Updated Oct 28, 2026
Underserved & Rural Communities: grants in California
Open grants targeting rural areas, low-income neighborhoods, and other underserved communities.
- Open now
- 53
- Closing in 30 days
- 0
- California programs
- 49
- Largest award ceiling
- $90K
- California foundations
- 4,147
California programs
State agencies, state councils, and federal programs that specifically name California.
| Deadline | Grant | Funder | Award ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 303 days | 2026-27 Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4CaliforniaPublic Utilities Commission | Public Utilities Commission | Up to $100K |
| Oct 303 days | Rice Incentive ProgramCaliforniaSacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Not listed |
| Nov 26 days | Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grant for Program Year 2026-27 (PY 26-27)CaliforniaEmployment Development Department | Employment Development Department | Up to $1.3M |
| Nov 37 days | 2026 California Nutrition Incentive ProgramCaliforniaCA Department of Food and Agriculture | CA Department of Food and Agriculture | Up to $13M |
| Nov 48 days | Youth Community Access Grant Program (Round 4)CaliforniaCA Natural Resources Agency | CA Natural Resources Agency | Up to $300K |
| Dec 1549 days | Trauma Recovery Center Grant Fiscal Year 27/28CaliforniaVictim Compensation Board | Victim Compensation Board | Not listed |
| Dec 1751 days | Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) – Round 5 – Proposition 4CaliforniaDepartment of Parks and Recreation | Department of Parks and Recreation | Up to $8.5M |
| Jun 301342 days | Proposition 4 – Water RecyclingCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Up to $15M |
| Rollingno deadline | Cost Share for Federal Funding Opportunities Industrial Decarbonization and Improvement of Grid Operations (INDIGO) Program and Food Production Investment Program (FPIP)CaliforniaCA Energy Commission | CA Energy Commission | Up to $5.0M |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 4 – Wildfire and Forest ResilienceCaliforniaSan Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | Up to $2.0M |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 1 Lower Los Angeles River GrantsCaliforniaSan Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | Up to $2.0M |
| Rollingno deadline | Healthcare Expansion Loan Program II (HELP II)CaliforniaState Treasurer's Office | State Treasurer's Office | Up to $1.5M |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 13 – Water Recycling – Planning GrantCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Up to $300K |
| Rollingno deadline | The Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Program (SAFER)CaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) ProgramCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Emergency Drinking Water / Cleanup & Abatement Account ProgramsCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | County-wide and Regional Funding ProgramCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – Prop 68 RiverCaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – (Prop 68 River – Severely Disadvantaged Community)CaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – Prop 68 River San Fernando ValleyCaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – (Prop 68 River San Fernando Valley – Severely Disadvantaged Community)CaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All – (Prop 68 River – CA) Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – (Prop 68 River – Community Access))CaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) SMMC Grant Program – Prop 68 River San Fernando Valley – Community AccessCaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy (BH UWC) Consolidated Grant ProgramCaliforniaBaldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy | Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy Proposition 4 Nature Based Solutions and Climate Adaptation Grant ProgramCaliforniaCoachella Valley Mountains Conservancy | Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Prop 4 – Randall PreserveCaliforniaSanta Monica Mountains Conservancy | Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) 2024 Program Activities reopened NOFACaliforniaDepartment of Housing and Community Development | Department of Housing and Community Development | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Explore the Coast OvernightCaliforniaCoastal Conservancy | Coastal Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy (BH UWC) Proposition 4: Community and Climate Resilience Grant ProgramCaliforniaBaldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy | Baldwin Hills & Urban Watersheds Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Urban Streams Restoration ProgramCaliforniaDepartment of Water Resources | Department of Water Resources | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Coachella Valley Proposition 68 Parks, Conservation Land Access and Climate Change Response Grant ProgramCaliforniaCoachella Valley Mountains Conservancy | Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Infrastructure State Revolving Fund (ISRF) ProgramCaliforniaInfrastructure and Economic Development Bank | Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Community