Community Air Protection Program Cycle 5 Community Air Grants

Community Air Protection Program Cycle 5 Community Air Grants is a program from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that funds community-driven projects to reduce harmful air pollution in California's most impacted communities.

Three project types are supported: educational projects (up to $300,000) for capacity building and leadership development; technical projects (up to $500,000) for community air monitoring; and focused projects (up to $500,000) for emission reduction planning. Total Cycle 5 funding is approximately $16 million. Projects must benefit disadvantaged or low-income communities identified under CalEnviroScreen 4.

0 or SB 535. Eligible applicants include California 501(c)(3) nonprofits, community-based organizations, and federally recognized or California Native American Tribes. No match is required.

Community Air Protection Program Cycle 5 Community Air Grant Request for Applications - California Grants Portal Community Air Protection Program Cycle 5 Community Air Grant Request for Applications February 5, 2026, 2:21 pm Disadvantaged Communities Employment, Labor & Training Housing, Community and Economic Development Law, Justice, and Legal Services Science, Technology, and Research & Development Community Air Grants (CAGs) build community capacity, improve air quality at the local scale, and support community participation in the Community Air Protection Program (Program), whose mission is to reduce harmful air pollution emissions and exposures to communities most impacted by poor air quality.

CAGs provide a pathway to bring resources to communities with CARB’s commitment to diversity, racial equity, inclusion, and environmental justice.

CAGs will promote and support a diverse range of effective community based and community driven solutions, which can serve as models and be expanded upon to benefit impacted communities throughout the state through achieving equitable participation and the demonstration of local partnership building and coordination, resource leveraging, in-kind support, or other forms of collaboration; fostering workforce training and development (e.g., job creation and/or job training); advancing equity and environmental justice within the context of California’s air quality policies; promoting transferability of emissions reduction strategies contained in CARB-approved Community Emission Reduction Programs (CERPs); building community capacity to engage more equitably in the CAPP and brings together partners to develop and implement Local Community Emission Reduction Plans (L-CERPs); and providing benefits to communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution identified as disadvantaged communities by CalEnviroScreen 4.

0 or SB 535.

Project activity examples that are eligible include, but are not limited to identification and assistance of community stakeholders and/or Tribal governments to participate in CAP Program and air quality governmental decision-making processes; collaboration with academia, air districts or other local city/county government entities to collect data in communities affected by air quality impacts and exposure to pollution; providing technical tools, information, or protocols to improve community and/or tribal government knowledge and understanding of issues related to air pollution and hazards; partnering with affected residents and stakeholders to identify community air quality priorities and strategies to address them.

For more examples, see the Cycle 5 Request for Applications. CAG projects may be either an educational, technical, or focused project type:Educational projects (maximum award $300,000) are similar to community capacity building projects that strengthen local community leadership, skills, expertise, and resources so communities can work to address their air quality concerns and issues to reduce air toxic emissions and exposures.

This work uplifts community knowledge, skills, develops partnerships, and supports community planning for air quality emission and exposure reduction projects. Technical projects (maximum award $500,000) are similar to small scale community air monitoring plans intended to generate data that will support action to reduce emissions and exposure.

These projects can augment other community-led and government-led air monitoring programs to enhance community understanding of pollution impacts within communities and collect data to support taking actions to reduce emissions.

Focused projects (maximum award $500,000) design elements are similar in the development of CERPs in selected communities which include convening, building partnerships, and governance; facilitating shared learning to build capacity and raises awareness about air quality; prioritizing air quality concerns and strategies; planning; and effective implementation and evaluation.

California non-profit with current IRS section 501(c)(3) tax exemption California current IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempted non-profit as the Grantee, in partnership with a California community-based organization without Section 501(c)(3) status as a sub-grantee California Native American Tribe. This includes all Federally Recognized Tribes, and other California Native American Tribes, as defined by Governor’s Executive Order B-10-11.

Projects must be wholly located in and benefit disadvantaged and/or low-income communities, as identified pursuant to California Health and Safety Code sections 39711 and 39713 (added and amended by Senate Bill 535 and AB 1550), or on Tribal lands. Specific project census tract location(s) must be included in the application narrative.

CARB’s priority population investments mapping tool may be utilized for location identification purposes. Matching Funding Requirement: Matching funds are not required for any Community Air Grant but are encouraged where applicable. Applicants must describe any in-kind services or additional matching fund sources that are being leveraged or used in the project.

The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight. Expected award announcement The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant.

The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized. Total estimated available funding The total projected dollar amount of the grant. Expected number of awards A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards.

Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.

Estimated amount per award Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. Letter of Intent Required?

Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent. Requires Matched Funding? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source.

The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number. In response to Assembly Bill (AB) 617 (C.

Garcia, Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017), CARB established the Community Air Protection Program. Included in AB 617 is a provision for technical assistance grants to community-based organizations to support community participation in the Program. CARB administers these grants.

Grants are funded through the State’s portion of Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly).

Advances & Reimbursement(s) Total amount of funding available for this fourth year of the Community Air Grants is about $16 million. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum grant award provided for focused and technical projects is $500,000 and $300,000 for educational projects.

State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying. For questions about this grant, contact: Leah Asay, 1-916-282-6250, Airgrants@arb. ca.

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