California Grant Resources | The Grantsmanship Center

The golden state’s nonprofit sector is an economic force to be reckoned with, and has historically led the nation in championing social change. Not surprisingly, California’s funding sources are as widespread and diverse as the state itself. A brief overview of the funding landscape shows that corporate grants, foundation grants, and government grants exist in abundance.

California is also home to many centers and institutions which serve the nonprofit community in a multitude of ways—like us! The Grantsmanship Center is based in Los Angeles, and we’re proud to regularly offer our grant proposal writing courses to our statewide community. If you want to learn how to get nonprofit funding in California, consider these three steps.

First, take the time to research California nonprofit grant funding! Each funding source is different, and because California has so many funders it’s important to only apply for grants for which your organization is eligible.

Second, it’s important to be effective in your grant proposal writing. Funders in California are inundated with proposal applications— if you want to win funding, your proposal needs to stand out for all of the right reasons. Wondering how to write a grant proposal? See our upcoming trainings below.

Third, don’t forget that even though we’re in California, grant funding is no gold rush! It’s important to remember that nonprofit grants are just one piece of the funding puzzle, and grant management is just as crucial as winning the grant itself.

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Questions? Contact: Gail Brauner: gail@tgci.com (213) 482-9860 X1

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CALIFORNIA FUNDING SOURCES

Use these free resources to find funders in the state of California

Top Giving Foundations in California

Community Foundations in California

Corporate Giving Programs in California

California State Home Page

CALIFORNIA RESOURCES & TOOLS

From Humboldt County to San Diego and everywhere in between, California is rich in nonprofit grant funding sources. Unlike many other states, you don’t have to live in a major city like San Francisco or Bakersfield to win nonprofit grants. Wondering how to get funding? You’re in the right place! We’ve compiled the best available resources to aid in your search for nonprofit grants in California.

A leader in the statewide nonprofit landscape is the California Association of Nonprofits, which supports an expansive range of advocacy tools, nonprofit services, and collaborative opportunities.

If you serve Los Angeles County and are in need of grant proposal training, look no further than Project Grantsmanship - our grant proposal writing workshop for LA nonprofits is underwritten by Los Angeles foundations.

Want to learn more about government nonprofit funding but can’t visit Sacramento, the state capital? Use the Find Your Representative search tool to determine your elected official, and visit their website for information about state government grants.

Below, you’ll find a list of California grant resources organized by geographical area. This is an ever-evolving list so please tell us about resources we’ve missed so we can include them. Thanks!

General California Resources

- League of California Community Foundations

- California Grant Watch

- Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership

- CalVolunteers

- California Strategic Growth Council

- California Chamber of Commerce

- US Senator for CA Dianne Feinstein

- US Senator for CA Alex Padilla

- Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

- California Office of the Attorney General

- California School Based Health Alliance

- Full Cost Project

- California Arts Council Grant Programs

Northern California Grant Resources

- Northern CA Grantmakers

- Compass Point

- Rose Foundation (for Communities and the Environment)

- Silicon Valley Community Foundation

- The San Francisco Foundation

- Sacramento Region Community Foundation

- The Impact Foundry

- Spokes

Southern California Grant Resources

- SoCal Grantmakers

- Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties Grantmakers

- Orange County Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN)

- YNPN San Diego

- USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy

- Annenberg Alchemy

- Taproot Foundation

- Community Partners

- Center for Nonprofit Management

- CSUN’s Valley Nonprofit Resources

- LA District 9 Councilman Curren D. Price, JR.

Inland Empire Grant Resources

- Inland Empire’s Nonprofit Resource s

- Inland Empire Community Foundation

- United Way of the Inland SoCal Grants

- Inland Empire Women’s Business Center

- Riverside County Black Chamber of Commerce

RECENT BLOGS

Writing for Impatient Readers

We have written the proposal. We believe it’s the most well-thought-out plan, carefully designed to have a huge impact on our target population. Yet if the reader’s mind wanders after a few minutes, or worse—they yawn—our proposal may be in trouble.

