| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
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1 | Last Updated: 7/8/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Question No. | Grant Type | Topic | Question | Response | Date Posted | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 | 1 | Project Development | Activity Eligibility | Would the establishment and/or continuation of an air quality monitoring network for the community be considered a planning or pre-development activity? | Depending on the size of the air quality monitoring network, it could potentially be considered a pilot project for a pre-development grant. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 | 2 | Project Development | Activity Eligibility | Would the development of a community-friendly map and streamlined reporting system for community members to report on-the-ground concerns relating to the environment be eligible under the Project Development Grant category? | This would depend on the size of the reporting system. Per the Final Guidelines, pilot projects eligible for the Project Development Grant need to be "small-scale, preliminary tests of a project designed to evaluate its feasibility, effectiveness, and potential challenges before committing to full-scale implementation" (page 43). | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 | 3 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | The production of affordable housing/units is an eligible activity under the DAP, but it would also be an activity under Strategy 1. Would the 3% cost cap still apply? Could DAP actions (policy or program) be jurisdiction-wide, even if not implemented in the project area? For example, setting up a community land trust to support countywide preservation that may not initially be active in the project area? Or, do DAP actions need to be limited to the project area? If demonstrating efforts to apply to local, State and Federal programs to fund affordable housing, when would that have to be demonstrated? Would it have to be applicable to the project area or could it be for elsewhere in the jurisdiction? Could “Funding for tenant organizing” be used to fund resident organizing and legal representation for water access and rights? For a small rural community, contracting with small, local businesses may mean looking outside of the project area, would that be acceptable? | The production of affordable housing units listed in DAP (Appendix C-2), is for policies and actions. Strategy 1 is for the implementation of physical units. There is not a 3% cap on implementation of affordable housing units under Strategy 1. Setting up a community land trust is an eligible activity. Creating policies or programs that cover the full jurisdiction is eligible as long as they will benefit the residents and businesses of the Project Area and there are targeted efforts focused on the Project Area. Leverage funding commitments must be secured during the Pre-Development Phase (the first 9 months of the grant term). Leverage funding must be spent within the TCC Project Area and for the purposes of the TCC grant. Possibly. We would need to understand how the tenant organizing would result in avoiding displacement. Yes, in general contractors can come from outside the area. TCC does not have any specific procurement policies for contractors. If you are asking about whether you could select the action "Contracting with local/small/diversely owned businesses" as one of your residential DAP items under "Neighborhood Stabilization and Wealth Building (Long-term Policies and Actions)" we would need to understand the vision and application in order to determine its eligibility. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 4 | All | Application Requirements | The City is interested in applying for the TCC opportunity. There is a requirement to submit, at time of application, a Resolution that "includes authorization to apply for and accept a TCC grant, and authority to execute all related documents if awarded." I am seeking clarity on the term "accept" in the requirement. The City can pass a Resolution authorizing a city agency to apply for a grant, with authority to execute related documents. However, the City cannot automatically accept funding before it has been awarded. The City's Accept and Expend process, which is unique to each city department, ensures public review of all funding coming into the City. This process occurs once there is a near-final contract in place, that outlines the funding and what it will be used for, and by whom. This process cannot be preemptively accomplished. Can you please advise if this disqualifies the City from the funding opportunity, or if a Resolution that "includes authorization to apply for a TCC grant, and authority to execute all related documents if awarded" will suffice. | A Resolution that includes the authority to execute all related documents if awarded should be sufficient. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 | 5 | Project Development | Evaluation | Is there a way to list ourselves as an entity interested to partner with others on an application, e.g. to opt-in to a list that the SGC publishes and keeps up to date with all the potential applicant primes and subs and their contact information? We understand that Implementation application projects must use a third party evaluator. We have been working with a third party evaluator for our current planning grant activities and are trying to determine what work our current Evaluator could conduct as part of our project team (in order to make continuous/iterative improvements throughout the project) without duplicating the effort of a required third party evaluator from the TCC's pre-qualified pool. Please describe the scope of work of the Evaluators in the TCC's pre-qualified pool. For the during project evaluation work to learn and improve throughout the course of the award, would our Evaluator also need to be put forward as a TCC Evaluator (approved for TCC's pre-qualified pool)? If our evaluator is part of the TCC Evaluator pre-qualified pool, does that restrict our evaluator from being part of the process of preparing an application with our project team (i.e. is there a conflict of interest)? It appears there is no requirement for Planning Grants and Project Development Grant applicants to address the Transformative Element "Grant Evaluation" (pg. 54 "Planning Grants and Project Development Grant applicants that choose to address this Transformative Element do not have to allocate a minimum or maximum amount of the budget for Grant Evaluation." Can a Project Development Grant then have an applicant partner conduct an evaluation scope of work without their having to become a pre-qualified TCC Evaluation partner? | Unfortunately, we do not currently have an interested-entity list like you have described. The role of the Evaluation Partner is: Evaluate the overall TCC grant. Create a program evaluation framework to measure, track, and assess the progress and outcome of the overall TCC grant. Perform a holistic evaluation of the environmental, economic, health, and social impacts of TCC’s community investment. Provide technical assistance to Lead Grantee and Partners. Create reporting tools and a technical assistance plan for Lead Grantee and Partners. Provide technical assistance during data collection that helps facilitate the process and helps achieve shared impact tracking goals with all TCC Partners. For Implementation grants, in order for the your current evaluator to be paid through the TCC grant, they would need be approved through TCC. This can happen after award, during the Post Award Consultation phase. Third-party evaluators are not required for planning or project development grants. If your evaluator is part of the TCC Evaluator pre-qualified pool, they are NOT restricted in participating in the preparing of an application with your project team (there is not a conflict of interest). Yes, a Project Development Grant may have an applicant partner conduct an evaluation scope of work without them having to become a pre-qualified TCC Evaluation partner. However, if you plan on applying for an Implementation Grant in the future, and want to use the same evaluator, please note that they do need to be qualified by TCC at that stage. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | 6 | Project Development | Cost Eligibility | Application category "Project development" states on page 42-43 that Remediation counts as an eligible pre-development activity, but "Construction costs" and "Purchase of equipment" are ineligible activities. Please define what activities are considered "Remediation" in the context of a home. If a home is in disrepair and requires remediation in order to be safe and eligible for other home retrofit programs in future, and we propose to bring the home into a condition with remediation measures (e.g. asbestos removal, roof repair, etc.) is this eligible? It would be illustrative to specify which of the repair measures listed under "eligible repair measures" on pgs 179-180 are considered eligible in a "Project Development" application. | Remediation and repair measures may be considered eligible for a Project Development Grant depending on the size of the project. Small-scale pilot or demonstration projects involving eligible repair measures may be appropriate for a Project Development Grant, while larger projects may be more suitable for the Implementation Grant. While single family home repairs may be eligible, it may not be a competitive project. