The Los Angeles Post

California Awards $21.7 Million to Bolster Regional-Scale Climate Resilience Across the State

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Through regionally coordinated investments in physical infrastructure, education, planning, and outreach, the new Regional Resilience Grant Program will protect California communities from climate impacts like wildfire, drought, sea level rise, and extreme heat.

SACRAMENTO – Today, state leaders unveiled a $21.7 million funding initiative in the inaugural round of California’s Regional Resilience Grant, part of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP). This Grant, supported by the Governor’s multi-year climate budget, aims to fortify climate change resilience at a regional level. The initiative will support 16 new regional partnerships, uniting public entities, California Native American tribes, Community-Based Organizations, and academic institutions.

“As climate change impacts intensify in California, affecting entire regions rather than isolated jurisdictions, the Regional Resilience Grant program is designed to support collaborative projects that align with the scale of climate impacts,” emphasized Saharnaz Mirzazad, Executive Director of the State Planning and Policy Development branch within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. “By fostering partnerships across multiple communities and diverse partners, the aim of this program is to develop new and important ways of governing and responding to climate change.”

The Regional Resilience Grant focuses on addressing a range of climate-related challenges, including wildfires, rising sea levels, droughts, floods, extreme heat events, and more. In the first round, California is awarding 16 regional partnerships, each comprising diverse collaborators who will together plan and implement a project tailored to the unique challenges of their region.

The Regional Resilience Grant distinguishes between two project types: planning and implementation. Today’s awards include $6.2M in Planning Grants to 10 regional partnerships engaging their respective communities in studying and determining how to address climate risks in their regions. In addition, $15.5M in Implementation Grants to 6 regional partnerships will fund physical projects and programs that directly protect communities from climate change impacts. To achieve a regional diversity of projects, the initiative is funding at least one project from each of the nine geographic regions the California Climate Adaptation Strategy identifies. Additionally, the Regional Resilience Grant program exceeded its Round 1 set-aside goals for disadvantaged communities and California Native American tribes. 86% of Round 1 funding is going to regional partnerships involving California Native American tribes and/or partnerships serving predominantly Disadvantaged Communities.

Diverse Regional Partnerships to Tackle Varied Climate Risks

Regional Resilience Grantees: Implementation Grant Awardees

Regional Cohesive Fire Strategy for Evacuation Preparedness and Wildfire Resilience

The project focuses on addressing wildfire hazards by educating residents, maintaining defensible spaces, and safeguarding evacuation routes for high-risk communities.

 

  • Greater San Diego – $1,588,838
  • Lead: County of San Diego
  • Partners: City of San Diego, Fire Safe Council of San Diego County

 

Los Angeles Regional Collaborative: Heat Education, Ambassadors, and Training (LARC-HEAT)

This project aims to combat extreme heat through a comprehensive Heat Ambassador initiative, focusing on educating and protecting heat-vulnerable communities.

  • Greater Los Angeles – $2,999,999
  • Lead: University of California, Los Angeles/Los Angeles Regional Collaborative
  • Partners: Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, Rising Communities, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

 

Energy-Resilient Fire Services in High-Threat Communities

The project will install energy-resilience infrastructure for fire stations in high-risk areas, ensuring continuous emergency response in remote and vulnerable communities.

  • North Coast – $3,000,000
  • Lead: Redwood Coast Energy Authority
  • Partners: Yurok Tribe Fire Department, Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, Hoopa Fire Department, and others

 

Cultural Fire & Land Stewardship for Wildfire & Climate Resilience

The project aims to restore indigenous practices and enhance wildfire protection on ancestral lands by forming stewardship crews, conducting vegetation management, and raising awareness.

  • Sierra Nevada – $2,989,995
  • Lead: Tamien Nation
  • Partner: North Fork Mono Tribe

 

Le Grand Community Water Program

Addressing drought and flood risks, the project implements sustainable groundwater management practices, including new well construction, irrigation canal connections, and community education programs.

  • San Joaquin Valley – $3,000,000
  • Lead: Le Grand Athlone Water District
  • Partners: Le Grand Community Services District, Socio-Environmental Education Network (SEEN)

 

K̉ó:dom Hỳbísin (“Land Stewardship”)

The project addresses wildfire, extreme heat, and drought hazards through land stewardship, using cultural fire to reduce fuel loads and cultivate climate-resilient vegetation.