A Quick Review of Logic

As we state in our textbook, Grantsmanship: Program Planning & Proposal Writing, the grant proposal is a logical argument for funding. The logic of the the proposal flows from the logic of your Program design. You see a problem and you think of a way to fix that problem. The solution comes logically from your understanding of the problem. If there is a break in the logic, the program plan will appear to have flaws. This is especially critical when you are writing the grant request. The funder will know if there are flaws in the logic, and it will weaken your proposal.

Let's Talk About the Problem, Part 2

(or The Lack of a Program is Not the Problem) Planning programs proactively makes good sense. We plan programs that are compatible with our organizational mission, capabilities, and community needs. Sometimes, though, in real life a funding opportunity lands in our inbox and there may be pressure to apply. We will need to shift to reactive planning—not the most desirable approach.

CALIFORNIA ARCHIVED TRAINING

Looking to sign up? Click here.

Click here for a partial list of archived training in California

Feb 27 - Feb 28, 2018, Grant Management Essentials, Los Angeles
Jan 22 - Jan 26, 2018, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Oct 23 - Oct 27, 2017, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Oct 11 - Oct 12, 2017, Grant Management Essentials, Los Angeles
Aug 21 - Aug 25, 2017, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
Jun 19 - Jun 23, 2017, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Jan 23 - Jan 27, 2017, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Jun 19 - 23, 2017, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Aug 21 - 25, 2017, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
Jan 12 - Jan 13, 2016, Grant Management Essentials, Los Angeles
Jan 25 - 29, 2016, Competing for Federal Grants, San Diego
Mar 7 - 11, 2016, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Sep 12 - 16, 2016, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Sep 26 - 30, 2016, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
Oct 12 - 13, 2016, Grant Management Essentials, Los Angeles
Jan 13 - Jan 14, 2015, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
Feb 2 - Feb 6, 2015, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Diego
Feb 23 - Feb 27, 2015, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Barbara
May 11 - May 15, 2015, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Apr 7 - 10, 2015, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Jul 20 - Jul 24, 2015, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Oct 5 - 9, 2015, Competing for Federal Grants, San Diego
Oct 26-30, 2015, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Jan 29 - Jan 30, 2014, Grant Management Essentials, Los Angeles
Apr 14 - Apr 18, 2014, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 19 - May 23, 2014, Grantsmanship Training Program, Riverside
Jul 21 - Jul 25, 2014, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Oct 6 - Oct 10, 2014, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
Dec 8 - Dec 12, 2014, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 14, 2013, Research Proposal Workshop, Pasadena
January 24, 2013, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
February 25, 2013, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Mar 18 - Mar 22, 2013, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 1 - May 3, 2013, Research Proposal Workshop, Los Angeles
Jun 17 - Jun 21, 2013, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
Aug 21 - Aug 22, 2013, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
Sep 16 - Sep 20, 2013, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
Nov 11 - Nov 15, 2013, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 19, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, Mariposa
February 13, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
March 12, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 12, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
April 25, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, San Diego
May 14, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 17, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, San Francisco
June 18, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 25, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
July 9, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 23, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
September 27, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
October 1, 2012, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
October 15, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 22, 2012, Social Enterprise for Nonprofits, Los Angeles
November 12, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 6, 2012, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
December 10, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 10, 2012, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Jose
January 10, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 8, 2011, Los Angeles
March 7, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
March 16, 2011, Fundraising, Los Angeles
March 21, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 11, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 25, 2011, Competing for Federal Grants, San Francisco
May 9, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Diego
May 18, 2011, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
June 13, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 1, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 9, 2011, Essential Grant Skills, San Francisco
August 15, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 14, 2011, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
October 24, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 5, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 12, 2011, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 11, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 8, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
March 15, 2010, Competing for Federal Grants, San Diego
March 17, 2010, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
March 29, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 19, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Leandro
April 26, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 7, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 13, 2010, Essential Grant Skills, San Diego
June 17, 2010, Essential Grant Skills, San Diego
June 30, 2010, Essential Grant Skills, Los Angeles
August 3, 2010, Essential Grant Skills, San Francisco
August 9, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 27, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 4, 2010, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
October 25, 2010, Earned Income Strategies, Pasadena
November 8, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 6, 2010, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 5, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Arcata
February 9, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Diego
March 16, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 20, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 4, 2009, Earned Income Strategies, San Diego
May 18, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Pacoima
June 22, 2009, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
July 6, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Yreka
July 27, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 24, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 14, 2009, Competing for Federal Grants, Oakland
September 28, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 19, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 26, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Sacramento
November 2, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Diego
November 2, 2009, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 7, 2009, Competing for Federal Grants, Los Angeles
March 24, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 7, 2008, Earned Income Strategies, Oakland
April 14, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 19, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Indian Wells
May 19, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
July 14, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Woodland
July 21, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 25, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 13, 2008, Earned Income Strategies, Los Angeles
December 15, 2008, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 29, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Campbell
February 26, 2007, Earned Income Strategies, San Diego