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 | 7 | Implementation | Grant Timeline | Our Department is considering an application under the Project Development category. We read that site remediation is eligible under the grant. We have a large, future park site that requires remediation prior to developing into a public park. If our project is not yet ready to apply under Round 6, when will the next round of funding open? How frequent are the funding rounds? If a project scope under the grant is focused on site remediation clean up, but at a later point, after the site is cleaned, staff would then engage the community to design and implement the park amenities, is that acceptable under the grant? What activities could count as community engagement when still remediating the site for future development? For example: would posting updates on the website, sharing at a Parks Commission, or sharing updates to neighborhood groups, be eligible examples of community engagement? We could promote that the site is being cleaned and that park development will be coming for future. If awarded a Project Development grant (and then, once that phase is completed), is there a required timeline to enter the Implementation phase? For example: our project may require multiple phases of site remediation and then, once clean, it will require design development prior to entering a construction or implementation phase. | Unfortunately, we do not currently have a future round of funding identified. You can sign up for our newsletter to be informed of future funding rounds once funding is identified. The timeline of funding rounds depend on the legislature. The Round 5 NOFA was released in 2023, and the Round 4 NOFA was released in 2022. As above, joining our newsletter is the best way to be notified of future funding rounds. In terms of community engagement plans, please see Appendix C-1 (page 217) of the Guidelines for examples of what we are looking for. Engaging community members from the design phase of a project sounds like an example of robust community engagement. For Project Development Grants, there is no requirement for when a grant must move to implementation after the 3-6 month Post-Award Consultation phase, but grant activities must be completed within the 2-year timeline. While the TCC program has granted some timeline extensions in the past, these are considered on a case-by-case basis and not guaranteed. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
10 | 8 | All | Applicant Eligibility | If a non-profit was the lead applicant, could a university be considered a "public agency" and satisfy the public agency co-applicant requirement? | While it is possible to have a public university as the sole co-applicant that fulfills the public agency role, it may not be competitive. Here are a few things you may want to consider as you think about your applicant structure: - For Implementation Grants - these must always include a city, county or Tribal government as a Co-applicant (see pg. 25 of our Round 6 guidelines). - For Planning or Project Development - ensure the agency is the most relevant public agency for the scope. This is to ensure that the application has the support and involvement of the public agency or agencies necessary to complete the grant activities or future implementation activities. See Section 3 and Appendix A of our guidelines for specific eligibility requirements and definitions of a public agency. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
11 | 9 | Implementation | Project Area | I represent this project that encompasses five (5) Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities who are in agreement to unify for access to solar power as a single request. Four (4) sit together in the southwestern part of the County, the fifth (5th ) is slightly north. They are unified under a current MOU and are developing a more structured agreement such as a Joint Powers Authority. Would that fall into a singularity or would that be separate but equal locations? | From what you described, the block of four southwestern DUCs would be continuous, but adding the northern DUC would not be continuous with the southwestern block, even with the JPA designation. The continuous requirement applies generally to all applicants except for Tribes. However, applicants whose boundary is in a rural area may request an exception to be approved on a case-by-case basis. There are numerous rural unincorporated clusters in your County, so you might be eligible to request an exception. The points below pertain to Tribes who submit a non-continuous Project Area, and would likely apply to another applicant type who submits a non-continuous boundary. • All areas must be located within the same region and close enough to support regular in-person collaboration during the grant term • At least some proposed activities must involve and directly benefit all communities participating in the application | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 10 | All | Applicant Eligibility | Can you clarify whether fiscally sponsored nonprofits are eligible to receive funding from this grant? | At this time, only 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible to be the Lead Applicant for a Round 6 grant. However, all nonprofits and community-based organizations are eligible to be Co-Applicants and participants in the Collaborative Governance Structure required by TCC Guidelines. Please see sections 3.2 and 10.4 in the Guidelines for more. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 11 | Implementation | Project Area | We are working on everything for our round 6 pre-proposal and I thought I remembered seeing somewhere that we were able to submit our proposed project area map early for review/approval. Is this correct? If so, can you point me to where I would find that information/deadline? We have a bit of a unique map and want to make sure it is okay to move forward – some of our proposed projects rely heavily on one of the neighborhoods being included. | Yes, all Project Areas, regardless of whether they are incorporated or unincorporated, are eligible for pre-approval. Please submit your Project Area map, including the PDF and shapefiles, to tcc@sgc.ca.gov by July 31, 2026. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 12 | Implementation | Technical Assistance | We recently sent in an application request for TA for Round 6 Implementation Grant. Can you please confirm the process as we have not received acknowledgement of our request and wanted to make certain we submitted correctly. | We have received your request for TA. However, as we are prioritizing Tribes and Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities this round, we cannot guarantee that you will receive TA. Additional TA services depend on funding availability and TA provider capacity, and will be finalized after July 31. The TCC team will be releasing webinars and holding office hours during the application period if you would like to discuss your application further. You are also welcome to reach out via email if you have questions, although we cannot provide one-on-one advice. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
15 | 13 | Implementation | Application Process | Do you know if applicants could apply for both a TCC grant and a Community Resilience Center grant simultaneously? Or, would they have to choose one? I was also told that the TCC has a CRC component within it so perhaps they should apply only to the TCC instead of applying for two grants. Is that the way to go? | You may apply to both a TCC and a CRC grant at the same time to accomplish the same scope of work; however, awarded applicants will only be able to receive full funding from one award. If you are selected for more than one award, the scope of work will be modified to eliminate duplication or supplantation of funding. Whether TCC or CRC is the appropriate grant would depend on the overall grant goals. CRC is focused on community resilience centers, while TCC requires multiple projects, one of which could include a community resilience center. SGC has also created a comparison sheet between TCC, CRC, and the Extreme Heat grant program. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
16 | 14 | Implementation | Technical Assistance | We are interested in submitting an Implementation Proposal. I'm wondering if you would be willing to meet with us before submitting a Concept Proposal to answer some of our questions? I believe that SGC meets with applicants after submitting a Concept Proposal, but a pre-emptive chat will help us decide if our project even aligns with TCC. | Thank you for reaching out. The TCC team will be hosting drop-in office hours for questions. We are happy to answer questions to the best of our ability, but please note we cannot make recommendations or give advice about a grant. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
17 | 15 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | We are working on our pre-proposal for an Implementation Grant through Round 6 funding. We had previously worked with groups in an unincorporated community. One of the major components of that planning grant was assessing the feasibility of a federally qualified health clinic in the community. The outcome of this work is that a mobile health clinic would be the most feasible and provide the best service to the community. In reviewing the application materials I’m not sure where this would align with the Strategies. I’m curious if there are other examples of how applicants may have integrated these services into their applications, or suggestions on how we can build this community-identified option into our application. | In terms of Implementation Grant Strategies, a mobile health clinic may fall under the Community Resource Centers project type of Strategy 8, Health Equity and Well-Being (page 195 of the Round 6 Guidelines), as the health clinic would provide access to social programs and services. You could also submit the proposal for a mobile health clinic under Strategy 13, Other Climate Innovation (page 215), and the TCC team would pre-approve your proposal. The deadline for pre-proposals is June 15. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
