California Grant Resources

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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.

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CALIFORNIA FUNDING SOURCES
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 Resources

- Inland Empire Community Foundation

- United Way of the Inland SoCal Grants

- Inland Empire Women’s Business Center

- Riverside County Black Chamber of Commerce

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