NEW! California Grants Portal

Grants.CA.Gov – the new California Grants Portal that CalNonprofits and hundreds of nonprofits worked for ­– launched on July 15^th – Guest Article by The California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits)

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CalNonprofits Sponsored Bill To Create California Grants Portal

In 2018, CalNonprofits sponsored the bill authored by Assemblymember Monique Limón (Santa Barbara) to create the California Grants Portal, a single (and unique!) website to find state grants and funding opportunities.

Up until now, a nonprofit seeking state funding had to dig through dozens of different state agencies without searchable sites. Thanks to Assemblymember Limón and the nonprofit community who spoke up, the bill (now law) mandated the creation of a single site where all opportunities from every state agency would be listed, along with links to more details and application forms.

Designed For Nonprofits And Local Government Agencies

Designed for nonprofits and local government agencies seeking grants and loans from state sources, the site was built by the California State Library with input from a variety of stakeholders, and improvements are already planned for the coming months. Members of the CalNonprofits Task Force on the Grants Portal were an integral part of the development process.

Assemblymember Monique Limón stated: “I am excited to see the implementation of Assembly Bill 2252 which I authored in 2018 – making California grants accessible to nonprofits in our state. The grants website comes at a time when nonprofits and interested entities need information and access to additional funding sources. State grants make up a significant amount of nonprofits’ revenue; having a one-stop-shop for all current state grant opportunities and a streamlined application process is critical to nonprofit success by allowing greater access to state funding opportunities.”

Better Access For Nonprofits In Rural Areas And Marginalized Communities

In particular, having better access to government is important to nonprofits in rural areas and in marginalized communities. And state agencies will benefit from having a wider and more diverse pool of nonprofits with which to contract. At the same time, there are still many obstacles for nonprofits in obtaining state funding. This is an important first step, but there are more steps that CalNonprofits will be addressing as we move forward.

Keep in mind: The website is new and state agencies are still figuring out how to add their opportunities – so if you don’t see what you’re looking for bookmark the page and come back in a couple of weeks!

California Grants Portal FAQ

Where does information about these grants come from?

The state agency or department that administers the grant opportunity inputs all information into the Grants Portal. See the Glossary for a description of all the information departments provide.

Are all of the state’s grants on the California Grants Portal?

No. The Grants Portal only hosts state grants that are offered on a competitive or first-come basis. Some grants may not be offered on a competitive or first-come basis, and those grants are not listed on this website.

Can I have new grant opportunities emailed to me?

Yes. You can subscribe to email updates about all new grant opportunities and new grant opportunities in a specific category. View a list of categories that you may subscribe to.

Can I apply for a grant through the California Grants Portal?

No. The Grants Portal hosts information about grant opportunities offered by different state agencies. You can find information about how to apply for each grant on the Grants Portal, but grantseekers must apply through the grantmaking agency’s own application processes.

How often are new grants added to the portal?

State agencies are required to register each of their grants in the Grants Portal prior to the beginning of the solicitation or award process.

The frequency of updates depends on the number and frequency of state agency opportunities.

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