18 | 16 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | We are working on a project that includes a ground-mounted Community Solar array built off-site under a feed in tariff (FIT) program. The intended project site is more or less across the street from the intended beneficiaries; it would benefit low-income residents in MFH, but the installation would not be installed on the MFH units themselves. From my read of Strategy 10, this would not be a fit since the community solar array would not be "located at a community-serving facility that provides critical services." Is this also your assessment? Based on our current model at this stage, our organization would own the system and the O&M, with interconnection through a private utility. The system would be built on a highly impacted community. This would be a front-of-the-meter community solar project under a program for 1MW community solar projects, with a more or less standard subscription model, but with the subscriber fee waived for the low-income families served. As a community solar project, this is probably not an "Innovation" but if it is likely not allowable under Strategy 4, we may potentially be interested in Strategy 13 as well, although of course the timeline is tight with that June 15! Is there any other guidance on submitting that initial application other than what is described here? https://drive.google.com/file/d/147xavQj0nWCr0F9uVbfYtNI58gK7NbmG/view?usp=drive_link. | Strategy 10 would not be a fit because of the lack of community-serving facility, and since the solar would not be installed directly on the MFH, it would be not eligible under Strategy 4. Strategy 13 is a category for projects that don't fit neatly into any of the other Strategies, so despite not being an 'Innovation', Strategy 13 would be appropriate for your community solar project. The document you linked has all the relevant information on submitting for pre-approval. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
19 | 17 | Planning | Activity Eligibility | Can Other Climate Innovation projects be proposed for Planning or Pre-Development grant proposals or is that Strategy option only for Implementation grants? If Other Climate Innovation projects can be proposed for Planning or Pre-Development, is the pre-application still required for those proposals? I see two dates for submitting the Other Climate Innovation pre-proposal; the Implementation grant checklist says June 30th, and the NOFA states June 15th. Can you clarify which date is accurate? | Strategies are only required for Implementation Grants. Eligible projects for Planning Grants must be preparatory work for future implementation, while Pre-Development Grants can fund implementation on a smaller, pilot-project scale. A list of possible eligible activities for Planning and Pre-Development Grants is in the Guidelines (pages 40 and 42), but proposals are not limited to what is listed there. Since the Other Climate Innovation projects are only for Implementation Grants, the pre-proposal is not required for Planning and Project Development Grants. The pre-proposal for the Other Climate Innovation Strategy is due June 15th, while the overall Implementation Grant pre-proposal is due June 30th. The naming is confusing, apologies! Only Implementation applicants using the Other Climate Innovation Strategy need to submit that pre-proposal on June 15th, while all Implementation applicants must submit the Implementation Grant pre-proposal on June 30th. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
20 | 18 | Project Development | Cost Eligibility | Under a project development grant, can you please clarify further if a proposal for a pilot that includes equipment costs of appliances like heat pumps and induction stoves , coupled with solar and battery for resiliency, would be eligible? | Under Guidelines section 5.2, purchases of equipment would not be eligible for a Project Development Grant. Could you clarify what costs would be involved in the solar and battery portion of the project? | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
21 | 19 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | The full application is definitely a big undertaking. How likely is SGC to fund an application submitted by a coalition that has not previously completed a TCC planning grant? | While we are unable to comment on a specific application's competitiveness, SGC has funded Implementation Grants submitted by coalitions that have not previously completed a TCC planning grant. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
22 | 20 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | The City has a defined project area with several construction-ready projects aligned with the goals and strategies of the TCC. As we package the application and identify projects, we were curious about the timeline for implementation. For example, they have a few projects that are ready to go almost immediately, a few that would be ready following the 9 month pre-development phase, and a few more that would likely need about 18 months before the shovels can hit the ground. Assuming grants are awarded in early 2027, and pre-development phase lasts until end of 3rd quarter of that calendar year (Sept. 2027), we have one or two projects where shovels won't actually hit the ground until potentially Sept. 2028. They would still be completed by Sept. 2031 (end of the four year implementation period). Is that acceptable under the guidelines for this program, as long as we have a fully developed pathway to implementation defined? | Projects are only eligible if they can meet all Pre-Development Requirements within the nine-month Pre-Development Phase. Currently, the anticipated timeline for Round 6 is that awards will be made in Spring 2027. After awards are made there will be a Post-Award Consultation Phase which will hopefully only last 2-3 months for Implementation Grant applicants, but could take longer. Then the nine-month Pre-Development Phase begins, which is followed by a three-month period to administratively execute the transition from the Pre-Development Phase to the Implementation Phase, assuming all Pre-Development Requirements have been met. Construction doesn't need to start at the very beginning of the Implementation Phase, but you do need to have met all Pre-Development Requirements for the relevant Strategy to exit the Pre-Development Phase. See Appendix B for each Strategy's Pre-Development Requirements. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
23 | 21 | Implementation | Leverage Funding | A couple shovel ready projects have matching funds secured. Can phases of the project begin prior to TCC funding and still be considered matching funds? Are matching funds subject to procurement rules that go beyond City standards? beyond going out to bid, and selecting the contractor using City procurement rules, does SGC require the City to use "Buy America" or require that we make all elements open to the Conservation Corps, or have any other specific rules or reporting that must be done? | SGC does not have specific requirements for leverage funding beyond grant reporting requirements in the Guidelines. Please see section 11.6 for specifics. Jurisdictions should follow their own procurement policies. See Section 11.8 for information on Prevailing Wage requirements. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
24 | 22 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Is the TCC funding opportunity a limited submission? On page 82 of the Program Guidelines, it states, "Lead Applicants may only apply to one TCC grant type. Only one application may be submitted for a proposed scope (i.e., the same set of organizations cannot apply to a second grant type with a similar Project Area but with a different organization serving as the Lead Applicant). Organizations may be Co-Applicants on multiple applications." To me, this language reads as if lead applicants may submit multiple applications to a single TCC grant type if the proposed scopes of work are different. Can you please clarify? | The same Lead Applicant may submit multiple applications to a single TCC grant type as long as their Project Area and scopes of work are different. Lead Applicants who are on multiple applications would also need to demonstrate adequate management capacity to implement the grant simultaneously. In addition, differing Project Areas would also likely entail working with different cities, counties, and other public agencies for each grant application. If you plan to submit an Implementation Grant application(s), please note that the grant application is extensive, and we recommend focusing efforts into one application to ensure that all components are thoughtfully addressed. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
25 | 23 | All | Project Area | Does the disadvantaged communities requirement for TCC come from statute or from program guidelines? | The requirement for projects to benefit disadvantaged communities comes from statute, AB 2722 (Burke, 2016) which established the TCC Program. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
