Tribal Capacity Building Program The Tribal Capacity Building Program provides funding and technical assistance to Tribes to advance their climate- and housing-related work.

Round 2 Draft Guidelines Available for Public Comment

The Tribal Capacity Building Program has completed one round of funding awards and is currently in Round 2. Based on a series of interviews and engagements with Tribes and lessons learned from Round 1, Round 2 Draft Grant Guidelines for the Tribal Capacity Building Program were released on January 5, 2026 and are available for a 90-day public comment period, closing April 6, 2026. 

The Draft Grant Guidelines outline the goals, processes, and requirements for Tribes to participate in the program. The public comment period offers Tribes and the public the opportunity to inform the development of the Final Grant Guidelines. 

In-person and virtual workshops will be held in January through March 2026. Specific dates and registration information will be posted online on the Tribal Housing and Capacity Building Initiative webpage and shared through our Tribal programs’ email list, once announced. 

Program Funding & Eligibility

The individual award amount is between $350,000 and $420,000, distributed over a three-year grant term. The total program award amount is $5 million. This is a competitive grant program. Applications will open in May 2026 and close August 2026. In May 2026, SGC will begin hosting workshops and regular office hours to assist Tribes in applying to the program. 

The program funds staff salaries and activities that advance Tribes’ climate- and housing-related work. Activities may include planning, securing funding for, and implementing housing projects and related efforts to advance climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. 

California Native American Tribes listed on the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) Contact List, including federally recognized and non-federally recognized Tribes, are eligible to apply. A non-federally recognized Tribe is eligible to apply if they are registered as a nonprofit, a for-profit corporation, or a limited liability company. Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE) are also eligible to apply. 

Pilot Round Tribal Grantees

In the first round of the program, a total of $1.45 million was awarded to six pilot round grantees, with each receiving up to $250,000 over a two-year grant term. The grantees represent both federally recognized and non-federally recognized Tribes across the State of California. The six grantees are as follows (in alphabetical order):  

1. Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of Trinidad Rancheria
   Region: North Coast
2. Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation
   Region: Bay Area
3. Esselen Tribe of Monterey County
   Region: Central Coast
4. Mooretown Rancheria of Concow-Maidu Indians of California
   Region: Northern Sierras
5. Winnemem Wintu
   Region: North State
6. yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe
   Region: Central Coast

Calendar

Find application and guideline resources from previous funding rounds.