March 5, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 30, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 21, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Sacramento
June 4, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Yreka
June 18, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Concord
July 23, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 24, 2007, Earned Income Strategies, Los Angeles
October 1, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
November 5, 2007, Earned Income Strategies, San Luis Obispo
December 3, 2007, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 30, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, san francisco
January 30, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
February 22, 2006, New Business Ventures, visalia
April 17, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 15, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Arcata
June 12, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Loma Linda
June 12, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Bishop
July 24, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 14, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Rosa
September 11, 2006, New Business Ventures, San Francisco
September 25, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Fe Springs
October 16, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 23, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Fe Springs
October 30, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Fe Springs
December 4, 2006, New Business Ventures, Los Angeles
December 11, 2006, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 24, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 24, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
March 14, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, Sacramento
March 21, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
March 21, 2005, New Business Ventures, san francisco
April 4, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
April 11, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
April 25, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, Palo Alto
May 9, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
June 20, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, san francisco
July 25, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
August 15, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
September 19, 2005, New Business Ventures, los angeles
October 3, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
October 10, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Luis Obispo
October 24, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, san jose
November 14, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
December 19, 2005, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
January 12, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Baja
February 2, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 23, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Sacramento
March 1, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
March 8, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Diego
March 8, 2004, New Business Ventures, Los Angeles
April 12, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
May 17, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Rancho Cucamonga
June 7, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
July 19, 2004, New Business Ventures, San Diego
July 26, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Oakland
August 2, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 8, 2004, New Business Ventures, Los Angeles
September 20, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 18, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Francisco (Daly City)
November 1, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 6, 2004, Grantsmanship Training Program, los angeles
January 6, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 3, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 24, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Sacramento
March 10, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Diego
April 14, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Kingsburg
April 28, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 19, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 19, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Arcata
July 21, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Francisco
July 28, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 20, 2003, New Business Ventures, Los Angeles
November 10, 2003, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
November 17, 2003, New Business Ventures, Los Angeles
January 7, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 7, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Richmond
January 14, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Palm Desert
February 25, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Oakland
March 11, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Maria
March 25, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 15, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 13, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 17, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Ukiah
August 12, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 19, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 9, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 30, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
November 11, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 16, 2002, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
January 8, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 5, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Fresno
February 12, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Tustin
February 21, 2001, Grant Proposal Workshop, Bakersfield
February 26, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
March 5, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 9, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
April 30, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Oakland
April 30, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 21, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 11, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 25, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
July 30, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Stockton
August 6, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Luis Obispo
August 13, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 5, 2001, Grant Proposal Workshop, Imperial Beach
September 10, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 10, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Ukiah
September 17, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Sacramento
October 8, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 15, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
November 5, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
November 26, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Rancho Cucamonga (Claremont)
December 10, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
December 17, 2001, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Francisco
January 10, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 7, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
February 14, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Francisco
February 23, 2000, Grant Proposal Workshop, Yucaipa
March 6, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
March 6, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Luis Obispo
April 3, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 8, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
May 22, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Palm Desert
June 5, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
June 12, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Kingsburg
June 26, 2000, Grant Proposal Workshop, Placerville
June 28, 2000, Grant Proposal Workshop, Placerville
July 10, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
August 14, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Santa Maria
August 21, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
September 25, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
October 2, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Bakersfield
October 9, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, San Francisco
October 16, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Rancho Cucamonga (Claremont)
October 30, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Los Angeles
November 27, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Camarillo
December 4, 2000, Los Angeles
December 11, 2000, Grantsmanship Training Program, Fresno
December 11, 2000, Windsor

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