26 | 24 | Implementation | CEQA | We may not fully complete CEQA prior by the September 30 application deadline on our affordable housing project. Can you confirm that if CEQA is not complete for our project by August 30 (allowing 30 days for appeals) we would not be eligible to apply for Implementation? | According to our Guidelines and the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Guidelines, the period of appeals would need to have lapsed by 30 days after September 30. This means that if the CEQA appeals period were 30 days, CEQA would need to be submitted by September 30, not August 30. CEQA also does not need to be completed for non-housing components of the project. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
27 | 25 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | What is needed for the pre-proposal? What will reviewers be looking for? | The pre-proposal is a requirement for the Implementation Grant, but the content will not disqualify you from applying. The intention is to give applicants an initial sense of whether they are on the right track and provide feedback on project and applicant eligibility. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
28 | 26 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Can the same city be a Lead Applicant on two different Implementation Grant proposals? | An organization can be a lead applicant on two grants, such as if one organization served as a fiscal sponsor for two projects in different communities. For one city to apply for two Implementation Grants would be very challenging to complete both applications and administer both grants. The organization needs to demonstrate adequate capacity to administer both grants, which would be a high bar. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
29 | 27 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Can the same city be a Co-Applicant on two different Implementation Grant proposals, with a different Lead Applicant on each proposal? | Yes, the City can be the Co-Applicant on two different application teams and fulfill the Public Agency co-applicant requirement for both teams. We encourage teams with adjacent project areas to collaborate and submit a unified proposal with a combined project area. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
30 | 28 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | When will pre-proposal feedback be provided? | Pre-proposal feedback will be provided a few weeks after the proposal is due, likely late July. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
31 | 29 | Implementation | Application Requirements | Does the application require a calculation of greenhouse gas emissions reductions at the time of submission? | We are not requiring greenhouse gas emissions calculations at the time of application. If you are awarded, there may be calculations after award, but we would provide technical assistance and support. However, at least one project must directly reduce GHGs, and the rest must reduce GHGs or contribute to public health benefits. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
32 | 30 | Implementation | Grant Timeline | During the pre-development phase timeline, all projects must be ready to leave pre-development before the grant can move to implementation phase. How does that work if projects in the same grant proposal are at different stages of readiness? | The application period and pre-development phase are what used to be a single application period. Now, TCC is giving additional time and funding to fully develop projects. The overall application/proposal must still be complete and meet all requirements before applicants can access full implementation funding. All projects have to be implementation-ready before applicants can move forward. While there are some scenarios where applicants could move forward with one project still in the pre-development phase, you would have to confidently demonstrate that all threshold requirements will be met. Generally, projects must be ready for implementation within the 9 month pre-development phase and all move forward together. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
33 | 31 | Project Development | Cost Eligibility | We are preparing to apply for funding for a demonstration project to assess the feasibility of the model created in an awarded Planning Grant – this would include electrification, solar, battery at childcare and residential homes, and looking at GHG/air quality impacts with the objective of building capacity for decarbonization workforce in the area. We see that equipment costs are not eligible under the Project Development grant type, would this not be the right fit under that grant? | Generally, equipment and anything that goes beyond pre-development work would not be allowable. The gray area is pilot projects – we would have to look at how much of the overall grant request is equipment. We can have further conversations and look at the proposal more closely. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
34 | 32 | Project Development | Activity Eligibility | What aspects of permitting fit Guidelines for the Project Development Grant? If we look to develop permitting pathways in the project in collaboration with a city, would that be an included activity? | Permits are an eligible activity for Planning Grants, such as looking at jurisdiction’s permitting processes and identifying better pathways. Permits are a requirement for Implementation Grants– you need to identify what is needed for all stages of the grant, and you need to have a defined pathway to get there. For Project Development Grants, you need to demonstrate how you would get the required permits depending on workplan and budget needs. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
35 | 33 | Implementation | Transformative Elements | Under the Housing Element, there will be several policy updates that there are policy precedent for. Would policy updates qualify under the Displacement Avoidance Plan? This would include amending zoning ordinances that incentivize affordable housing. | Please get in touch with specific policy updates and we can assess eligibility of those policy updates. Generally, amending ordinances to incentivize affordable housing could be eligible. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
36 | 34 | Implementation | Transformative Elements | The County will need to update housing element within the grant period. Could they integrate into the Displacement Avoidance Plan? | TCC would definitely want to see that the TCC displacement avoidance efforts are complementary to other efforts. However, TCC funding would need to be additive or discrete from things that are required under legal obligations. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
37 | 35 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Does the City need to have ownership over one of the proposed projects? 3 projects will be implemented and developed by community-based organizations, and the City will be a partner, but it isn’t necessarily the City’s projects. | The City does not need to lead TCC Projects or Plans. However, the City would still have to have a budget for staff time to attend stakeholder meetings and provide any support required for the projects. They can’t be Co-Applicant in name only, and must have buy-in and be committed through the life of the grant. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
38 | 36 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Our agency isn’t the City, but is a subdivision of the City. That makes us a public agency, but would the City still need to be a co-applicant to fulfill the public agency requirements? | A City, County, or Tribal government Co-Applicant is still required for Implementation Grants. However, our team will get back to you about subdivisions of agencies. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
39 | 37 | Implementation | Transformative Elements | For transformative plans, can there be more than one partner for each of the plans? | Yes. You need one organization who is a lead, but projects and plans can have multiple organizations and co-applicants involved. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
40 | 38 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | Can we have multiple projects under the same strategy? | Yes. This would still only count as 1 strategy and you would need 2 additional strategies. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
41 | 39 | All | Project Area | In the mapping tool, the splash screen says you can provide your map for pre-approval. Who is eligible, and for the pre-proposal, will maps be included in the review? | Pre-approval is for all applicants, and not just applicants using local data. Yes, maps will be included in the review of the pre-proposal. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
42 | 40 | All | Applicant Eligibility | Does SGC have a database of applicants looking for partners? | Applicants can decide how they want to fulfill the needs for their projects – this could mean going out to bid for a subcontractor after award or hiring partners through other means. We do not have a database of people looking for partners because the TCC grant places a lot of emphasis on grassroots work and prior relationships. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
43 | 41 | All | Applicant Eligibility | Are there specific criteria that must be met to be considered a Co-Applicant? What is the difference between a Co-Applicant and a Partner? Do you have the ability to update the Co-Applicant list for the full application? | Co-Applicants are applicants who lead a Project or Plan or are included in the application with a funded portion of the budget. If you get a dedicated line item budget, you should be in the Collaborative Governance Structure and you are a Co-Applicant. If you are contracted through an RFP or hired otherwise, you may not be a Co-Applicant. If you are supporting a Project or Plan but not leading, that would be a gray area between a Co-Applicant and a Partner. If you are unsure which category you fall under, you could also have the Lead Applicant write about the potential Co-Applicant in the narrative questions and not include in the budget, and then later decide how to bring the organization in after award. After pre-proposal, you can add or remove Co-Applicants (and change all other aspects of your proposal) as you wish. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
