About the Tribal Housing and Capacity Building Initiative
The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) has approximately $27 million to fund two grant programs that are exclusively available to California Native American Tribes and Tribal entities: the Tribal Capacity Building Program and the Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund. The goal of these two programs is to fund a wide range of activities related to housing development and climate resiliency.
About the Tribal Capacity Building Program
The Tribal Capacity Building Program has completed one round of funding awards and is currently in Round 2. The Tribal Capacity Building Program provides funding and technical assistance to California Native American Tribes, enhancing staff capacity to advance Tribes’ housing- and climate-related work. The program funds staff salaries and activities such as planning, securing funding for, and implementing housing projects and related efforts to advance climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.
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, and applications will open in May 2026. Both federally recognized and non-federally recognized Tribes are encouraged to apply. In May 2026, SGC will begin hosting workshops and regular office hours to assist Tribes in applying to either program.
About the Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund
The Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund is a grant opportunity that funds pre-development activities related to building affordable housing. These include planning, infrastructure, construction, site preparation, and other activities. The fund’s priority is to increase preparation to build affordable housing and access other state-funded, affordable housing programs.
The maximum award amount is $3 million. This is a non-competitive grant program, and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Both federally recognized and non-federally recognized Tribes are encouraged to apply. The SGC will provide technical assistance, or assistance applying to the grant program.
Which Program Should You Apply For?
| Tribal Capacity Building Program | Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund |
| You’re building an organization, hiring staff, training staff, in the early stages of planning for housing, or need immediate assistance addressing housing- or climate-related issues in your community. | You have an organization and you are interested in building housing, but need to conduct research, prepare a plan, hire additional staff, gather funding, acquire land, build infrastructure, prepare a site for development, or fund other activities necessary for the eligibility of other state grant programs. |
| Example Activities: Training Development, Organizational Operations, Grant Writing, Fiscal Management Software, Staff Hiring and Onboarding, Budget Management, Partnership Building, Economic Development Planning, Climate Resilience Project Implementation, Community Needs Assessment, Climate Assessment, Climate Planning, Housing Planning, Cultural Resource Mapping | Example Activities: Community Needs Assessment, Market Analysis, Environmental Assessment; Sewage and Drainage Infrastructure, Waste Management, Sustainable Transportation Investments; Site Acquisition, Architectural and Engineering Costs, Disaster Preparation; Consultant Fees, Staff Development and Training |
| Funding Amount: Individual funding between $350,000 and $420,000, distributed over a three-year grant term. | Funding Amount: Up to $3 million |
| Program Type: Competitive, applications open May 2026 and due August 2026 | Program Type: Non-competitive, applications accepted on a rolling basis |
Public Comment Period Open
Based on a series of interviews and engagements with Tribes, SGC has developed Draft Grant Guidelines for both programs which are now posted online and 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 programs. The public comment period offers Tribes and the public the opportunity to inform the development of the Final Grant Guidelines for both programs.
Draft Guidelines Workshop Series
From February 2026 to March 2026, SGC will be hosting both in-person and virtual workshops. Workshop information and registration will be shared online and via email as it becomes available. Please sign up for email updates!