Project Advancement Grant Budget and Ineligible Costs

Click here to download an excel template containing Budget Worksheets A and B which must be submitted with the application.

Funding
A maximum of $1.725 million will be awarded through the second round of this Project Advancement Grant Program. Acceptable budgets range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $125,000.

Funding Reserves
A minimum of 40% of funding will be reserved for projects located in or directly benefiting underserved, disadvantaged or Justice Communities or projects partnering with or led by California Native Tribes or Native-led organizations.

If you are partnering with a Tribe, Native-led or underserved organization and need additional time to complete your application due to partner capacity limitations, you must contact the Program Director no later than July 18, 2025

Applicants must use the Budget Worksheet templates provided.

The budget should be sufficiently detailed to describe project costs. The budget should be divided into five (5) or fewer tasks and consistent with the grant activities, project work plan, and schedule. Justification must be provided for costs to ensure that they are cost effective and appropriate to the work proposed. Costs should include project management, which will include responding to requests, quarterly invoice summaries of work completed, quarterly virtual meetings, completing surveys, and a final report. Applicants should also budget 2 hours per quarter for their project manager and/or other appropriate staff to attend virtual cohort meetings.

Please upload a project budget that matches grant activities with associated costs and includes staff time, contractors, direct costs and indirect costs. Applicants must use the Budget Worksheet templates provided.

Applicants can include an indirect/overhead rate of no more than 10%. Indirect costs include but are not limited to utilities, office space rental, phone service, and other administrative activities. If a grantee seeks to recover indirect costs, this item should be included as a line item in the approved project budget.

Match or cost share is the direct portion of the project cost not funded by the Grant Program, is provided by the applicant and/or other sources, and can be cash or in/kind, such as staff time to implement the project. Cost share is not required but applications with secured cost share that demonstrate contributions towards total project cost will score more points. Cost share should be funds that will be used to directly achieve the project objectives and will be spent during the project timeline.

Availability of match will not be used as part of evaluation if the lead applicant is a land trust whose operating budget is less than $100,000 annually, project is located in or directly benefits a historically underserved community, DAC/SDAC and/or if partnered with a Tribe or Native-led organization.

Ineligible Costs
Grant funding may not be used for the following.

• all costs incurred outside of the grant agreement term
• general operating support, including rent or other office expenses (unless part of budgeted indirect rate)
• accreditation or membership fees; conference fees
• insurance premiums, including title insurance, property taxes, or other state/local/federal taxes (note that these costs can often be part of “closing costs”)
• land or easement acquisition costs, including option payments
• endowments, legal defense, or reserve funds
• restoration costs and ongoing management/stewardship costs
• projects mandated to address a violation of, or an order to comply with, a law or regulation
• event sponsorship or event fundraising
• travel costs that do not adhere to state guidelines, nor out of state travel costs
• food, beverage, or entertainment costs
• fines, penalties, damages, and other settlements resulting from violations or noncompliance
• buildings and heavy equipment

ROUND 2 APPLICATION RESOURCES

• Application PDF
• Guidelines
• Resources & FAQ

ROUND 2 GRANT TIMELINE

Rolling Deadline for Partnership Proposals or Proposals from Native-led Land Trusts
Applications from Native-led land trusts, or applications that include partnerships with underserved community organizations, Tribes, or Native-led organizations may be accepted on a rolling deadline. You must contact the Program Director by July 18, 2025 to discuss. Regardless of when you submit your application, your grant project must end by October 31, 2026.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Karin Winters, Program Director
E-mail:  grants@calandtrusts.org
Phone: 916-497-0272 x2
Book a meeting with Karin