44 | 42 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | Does Strategy 3.3 only count for public car-sharing or could an EV fleet replacement for staff car-sharing qualify? | The car-sharing strategy is intended for public car-sharing – it would not be appropriate for replacing a fleet for an organization whose staff drive the vehicles. The end goal is increasing mobility in the community. TCC strategies must have a concrete community benefit, and fleet replacement may not be addressing the mobility benefits for the community. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
45 | 43 | All | Applicant Eligibility | For the table with Co-Applicant information, are we allowed to have more than 15 Co-Applicants or is that a cap? | We have not seen more than 15 Co-Applicants, hence the limit on the Co-Applicant table, but there is no cap to the number and you can include as many Co-Applicants as you like and can manage. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
46 | 44 | All | Technical Assistance | If we submitted the Technical Assistance request form, when can we expect to be assigned a Technical Assistance provider? | We have been connecting eligible applicants to providers on a rolling basis and will continue to do so through the request form deadline. We can only provide Technical Assistance to Tribal applicants and applicants from Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities. If you haven’t heard anything, you will be contacted one way or another soon. If we do not offer Technical Assistance to you, you will have a chance to explain how you fit into eligible categories. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
47 | 45 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | Would adding another vehicle to a micromobility fleet be eligible if the service area extends outside the existing area that we are doing our proposal in? | We would need to look at specifics of the proposal. The principle is that TCC will pay for a proportional amount of the project and the mobility that is being increased within the service area. However, TCC would not pay for the entire pilot or micromobility project if the project benefits expand past the TCC Project Area. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
48 | 46 | Implementation | Project Area | What does the review and approval timeline look like after submitting a request to exceed the 15 square mile project area for a disadvantaged unincorporated community? | Review and approval to exceed the project area size limit would happen when we provide all pre-proposal feedback around late July. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
49 | 47 | Implementation | Application Process | Should the City and County in the same area be collaborating in applying to the TCC grant? | TCC does not have official guidance on applications coming from a city and the county that the city is located in, although we encourage collaboration. Counties and cities are both large, containing many communities with separate needs. We would recommend being aware about who else from the same approximate area is applying. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
50 | 48 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | What level of development would you like to see the projects at when we submit the pre-proposal? | We are looking for 2 major goals: will you be able to submit a complete eligible application by Sept 30? Will you then be able to meet pre-deelopment requirements within the 9 month pre-development phase? The farther along you are in meeting those goals, the higher the feasibility score for your application will be. The pre-proposal asks basic questions to assess how far along the applicant is and whether the applicant is a good match for TCC. The Implementation application and pre-development period is short, and we are looking for projects that don’t have much more work left before being implemented. Regardless of the feedback provided regarding your pre-proposal, you can apply for the TCC grant. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
51 | 49 | Implementation | Grant Timeline | What occurs during the pre-development phase? | No construction is allowed during the 9 month pre-development phase. During this time, grantees would meet pre-development requirements that are listed in Appendix B for each Strategy. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
52 | 50 | Implementation | Application Requirements | What is the difference between TCC Projects and Strategies? | Projects and Strategies are specific to the Implementation Grant. Projects are what is actually being done on the ground to achieve the goals of the grant. Strategies are the category that Projects fall under, which also correspond to other state grants that applicants may be able to get, such as urban greening or affordable housing. For example, applicants could choose Strategy 7 - Urban Greening; under this Strategy, they could conduct a project to plant trees that shade buildings. TCC has 13 Strategies, which are approaches to implementing change in the community. Within each Strategy, there are 1 or more Project types. Each application must have at least 3 Projects and at least 3 Strategies. For example, an applicant could have 3 clean energy projects, but they would need at least 2 other projects in different strategies for an Implementation Grant proposal. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
53 | 51 | All | Application Process | Does SGC have opportunities to have 1-on-1 conversations? | Given the volume of questions we get during the application period, office hours are the main forum for conversation unless there are specific application questions that would make more sense to answer one-on-one. We encourage you to email questions to the TCC email, tcc@sgc.ca.gov. We also encourage sign-ups for the TCC and SGC newsletters, which will include future opportunities and announcements. | 19-Jun | ||||||||||||||||||||
54 | 52 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Can one entity serve as the Project Lead for multiple projects? What will they be responsible for submitting material-wise to the Lead Entity? | Yes, one Co-Applicant can be the Project Lead for multiple Projects. Reporting requirements during the application period and the grant term can be found in the Guidelines. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
55 | 53 | Implementation | Application Requirements | Our application has multiple Projects within the same Strategy, which means there will need to be multiple workbooks filled out. Does that mean that each Project also needs to have the full set of Narrative Questions filled out? Or do we need to just submit one set of Narrative Questions? | Narrative Questions are specific to the Project. Every submitted Project must have their appropriate Narrative Questions answered specifically to them to address all components of the proposed Project. There are potentially some places where answers may be similar between Projects, but expect to fill out the same set of Narrative Questions for every Project. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
56 | 54 | Implementation | Cost Eligibility | There are expenses associated with adminstrating the Collaborative Governance Structure for us. We want to provide stipends to residents & participants, and know if that is an eligible expense. | Stipends for participants in the Collaborative Governance Structure are considered an eligible expense for the Community Engagement Plan under the TCC Guidelines. See pages 28 and 58-60 of the TCC Guidelines for more information. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
57 | 55 | Implementation | Application Requirements | The Implementation Grant requires quotes for equipment purchases above $5,000 and quotes for subcontractors above $100,000. Are these quotes needed for the final application? Or is a pre-development requirement? | These requirements are a pre-development requirement for the application. We will be releasing a workbook tutorial video soon, which will have additional information. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
58 | 56 | Implementation | Leverage Funding | When is the earliest point that we can start spending leverage funding that is a part of our application? | Grantees may begin using leverage funding after the grant has been awarded by the Strategic Growth Council. Expenditure of leverage funds will only count after the grant has been awarded and if they have been used during the grant term. In addition, leverage funding expended within the year prior to the TCC grant application due date may count towards the purpose of meeting up to half of the total leverage requirement if it meets certain requirements. See page 71 of the TCC Guidelines for the requirements. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
59 | 57 | All | Applicant Eligibility | Can you please confirm if public and/or private institutions of higher education are eligible to apply? | While it is possible to have a public university as the sole co-applicant that fulfills the public agency role, it may not be competitive. Please see the answer to Question 8 for more. IRC 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and public agencies are eligible Lead Applicants and Co-Applicants. Private institutions are not listed as eligible Lead Applicants. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
