative.

b) Protect or enhance a community’s resources and quality of life by building climate resilience. This may include reducing risks to the community from climate hazards or protecting resources threatened by climate change (e.g. drinking water supply/quality, urban tree canopy, critical community infrastructure, etc.).

c) Directly respond to a community’s expressed need or desired benefit, either through direct project input or as part of a larger planning or engagement effort.

d) Avoid long-term degradation or reduction of any population’s resources (i.e., benefits provided to one community cannot burden another).

2. Using the services of the California Conservation Corps (CCC) or Certified Local Conservation Corps (LCCs)

3. Leverage private, federal, and local funding or produce the greatest public benefit

This program intends to award funding to disadvantaged communities with a minimum of 40% of funds to projects providing meaningful and direct benefits to vulnerable populations, or disadvantaged or severely disadvantaged communities.

For projects that affect tribal communities, applicants must show meaningful outreach and attempts to collaborate with local California Native American tribes throughout the planning, design, and implementation of their project.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • Nonprofit
  • Public Agency

• Public agencies

• Local agencies

• Nonprofit organizations

• Special districts

• Joint powers authorities

• California Native American tribes

• Public utilities

• Local publicly owned utilities

• Mutual water companies

Eligible Geographies:

Statewide. Priority will be given to projects that are in and serve disadvantaged communities. Projects must be located in an urban area. The minimum qualifying threshold for inclusion as an urban area is a geographic territory that contains at least 2,000 housing units or has a population of at least 5,000. To determine if your project is located within an urban area, refer to the 2020 California Urban Areas layer in California Census Map.

Matching Funding Requirement:

Proposed projects that leverage private, federal, and local funding or produce the greatest public benefit will be prioritized for funding.

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.
December 2026
The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized.
thru March 1, 2030

Funding Details

The total projected dollar amount of the grant.
$46,125,000
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.
$200,000 – $5,000,000
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
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:

On November 5, 2024, California voters passed Proposition 4 (the Climate Bond). The Climate Bond authorizes $10 billion to fund projects to address climate change, protect communities and nature from its impacts, and improve the lives of Californians.

The Climate Bond directs funding to CNRA for competitive urban greening grants for projects that mitigate the urban heat island effect, rising temperatures, and extreme heat impacts.

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:

Whenever possible, you should pay project costs and then seek reimbursement from the grant. It is recommended you request reimbursement at least quarterly but no more than monthly. Submitting one reimbursement request for all project costs at the end of the project is strongly discouraged.

The Climate Bond allows an advance payment of grant funds in the amount of 25 percent of the grant award to initiate a project in a timely manner.

How to Apply

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

Resources

For questions about this grant, contact:
1-916-653-2812, urbangreening@resources.ca.gov

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