  • Sacramento Valley, Sierra Nevada – $1,931,410
  • Lead: Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria
  • Partners: Berry Creek Rancheria of Tyme Maidu Indians of California, California State University Chico, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve

 

Regional Resilience Grantees: Planning Grant Awardees

Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma Tribal Resilience Initiative on Air Quality and Drought (MLS-TRIAD)

This project addresses drought, air quality, and climate change concerns through equitable planning, monitoring networks, water quality evaluation, and continuous improvement tracking.

  • North Coast – $657,415
  • Lead: Public Health Institute
  • Partners: Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians

 

North Coast Regional Climate Resilience Plan

Prioritizing vulnerable communities, this project focuses on addressing multiple climate risks, forging diverse partnerships, and strengthening community capacity through planning, data integration, and stakeholder engagement.

 

  • North Coast, Bay Area, Sierra Nevada – $650,000
  • Lead: County of Humboldt/North Coast Resource Partnership
  • Partners: Watershed Research and Training Center, Sonoma Water

 

Paradise Regional Wildfire Resilience Implementation Plan

Building on previous modeling work, this project develops an implementation plan, including regional governance structures and cost-benefit analyses, to create regional wildfire buffer zones.

  • Sacramento Valley, Sierra Nevada – $570,533
  • Lead: Paradise Recreation and Park District
  • Partners: Town of Paradise, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, Camp Fire Collaborative

 

Santa Ana River Watershed Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan

Addressing climate risks like drought, wildfire, and flooding, this project develops multi-benefit strategies for the entire watershed and provides resources to pursue implementation funding.

  • Greater Los Angeles, Inland Desert – $644,190
  • Lead: Santa Ana River Watershed Project Authority
  • Partners: The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, Inland Southern California Climate Collaborative

 

Yolo County Regional Resilience Collaborative

This project aims to build the region’s first collaborative structure, engage vulnerable communities to identify shared climate priorities, establish a governance structure, and develop a funding strategy.

  • Sacramento Valley – $598,420
  • Lead: County of Yolo
  • Partners: Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, City of Davis, City of Woodland, University of California, Davis, and others

 

Monterey Bay Adaptation and Resilience Implementation and Funding Roadmap

This project develops funding and implementation plans for priority adaptation goals, particularly addressing underserved and vulnerable communities.

  • Central Coast – $649,335
  • Lead: City of Watsonville
  • Partners: City of Santa Cruz, CivicWell, Ecology Action, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, Regeneración of Pajaro Valley

 

Coachella Valley Regional Water Resilience Plan

Addressing structural barriers to clean water access, preparing for droughts, improving infrastructure resilience, and aligning regional plans with state water management objectives.

  • Inland Desert – $649,335
  • Lead: Coachella Valley Water District
  • Partners: Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, Pueblo Unido Community Development Corporation

 

Solano Bayshore Resiliency Project

Involving diverse stakeholders, this project creates a Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Analysis and Action Plan, emphasizing nature-based solutions and community engagement to address climate hazards affecting vulnerable communities.

  • Bay Area – $601,113
  • Lead: Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District
  • Partners: City of Suisun City, Greenbelt Alliance, Solano Resource Conservation District

 

Climate Resiliency through Regional Water Recharge in the San Joaquin Valley

This project addresses drought and flooding by planning for sustainable use of surface and groundwater, educating rural communities, and establishing a collaborative response team for effective floodwater management, ensuring vulnerable communities are prioritized.

  • San Joaquin Valley – $568,888
  • Lead: California State University, Fresno Foundation – California Water Institute
  • Partners: Self-Help Enterprises, North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency, Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency

 

Building Climate Resilience in the Central Sierra Region

This project will develop a climate collaborative and create a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan that embeds indigenous knowledge, prioritizes vulnerable populations, and enhances regional readiness for multiple climate risks.

  • Sierra Nevada – $650,000
  • Lead: County of Nevada
  • Partners: Town of Truckee, Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, Truckee Tahoe Airport District, Truckee Donner Public Utility District

 

For additional details, refer to the report on ICARP Regional Resilience Grantees for Round 1.

For more information, please sign up for the Regional Resilience Grant Program mailing list.