60 | 58 | All | Applicant Eligibility | Can you please confirm that eligible entities are required to form a “Collaborative Stakeholder Structure” to apply for the funding? In other words, standalone submissions by otherwise eligible entities are not permitted, true? | Eligible entities are required to form a Collaborative Governance Structure. Every Planning Grant and Project Development Grant application must have at least two applicants: one Lead Applicant and at least one Co-Applicant. Implementation Grants must include at least two Co-Applicants. California Native American Tribes and Tribally-owned nonprofits have an exception. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
61 | 59 | All | Application Process | We are undergoing transformative environmental work in our community through community gardens and education. We are fortunate to have several groups who have begun community and school gardens which can be united for a general purpose. Could I get guidance from you as to options for us under your grant programs? | As a brief overview of the Transformative Climate Communities program, we fund three kinds of grants: Planning, Project Development, and Implementation. Planning grants fund external and internal capacity, including climate action plans and other planning activities. Project Development grants bridge the gap between planning and implementation and include pilot projects and pre-development for construction. Implementation grants are the most involved of our grant offerings and include multiple coordinated neighborhood-level projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide community benefits. All grant types require at least one Co-Applicant partner and public agency involvement. We have a fact sheet with an overview of the TCC program on our website, along with video overviews regarding our most recent round of grant funding. There are other resources available on our page for Round 6 of our grant. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
62 | 60 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | In reviewing the grant guidelines, we noted that direct subsidies and reimbursements are listed as ineligible activities. We are reaching out to better understand how this provision may apply to workforce development activities like ours. Our water and wastewater workforce consortium currently provides internship, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship opportunities for workers in the region who are pursuing careers in the water sector. As part of our participant support model, we assist participants with needs such as childcare, transportation, examination fees, and other wraparound supports that help ensure successful placement at a utility or water agency. In addition, our consortium has explored cost-sharing strategies with participating utility agencies, including subsidizing a portion of internship costs, as a way to expand access and increase participation among both workers and agencies. We would appreciate any guidance on whether these types of workforce barrier-removal supports and cost-sharing activities would be considered eligible under the TCC Round 6 grant opportunities. | TCC's Implementation Grant requires a Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan as a Transformative Element. This Plan must include training programs or partnerships that prepare Project Area residents for high-quality careers in the net-zero economy. Please see Section 7.5 of the Guidelines for more details, including eligible costs. Trainee salaries and stipends and some of the other wraparound services you listed can be eligible in certain circumstances as listed on pages 68-69. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
63 | 61 | All | Application Process | We would like to know if the low likelihood of awarding more than one application in the same Project Area applies to mixed applications. For example, if a Project Development Grant and an Implementation Grant were submitted for the same project area, and were also addressing very different community needs, does the same probability of both being awarded apply in this case? | The same Lead Applicant may only apply to one grant type. This would mean you would need to choose either a Project Development Grant or an Implementation Grant, even if the scopes of work for both were different. Please see page 82 of the Guidelines for more. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
64 | 62 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | We understand that Implementation Grant applicants are required to submit a Pre-Proposal by June 30, while Planning and Project Development Grant applications are due later in September. Could you please clarify whether submission of an Implementation Grant Pre-Proposal commits an applicant to pursuing an Implementation Grant application? Specifically, if a Lead Applicant submits an Implementation Grant Pre-Proposal and subsequently determines that a Project Development Grant or Planning Grant would be a better fit, would the applicant be eligible to submit a final application under a different grant type instead? Additionally, would the answer differ if the later application has a distinct scope of work from the project described in the Implementation Grant Pre-Proposal? | Submission of a Pre-Proposal does not commit an applicant to pursuing an Implementation Grant application. You may revise any aspect of the Pre-Proposal if you choose to submit an Implementation Grant. You may also choose to pursue a different grant type that would be a better fit, regardless of whether that application matches the scope of work included in the Pre-Proposal. The Pre-Proposal is meant as an opportunity to provide feedback on project eligibility and feasibility, and the content of your Pre-Proposal will not disqualify you from applying to any of TCC's grant types. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
65 | 63 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | We had a question about above-ground greening. Site constraints mean we cannot currently plant in-ground and our infrastructure must be modular and relocatable for permanent development in the future. Our greening approach relies on container trees, planters, native climbing vines on fencing, etc. Would these above-ground greening elements qualify as eligible greening components under Strategy 7? | The described activities would not be eligible, as they do not adequately meet the intent of the Urban Greening Strategy and the intended timeframe of TCC urban greening investments. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
66 | 64 | Implementation | Application Requirements | What level of agency partnership and site control documentation is expected by the pre-proposal deadline? Specifically, do partners and their roles need to be identified with a described path to site control, or is executed site control documentation expected at that stage? | At pre-proposal, documented site control confirmed agency partnership is not required. However, site control is required at the time of application. Pre-proposal is intended to gauge the feasibility of your application, and providing a described path to site control will increase the feasibility of your application. Also, you may apply to the Implementation Grant regardless of the feedback you receive regarding the pre-proposal. Elements of the application may also change from pre-proposal to the final application. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
67 | 65 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | All other requirements favorable, could a project with just solar and battery be a competitive one for Implementation with just that scope? | If you are applying for an Implementation Grant, you would not be able to apply with just one Project or Strategy. The Implementation grant requires at least 3 Projects falling within at least 3 Strategies. All components of our application are competitive, as mandated by statute. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
68 | 66 | Implementation | Application Requirements | Is there anything that waives the co-applicant requirement? | Co-Applicants are required. You need at least 2 Co-Applicants for an Implementation Grant. The only exception to this is for Tribal applicants. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
69 | 67 | Implementation | Leverage Funding | I was seeking clarification on the leverage funding requirement based on the disadvantaged unincorporate community funding goal. The guidelines [DUC Funding Goal, page 85] denotes a “D”, but was unsure if that was maybe a typo since the leverage funding amount for implementation grant applications is based on this goal. Is it correct that for implementation grants, the 25% leverage funding requirement is applicable when the following criteria are met? I was not sure since this section is associated with “D” | Yes, the 'D' logo is a typo. For Planning Grants and Project Development Grants, applicants do not need leverage funding. Leverage funding is only required for Implementation Grants. Implementation Grant applicants that meet the Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community Funding Goal are also eligible for the 25% leverage funding requirement. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
70 | 68 | Implementation | Project Area | Do the three required projects for implementation grants need to be in close vicinity or can they be spread across the 5 sq. mile Project Area boundary in an urban area? | No, the 3 projects for the Implementation Grant may be located anywhere within the 5 square mile Project Area for an urban applicant. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
