Community, Environment, and Climate Grant Program
Proposition 4

Climate Bond (Proposition 4) logo

Are you a nonprofit; federal, state, or local public agency; special district; Native American Tribe; or joint powers authority that needs funding to get work done in the Delta? We are looking for projects that improve the Delta community and environment.

Senate Bill 867 – the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 4 Climate Bond) – provided the Conservancy with $29 million for projects that increase public access and reduce the risks of climate change impacts on communities, fish and wildlife, and natural resources.

The Conservancy will fund multi-benefit projects in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh in three priorities: Nature Based Solutions, Community Enhancement, and Ecosystem Restoration and Climate Adaptation. The Conservancy’s Proposition 4 Climate Bond Program is a competitive program with several funding cycles. The first will begin in 2026, starting with the Rice Incentive Program. As additional funding becomes available, funding will be announced, and Solicitation Notices will be posted with application details.

Rice Incentive Program Solicitation

An aerial view of a tractor in a rice field adjacent to a road and body of water.
Aerial view of organic rice harvesting. (Ken James / California Department of Water Resources)

The Rice Incentive Program will be funded by Proposition 4 Climate Bond funds and the Nature Based Solutions Program. The deadline to submit concept proposals was June 15, 2026.

The Conservancy anticipates awarding two to three grants to eligible organizations serving various populations of farmers. The goal of the Rice Incentive Program is to fund rice conversion projects in the deeply subsided areas of the Delta. These projects will stop ongoing subsidence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions occurring on highly organic soils in the Delta that threaten the region’s communities, agriculture, ecosystem, and the State and Federal water projects. The Program is intended to support farmers, including historically underserved farmers who otherwise cannot convert their fields to rice due to inability to pay or finance high upfront conversion costs. Projects will assist farmers in converting to rice and will pay for and provide technical assistance on land leveling and other related practices.

The Solicitation Notice provides more details on the application process, eligibility, and statutory and regulatory requirements. The Delta Conservancy will then review the concept proposal, and if the project meets the applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, may invite the applicant to submit a full proposal package.

Future Solicitations

Future solicitations will be announced as additional funds become available. The following is a description of the three anticipated funding priorities:

  • Community Enhancement and access projects will benefit Delta communities through public access, recreation and tourism, historic and cultural preservation, environmental education, and community engagement or education. Funded projects will provide outdoor access for all, sustain the Delta’s heritage, and/or enhance the unique values of the Delta today. Example projects include, but are not limited to: water or hiking trails, sidewalks, bike routes, community parks or picnic sites, public boating infrastructure, visitor centers, kiosks, signage, renovation of historic buildings for public use, development of culturally relevant historic districts, education programs, educational materials for the public about environmental or environmental justice issues, and land acquisition to support community enhancement projects.
  • Ecosystem Restoration and Climate Adaptation projects will protect and restore the Delta and Suisun Marsh’s natural resources, environment, and biodiversity. Funded projects will restore, research, plan, or educate about landscape health or reduce the risks of climate change impacts upon natural resources, fish, and wildlife. Example projects include, but are not limited to: planning, education, habitat restoration and enhancement, wetland protection, watershed resilience, land acquisitions, and conservation easements.
  • Nature Based Solutions goals are to support restoration, conservation, and climate projects that will stop or reverse ongoing subsidence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions occurring on highly organic soils. Projects will assist farmers in converting to rice and will provide technical assistance on restoration of managed wetlands, research, education and outreach on related topics, land acquisition or easement, and technical assistance to access the Voluntary Carbon Market.