Community Air Grants
The Community Air Grants (CAGs) provide funds to California community-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and California Native American Tribes to support community-driven projects to reduce harmful emissions and exposures to air pollution in communities most impacted by poor air quality in the state.Community Air Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.
Assembly Bill (AB) 617 (C. Garcia, Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017) authorized the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to establish the Community Air Protection Program (Program) that administers the Community Air Grants. AB 617 requires CARB to provide grants to community-based organizations for technical assistance and to support community participation in the implementation of the community air protection process. Blueprint 2.0, the statewide strategy and implementation guidance to reduce emissions and exposures in communities heavily impacted by air pollution, was adopted by the CARB Board in October 2023. Blueprint 2.0 outlines one of the Program’s key priorities to provide benefits of AB 617 Community Air Protection Program, including CAGs, to not only the 19 communities selected into the Program but also other communities throughout the state heavily impacted by air pollution.
The CAGs are funded, in part, through the State’s portion of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF).
Draft RFA Available for Public Comment
CARB staff has initiated a public process to develop and refine the next Request for Applications (RFA) for Cycle 5. CARB’s outreach and Engagement Plan on the draft Cycle 5 RFA will include previous applicants, past and current grantees, representatives from air districts, local and tribal governments, local land use agencies, academia, business, and industry. CARB will conduct an outreach and engagement process that will include focused discussions with AB 617 partners and stakeholders, holding two public virtual August 2024 workshops August 20 and August 22).
CARB's Office of Community Air Protection Program requests public comment on the Draft Cycle 5 RFA that will inform the criteria for the Draft Cycle 5 RFA. The public comment period closes August 25, 2024, at midnight. You may submit written comments here.
Program Guidelines
Eligible Applicants Fact Sheet:
- California community-based organization holding a current tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) federal Internal Revenue Code.
- California organization holding a tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code as the Grantee, in partnership with a California community-based organization without Section 501(c)(3) status designated as a sub-grantee.
- California Native American Tribe. For the purposes of this grant, this includes all Federally Recognized Tribes, and other California Native American Tribes, as defined by Governor’s Executive Order B-10-11.
Not Eligible for Funding (this list is not exhaustive)
- Individuals
- Schools, school districts, universities, or colleges (public or private)
- California organization holding a tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code ancillary or affiliated to a local, municipal, city, county, or state governmental agency or entities
Project Locations: All projects must be wholly located in California. All projects must also be located in and benefit disadvantaged and low-income communities, per Senate Bill 535 and Assembly Bill 1550.
General Project Types and Maximum Award Amounts:
- Educational projects - $300,000 maximum award
- Technical or Focused (previously called “Targeted” projects) - $500,000 maximum award
Project Objective Examples, but are not limited to the following:
- Community engagement and outreach related to AB 617
- Hiring consultants and/or technical experts
- Travel and logistical support for hosting and/or attending meetings related to AB 617 (i.e., room rental, meeting facilitation, transportation)
- Support for community operated air monitoring
- Data collection and analysis, including community based participatory research projects
*Latest Update: July 2024
Email Updates
Keep up to date with the latest information regarding the California Community Air Protection Program.