71 | 69 | Implementation | Applicant Eligibility | Could you please clarify whether a single organization may serve as the Lead Applicant for both an Implementation Grant and a Project Development Grant within the same community and funding round, provided that the two applications have distinct, non-overlapping scopes of work? We understand that Lead Applicants may only apply to one TCC grant type and that only one application may be submitted for a proposed scope of work. However, we would appreciate clarification on whether an organization could pursue both an Implementation Grant and a Project Development Grant if each application represents a separate scope of work within the same community. | No, one organization cannot be a Lead Applicant on both an Implementation Grant and a Project Development Grant, even if the applications have two non-overlapping scopes of work. Please see page 82 of the Guidelines for more. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
72 | 70 | Implementation | Technical Assistance | We are interested in applying but I am confused by the deadlines listed - the TA grant deadline is 7/31 but the TCC grant deadline is 6/30. How might we get assistance to apply for the TCC grant via the TA grant? | If you are applying to an Implementation Grant, the mandatory Pre-Proposal is due 6/30. The Pre-Proposal is a way for the TCC team to provide feedback on the feasibility and eligibility of your project proposals. However, you can still submit a full Implementation Grant application regardless of the feedback you receive on the Pre-Proposal. If you are not applying for the Implementation Grant, you do not need to submit a Pre-Proposal. The deadline for the full grant application for all 3 grant types is September 30th. For any grant type, youu can apply for TA from now until July 31st and receive application assistance even after the Implementation Pre-Proposal deadline passes. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
73 | 71 | All | Applicant Eligibility | Are fiscally sponsored organizations eligible to apply for the TCC and CRC programs? | The fiscal sponsor organization would need to serve as the Lead Applicant, unless the fiscally sponsored organization can independently meet all eligibility requirements and financial and management capacity requirements. The fiscally sponsored organization could serve as a Co-Applicant organization. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
74 | 72 | All | Applicant Eligibility | We are a 501c3 fiscally sponsored project researching and deploying zero-energy cooling technologies to combat global overheating. Are we eligible for TCC funding? | While 501 (c)(3) organizations are eligible as Lead Applicants and Co-Applicants for TCC funding, individual organizations are not eligible for TCC funding. All grant applications must include a Lead Applicant and at least one Co-Applicant; for Project Development and Implementation Grants, we require at least two Co-Applicants. MEER would have to apply with partners to be eligible for a grant. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 73 | Implementation | Project Area | If a project area is more than 75% disadvantaged unincorporated and includes less than 25% of the project area within an incorporated city, would the applicant still be eligible for the disadvantaged unincorporated community funding goal? | Yes, any Project Area including at least 75% unincorporated areas is eligible for the Disadvantaged Unincorporated Funding Goal. Additionally, at least 75% of the Project Area's residents must live in unincorporated areas, and at least 75% of TCC funds must go to projects in the unincorporated area. See page 86 of the Guidelines for more. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
76 | 74 | Implementation | Project Area | For a continuous project area that crosses into a city, is it required to include a specific project within the city boundary or would it be okay to have multiple projects throughout portions of unincorporated areas on either side of the incorporated portion? | Projects within the Implementation Grant proposal can be situated in any location within the Project Area. However, at least 75% of overall TCC funds and leverage funding needs to go towards projects in a disadvantaged unincorporated area to be eligible for the Funding Goal. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
77 | 75 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | As collaboration with project partners continues throughout the application period, are there any limitations as to what aspects of the project or co-applicants can change between the pre-proposal and the full application? | You may change all aspects of the Pre-Proposal in your final application. The Pre-Proposal is not final and meant to gauge initial proposal feasibility and eligibility. Applicants may submit a final Implementation Grant application regardless of the feedback provided on the Pre-Proposal. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
78 | 76 | Implementation | Application Requirements | In the Pre-Proposal, in question 9, there is an opportunity to describe the exception we are seeking. Is this the formal request for exception? It is followed up with a place to enter an already received approval of the exception. Is there an additional avenue we should be seeking the exception? | There is no single avenue to request an exemption. You may do so in the Pre-Proposal, and we will review your request when we provide feedback. You can also email us if you would like to submit an exemption request, or you may submit an exemption request in the full Implementation Grant. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
79 | 77 | All | Project Area | How do we upload ArcGIS file to application? Will just a link suffice? | We are using Submittable for application submissions. For the project area application requirement, you should be able to upload various file types. We will be hosting project area specific office hours if you run into further challenges. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
80 | 78 | Planning | Project Area | If a planning area spans a county, do all suggested sites need to be a priority area as defined by the tools, or would a majority of sites in priority areas qualify the project as a priority? | At least 51% of a Project Area for a Planning Grant must include Disadvantaged Communities, as defined by the TCC Guidelines. The rest of the Project Area must qualify as a low-income community. Please see Section 3.3 of the Guidelines for more details about Project Area eligibility. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
81 | 79 | Planning | Activity Eligibility | Would a project focused on local workforce development and small business support for a clean energy sector be eligible for a TCC planning grant? | We cannot confirm eligibility with limited information. However, Planning Grants support planning activities that prepare low-income, disadvantaged, and Tribal communities for future implementation of programs aligned with TCC Program Objectives. Planning activities should address community priorities and directly benefit these communities. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
82 | 80 | All | Grant Timeline | How many implementation awards will be made for TCC? I see that one already will be awarded to a Tribal Applicant, and one will be awarded to a unicorporated DAC? Is that correct? | 3 Implementation Grants will be awarded for TCC. Please see our Notice of Funding Availability for more details. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
83 | 81 | Planning | Activity Eligibility | Are TCC Planning Grants restricted only to planning for capital projects, not for any other community-led strategies? | Applicants must explain how the proposed planning activities will advance the objectives prioritized in local, adopted plans and support TCC Program Objectives. Applicants must explain how the planning process furthers a neighborhood’s ability to address one or more of the Transformative Elements. Applicants must demonstrate consistency with State Planning Priorities. Please see section 4.1 of our guidelines for more. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
84 | 82 | Implementation | Leverage Funding | What is the required leverage for disadvantaged unincorporated community projects? | Disadvantaged unincorporated communities must leverage additional funding sources that equal a minimum of 25% of the total requested grant funds. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
85 | 83 | Implementation | Project Area | Would a letter of recognition and support would be sufficient if a project crosses multiple jurisdictions? | Yes. From section 10.9 of the TCC Guidelines: "An application with a Project Area that crosses jurisdictional boundaries must have the support of a relevant public agency for each portion of the Project Area. All public agencies who have jurisdiction over part of the Project Area but are not Lead Applicants or Co-Applicants must submit Letters of Support." | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
86 | 84 | Implementation | Activity Eligibility | For TCC, to be clear, could the pre-development go so far as to fund something like a CEQA process ahead of implementation? | Yes, environmental assessments are an eligible pre-development activity. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
