Transformative Climate Communities Round 6 PLANNING Grant (FY 25-26)

Purpose

The Transformative Climate Communities Program furthers the purposes of AB 32 (Nunez, 2006) and AB 2722 (Burke, 2016) by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) through the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple coordinated GHG emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits to disadvantaged communities.

Description

The Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program, established by AB 2722 (Burke, 2016), invests in community-led climate resilience projects in the state’s most overburdened communities. The program objectives are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health and the environment, and support economic opportunity and shared prosperity. The Planning Grants intend to support planning activities to prepare prepare low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities for future implementation of programs aligned with TCC Program Objectives. Planning activities should address community priorities and directly benefit these communities. TCC Implementation Grants and Project Development Grants support holistic neighborhood-level projects and pre-development activities, respectively, to advance community-led goals and projects. Please see separate Grants Portal entries for more information. Some examples of eligible activities include: -Building internal and partner capacity to support collaborative partnerships that align land use with environmental, economic, and social justice priorities -Evaluating, updating, and streamlining policies and codes administered by the Planning Department and other local departments (e.g., public works, health and safety, fire, parks, and open space) -Conducting fiscal analyses to assess long-term service costs of future development and inform fee structures Preparing climate action and climate adaptation plans -Conducting inclusive community engagement that incorporates input from local residents and supports and prepares for the future development of innovative and meaningful programs and practices -Preparing for future funding opportunities, including TCC Implementation Grants or similar programs, through activities such as community needs assessments, community health needs assessments, partnership development, engagement to inform project selection, and development or formalization of a shared governance structure (e.g., a Collaborative Governance Structure) -Activities that support development of a Collaborative Governance Structure are strongly encouraged for applicants anticipating a future TCC Implementation Grant -Defining Health Equity and establishing related goals for the Project Area using available resources from the California Department of Public Health and other place-based sources -Identifying and preparing project sites for future community-serving uses, including feasibility studies, site identification (e.g., community land trusts or climate resilience projects), and planning for project implementation At least one Co-Applicant is required. Applicants from Tribal Communities, Tribally-owned non-profits, and with Project Areas in Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities are prioritized for Application Technical Assistance. July 31, 2026, is the priority deadline to request Application Technical Assistance via the TA Application Request Form. Application TA services may be available to additional applicants depending on funding availability and TA provider capacity after the July 31st deadline.