Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grants Solicitation 2026

Purpose

Tribal Wildfire Resilience grants is part of CAL FIRE’s Climate and Energy Program and supports California Native American tribes in managing ancestral lands, implementing and promoting Traditional Environmental Knowledge in wildfire resilience, and establishing wildfire safety for tribal communities.

Description

• Fund projects serving California Native American tribes, supporting Traditional Ecological Knowledge and cultural fire, improving forest health through forest fuels reduction, pest management, reforestation, biomass utilization, forest watershed restoration, upper watershed, riparian, and mountain meadow restoration, or research thereof.
• Directly or indirectly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Address critical needs in tribal communities, including:
• Implementing & training Traditional Ecological Knowledge & indigenous stewardship
• Cultural and prescribed burns
• Creation and maintenance of shaded fuel breaks and defensible space
• Forest and wildfire resilience projects such as: reforestation, dead and dying tree removal, understory thinning and/or removal
• Forest health & restoration projects
• Increasing biodiversity and improving access to and use of traditional foods and culturally significant species
• Workforce Development and training programs in fire, forestry, and related Traditional Ecological Knowledge
• Mapping projects
• Development of restoration plans, fire or forest management plans
• Biological and cultural surveys
• Environmental compliance and permitting
• Fuels management
• Fire reintroduction (and planning for fire reintroduction)

Eligibility Requirements

• Nonprofit/Tribal Government Eligible Applicants: Federally recognized Native American Tribes. Non-federally recognized Tribes on the California Native American Heritage Commission’s California Tribal Consultation List. Tribally-led 501(c)(3) non-profit with documentation.
• Eligible Geographies: Ancestral homelands within California (as defined by the applying tribe).
• Matching Funding Requirement: Optional but not required.

Application Information

• Date Applications Must Be Submitted: 9/8/26 12:00
• Date Recipient(s) Will Be Announced: Spring 2027
• Time Applications Must Be Submitted: 00:00
• Length of Time Funds Must Be Utilized: 2027 - 2031
• Total Projected Dollar Amount: $10,000,000
• Grant Opportunities Representing Multiple Awards: Dependent
• Match Funding Required: No
• Funding Source: State Funding
• Funding Method: Advances & Reimbursements

Notes

This grant solicitation is funded by the Proposition 4 Climate Bond, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024.

Contact Information

To learn more or apply, contact: 1-916-201-2891, TribalWildfireResilienceGrants@fire.ca.gov

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