Supporting Indigenous Communities’ Work to Advance Climate- and Housing-Related Initiatives in California
Across California, Native American Tribes are leading important work to expand housing, protect natural resources, and prepare their communities for a changing climate. But bringing those projects to life often requires something many people don’t see: time, teamwork, and expertise.
Applying for and managing government grants takes a lot of leg work. It means researching opportunities, writing detailed applications, coordinating with partners, following reporting requirements, and overseeing projects once funding is awarded. That kind of work requires people — planners, grant writers, project managers, and community leaders — who can dedicate the time to move projects forward.
For many Tribal governments and organizations, that kind of staff capacity and experience is not always possible. Tribal communities typically do critical work with lean teams that are already stretched thin. When there aren’t enough people to focus on grant applications or long-term planning, funding opportunities for life-changing projects can be harder to win, or missed altogether.
That’s where capacity building comes in.
Capacity building simply means investing in the people, knowledge, and tools that help communities pursue and manage funding successfully. It supports the staff time needed to plan projects, prepare strong grant applications, coordinate partnerships, and oversee projects once funding is secured. Over time, it helps build a stronger foundation within communities so they can continue to access opportunities and make their visions come alive.
Through robust years-long public outreach, engagement, and research, California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) staff have received consistent feedback from Tribes that their sovereign status and historical relationship with the State of California necessitate a dedicated capacity-building program.
In response, SGC launched the Tribal Capacity Building Program, created specifically for California Native American Tribes and Tribal entities.
The Tribal Capacity Building Program has significantly strengthened the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County’s internal capacity by helping us build clear departmental structure, governance systems, and professional workflows across our Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, and Human Resources programs. This support has allowed us to move from reactive operations to proactive, Tribally led planning that reflects both our cultural values and modern accountability requirements.
The Tribal Capacity Building Program is now part of a broader initiative called the Tribal Housing and Capacity Building Initiative, which includes two complementary grant programs. These programs are designed to support both the people behind the work and the early steps required to build housing and climate projects.
Tribal Capacity Building Program
The Tribal Capacity Building Program supports Tribes by funding staff positions and providing technical assistance. These resources allow Tribal governments and organizations to dedicate time and expertise to advancing housing- and climate-related efforts in their communities.
Funding can support staff who help plan projects, pursue grant opportunities, collaborate with partners, and manage projects once they begin. The goal is simple: Make sure Tribes have the people power needed to turn community priorities into real projects.
Our Tribal Capacity Building Program partnership has been incredibly meaningful for us … it’s allowed us to build lasting staff capacity in our new Climate Resiliency Program and also to strengthen the climate focus in each of our other programs in the Natural Resources Department.
In the pilot round of the program, $1.45 million was awarded to six Tribal grantees to help strengthen staff capacity and support long-term planning and project development. Round 1 grantees include:
- Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation, Bay Area
- Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, Central Coast
- Mooretown Rancheria of Concow-Maidu Indians of California, Northern Sierras
- Winnemem Wintu, Northern California
- yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe, Central Coast
The grant funding has allowed many Tribes to hire their first salaried staff from previously all volunteer, part-time, or limited-term staff, including support staff helping with everything from bookkeeping to grant writing to program management. They are also supported by a technical assistance provider team.
As Round 1 Tribal grantees continue to build on their critical work through February 2027, Round 2’s application period is currently open and will close in August, with expected awards in October. This time, the SGC is also launching a new program aimed at filling a critical gap to fund pre-development costs that Tribes need to develop affordable housing.
The New Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund
Building affordable housing requires a great deal of preparation before construction can begin. Communities must conduct planning, prepare sites, design infrastructure, and coordinate funding from multiple sources.
The Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund, launched in January 2026, helps support these early steps.
The fund provides grants for pre-development activities such as planning, infrastructure preparation, site work, and other early investments that help Tribal communities move closer to building affordable housing. These early investments can also help Tribes successfully access additional state housing funding programs in the future.
Investing in Long-Term Tribal Leadership
At its heart, the Tribal Housing and Capacity Building Initiative is about recognizing that strong projects begin with strong foundations.
By investing in staff, planning, and early project development, these programs support Tribal communities in shaping housing and climate solutions that reflect their own priorities, knowledge, and leadership.
Building capacity today helps ensure that Tribal communities have the tools, resources, and people needed to continue advancing these efforts for years to come.
“This work has a ripple effect across all communities, not just Tribal,” said Becca Lucas Thomas, Executive Director of the ytt Northern Chumash Nonprofit, during yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe’s site visit that included a tour of an aquaculture facility that the Tribe is hoping to reclaim in its ancestral homeland. The Tribe plans to restore a productive abalone farm that grew seven different species, two of which were endangered. The Tribe says the farm would be a “restoration of [the Tribe’s] life ways, not just conservation.”