Environmental Justice for California’s Environment and Communities Fund

• Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, fiscally-sponsored by a 501(c)(3), a local governmental entity, or tribal entity.
• The applicant must demonstrate the capacity to complete the proposed project, including experience in successfully conducting similar or related work in the past, or otherwise relevant skills and experience.
• Organizations with an active grant from this fund are not eligible to reapply.
• However, if your organization has an active grant from a different Rose fund, you may be eligible.

The location for funding is subject to change each cycle as funding is wholly dependent on the location of DTSC enforcement actions. Regardless of specific location, projects should benefit underserved, Environmental Justice communities or Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) as designated by a CalEnviroScreen 4.0 score of 75 and above and should demonstrate a high degree of community support and community involvement. While the applicant’s offices may be located outside of the DAC, they must explain how the proposed work will benefit particular DACs.  

For 2026, there will be three locations available for grant projects:

• Sacramento County
• Eastern Counties of the SF Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, or San Joaquin)
• Orange and Los Angeles Counties

Projects must be designed to prevent or mitigate hazardous waste contamination or provide education about the proper disposal of hazardous wastes and include and further DTSC’s purpose of cleaning up the environment benefitting communities with a Cal EnviroScreen 4.0 score of 75 or higher in the vicinity of the facility. You can find more information about the scope of allowable projects and activities here. 

The following activities or types of projects will not be funded:

• Grants to support litigation or lobbying.
• Grants to individuals or for-profit businesses.
• Advocacy-based projects that contradict an established agency or position of the State of California are not acceptable.

• Most grants are for a one-year period; however, you may request a shorter or longer grant period if that is what you need.
• Established non-profit organizations are encouraged to seek grants in the $20,000 to $50,000 range. The Rose Foundation also welcomes proposals from small grassroots conservation and environmental justice groups, but the requested amount should be in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.