Programs that issue grant funds are not expecting applicants to itemize emissions savings or engage in onerous climate related calculations. Instead, they will fund a wide range of local initiatives aimed at protecting life and property from extreme weather events (e.g., wildfire, extreme heatwaves, floods), investing in public parks and trails, and restoring our lands and waters, especially in areas where there has been an absence of environmental justice.

At least 40 percent of total funding must provide direct and meaningful benefits to disadvantaged, and severely disadvantaged, communities and vulnerable populations. These benefits will vary based on the needs of those communities/populations and the visions they have for themselves. This is local assistance funding -- it’s the state’s job to assist, not dictate, how local entities and their partners see their communities thriving.

To support this work, CNRA created the Meaningful and Direct Benefits Assessment to help grant administrators design their programs and evaluate proposed projects to meet the requirement to provide these meaningful and direct benefits. The assessment includes definitions, resources, sample application questions and examples of how to consider this “meaningful and direct benefits” requirement.

For instance, projects that protect or enhance a population’s water supply, air quality or quality of life by upgrading aging infrastructure, restoring wetlands and watersheds, improving drinking water systems, or reducing harmful pollutants would provide such climate benefits. Similarly, projects that reduce wildfire risk, make neighborhoods cooler during extreme heat or strengthen local food systems can also directly improve community health and resilience. Along the coast, projects that help communities prepare for sea-level rise, reduce flooding and erosion or protect beaches and shorelines support both safety and local economies. Likewise, projects that expand access to parks, trails, and green spaces, support tribal stewardship and ancestral land return, or create good local jobs and leadership opportunities within disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations can also provide lasting benefits.

Rather than self-select out of applying for grants, communities are encouraged to seek technical advice and submit early letters of intent where grant programs provide for it.