and Economic Enhancement Grant Program – Proposition 68CaliforniaSacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Small and Rural Hospital Relief ProgramCaliforniaDepartment of Health Care Access and Information | Department of Health Care Access and Information | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Cost Share for Federal Funding Opportunities Carbon Removal Innovation Support System (CRISP)CaliforniaCA Energy Commission | CA Energy Commission | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Cost Share for Federal Funding Opportunities Clean Hydrogen ProgramCaliforniaCA Energy Commission | CA Energy Commission | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 1 – Water RecyclingCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 – Water RecyclingCaliforniaState Water Resources Control Board | State Water Resources Control Board | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Greenhouse Gas Reduction Loan ProgramCaliforniaDepartment of Resources Recycling and Recovery | Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 Fish and Wildlife Improvement Grant ProgramCaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife | Department of Fish and Wildlife | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 Southern Steelhead Grant ProgramCaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife | Department of Fish and Wildlife | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 Rivers and Streams Grant ProgramCaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife | Department of Fish and Wildlife | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 Fish and Wildlife Improvement Grant Opportunities – (Including Severely Disadvantaged Communities)CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife | Department of Fish and Wildlife | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 Rivers and Streams Grant Program – Klamath-Trinity WatershedCaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Wildlife | Department of Fish and Wildlife | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | 2024 LHTF NOFA Round 5CaliforniaDepartment of Housing and Community Development | Department of Housing and Community Development | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 1 Regionwide GrantsCaliforniaSan Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 LLAR Severely Disadvantaged CommunitiesCaliforniaSan Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | Proposition 68 Technical AssistanceCaliforniaSan Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | GFO-21-901 – Cost Share for Federal Clean Energy Funding OpportunitiesCaliforniaCA Energy Commission | CA Energy Commission | Not listed |
Federal and national grants open to California nonprofits
| Deadline | Grant | Funder | Award ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rollingno deadline | The Duke Endowment — GrantsFoundationThe Duke Endowment | The Duke Endowment | Not listed |
| Rollingno deadline | The James Irvine Foundation — GrantsFoundationThe James Irvine Foundation | The James Irvine Foundation | Not listed |
| Forecastdeadline TBA | Health Equity Data Access Program (HEDAP)Federal · nonprofits, colleges · forecastCenter for Medicare and Medicaid Services | Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services | Up to $90K |
| Forecastdeadline TBA | U.S. Embassy The Hague PD Annual Program StatementFederal · nonprofits · forecastU.S. Mission to the Netherlands | U.S. Mission to the Netherlands | $2,000 – $25K |
Sources: Grants.gov, the California Grants Portal, and curated state, foundation and corporate programs. First-time % is the share of a federal program's recent awards that went to organizations new to it (USAspending). Always confirm details in the official announcement.
Common questions
How many grants for underserved & rural communities are open in California right now?
As of Oct 28, 2026, we list 53 open grants for underserved & rural communities in California. We refresh this list from Grants.gov and other sources every 10 minutes.
What does the first-time % column mean?
For federal grants we look up the program behind the announcement on USAspending and compute the share of recent awards that went to organizations that had not won under that program before. A high number means newcomers win regularly; a low number means it mostly re-funds past grantees.
What is the largest underserved & rural grant available?
The largest award ceiling among the open opportunities listed here is $90K. Most grants make several awards, so typical award sizes are usually lower. Check each listing's award range and the program page's median.
Can you help us apply?
Yes. Our grant writers can check your eligibility for free, then write and submit the application for a fixed price.
Which foundations fund underserved & rural communities in California?
Our local-funders pages list private foundations by where their grants actually went, from IRS 990-PF filings, with whether each accepts applications. See /funders/california/.
People also search for: grants for rural nonprofits in California · rural community grants in California · grants for low income communities in California · grants for underserved communities in California