87 | 85 | All | Application Process | For funding sources, are all TCC proposals competing within the same bucket (are tribal proposals in competition with nontribal proposals)? | Applications that are eligible for the Tribal Funding Goal for an Implementation Grant will first be evaluated against other Tribal applicants applying for an Implementation Grant. Once the Tribal Funding Goal (one application of each grant type) is met, remaining applicants (Tribal and non-Tribal) will all be evaluated in the general pool. The same is true for the Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community Funding Goal. See Section 9.4 of the TCC Guidelines for a complete description of how the Funding Goals and Priority Points will be evaluated. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
88 | 86 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | Is submission of the Pre-Proposal by June 30 a required condition to submit a Final Application by September 30, 2026? | Yes, if you are applying for an Implementation Grant. A Pre-Proposal is required for Implementation Grant applicants as a condition of the final application due on September 30. However, if you are applying for our Planning or Project Development Grants, you do not need to submit a Pre-Proposal. The Pre-Proposal is meant to gauge overall proposal eligibility and feasibility, and you can revise any aspect of the Pre-Proposal before submitting a final Implementation application. The SGC team will provide feedback on Pre-Proposals, and applicants may submit a final Implementation Grant application regardless of the feedback provided, as long as they submitted a Pre-Proposal. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
89 | 87 | All | Application Process | The scenario is that the applications are coming from different lead applicants with different project scopes, but within the same Project Area. One applicant submits an implementation grant and the other submits a project development grant. The TCC FAQ states it would be unlikely that we would award more than one application in the same Project Area. 1. Does it remain unlikely that TCC would award more than one application in the same Project Area in this scenario? 2. Under the same scenario where a project and an implementation grant are submitted (different lead applicants), is the likelihood of one or the other being awarded impacted by the fact that they are both submitted in the same Project Area? | While we cannot speak on the individual competitiveness of an application, the TCC program does seek to serve a diverse set of communities and will prioritize geographic diversity when awarding grants. We encourage applicants to collaborate with other applicants working on separate applications in the same Project Area. We will also not award two grants to the same Project Area. See Appendix H for more information. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
90 | 88 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | We are preparing a Round 6 Implementation Grant application and want to confirm whether the June 30 pre-proposal deadline is a strict disqualifier, or whether there is any remedy if the full application has not yet been submitted. | Unfortunately, the June 30 Pre-Proposal deadline is strict and we do not accept late submissions. Submission of the Pre-Proposal is mandatory for Implementation Grants. You may still submit a Planning or Pre-Development Grant, which are due September 30. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
91 | 89 | All | Application Process | If a site is owned by a tribe, but is not on tribal land, does it count as a priority? | The Tribal Funding Goal is for California Native American Tribes and Tribally-owned nonprofits who are Lead Applicants. The Funding Goal is not determined by whether the Project Area includes Tribal land. Please see section 9.4 of the Guidelines for specific definitions. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
92 | 90 | All | Application Requirements | Is there a minimum time of incorporation requirement for applicant 501(c)(3)s? | Documentation required for management and financial capacity at application is listed in sections 10.7 and 10.8 of the TCC Guidelines. There is no requirement for the minimum time of incorporation, but applicants must reference successful completion of similar projects within California within the past 10 years. Lead Applicants must also possess the financial and management capacity to oversee large infrastructure projects. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
93 | 91 | All | Project Area | Will the TCC Round 6 applications accept eligibility of disadvantaged communities and severely disadvantaged communities from the Climate Bond map as an option similar to the CRC funding opportunity, and since it is funded by the Climate Bond? If so, will SGC accept either the findings from the Climate Bond map or the CalEnviroScreen 4.0 map, or would both need to be met? | Each program funded by Proposition 4 has different legislation that guides our program's priorities, and the Project Area requirements and eligibility are slightly different. To assess eligibility, TCC applicants should use the TCC Guidelines and may reference the Round 6 TCC Mapping Tool, linked on our website's Round 6 page. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
94 | 92 | Implementation | Project Area | Our project is made of several rural disadvantaged unincorporated communities which are in the same general area but are not immediately adjacent to each other. We are concerned about the requirement to be less than 15 sq mi and contiguous. What is the mechanism to request an exemption for these requirements? | Project Area exemptions for contiguity and size requirements can be requested for rural communities in the Pre-Proposal, through email, or through the final Implementation application. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
95 | 93 | Project Development | Activity Eligibility | We are looking to implement fire detection technology around a severely disadvantaged city. Would this be eligible under a Project Development Grant? | Equipment is not funded under the Project Development Grant, but we do allow small-scale pilot projects. The eligibility of equipment purchases for a pilot program would depend on the scope of the pilot program and how it aligns with the rest of your grant proposal. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
96 | 94 | All | Application Requirements | Can a Co-Applicant be a lead on more than one project? | Yes, Co-Applicants can be Project Leads on more than one project. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
97 | 95 | Implementation | Application Requirements | Would it be better to separate projects of different types under the same Strategy into multiple projects or combine them? | This would depend on the scope of each project, and whether there would be overlapping subtasks. Each project under a Strategy should be very specific in their deliverables. It would be prudent to think about the project management aspect of multiple projects as well; the more projects and tasks a grant has, the more complicated invoicing gets. In general, projects that are distinct efforts should be categorized as separate Projects, even if they fall under the same Strategy. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
98 | 96 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | Can we add/delete/modify projects and partners after the pre-proposal? And how about after the application submittal? | You can make any changes you'd like after the Pre-Proposal. Please make sure the final application reflects any changes. For the full application, you can make changes after submission up until the application deadline has passed. You can only make one edit request per day on Submittable after you have submitted your application. After the deadline of September 30, you cannot change any aspects for application review. Minor changes can be made during the post-award process and grant period, but that is a separate process from application review. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
99 | 97 | Implementation | Project Area | One of our Co-Applicants is a university that does not meet the DAC requirements, so we cannot include them in the Project Area, but they have projects on their campus that could impact the Project Area. These projects would include a mobility hub, student farm, and a workforce development program. Would it still be possible to fund those projects even if the university is not in the Project Area? | For infrastructure projects, the Project Area requirements for disadvantaged communities is 51%. As long as the Project Area overall is meeting the 51% requirement, you could include the campus if the campus is a designated low-income area. If the campus is not low-income, it is not eligible. The university can still be a Co-Applicant and participant in the Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan. This would be eligible if the workforce development program was for residents of the Project Area. | 6-Jul | ||||||||||||||||||||
100 | 98 | Implementation | Pre-Proposal | A lot of our projects have an education, workforce, and community engagement aspect. Should these activities be reflected in the project list we submit for the pre-proposal? Does pre-proposal include service-based projects in addition to capital projects? | The Pre-Proposal asks about Transformative Plans, including the Workforce Development and Economic Opportunities Plan (WDEOP). In the past, grantees have separated capital projects from workforce development portions of that project into the WDEOP, even if the Project Lead for the capital project is also one of the leads for the workforce development project. For the pre-proposal, make sure all components are clear, the budget is clearly defined, and you are not missing the WDEOP even if there is a workforce component within an individual project. | 6-Jul |