Climate Change Research Program

California Strategic Growth Council (SGC)

What does it fund?

Actionable, partnership-based climate change research that integrates community research partners into the process from the start as funded partners, co-leads, or collaborators to inform climate actions that directly benefit California communities. Topics funded range from a focus on reducing carbon emissions to supporting clean technologies and community resilience.

All ongoing research projects are partnering with, engaging, and/or benefiting priority populations. Funded research topics include avoiding displacement from State investments, advancing community public health goals and challenges around extreme heat, integrated land use planning, and advancing sustainable energy transitions for disadvantaged communities.

Who is eligible for funds?

Eligible research institutions, including the University of California, California State University, federally-funded national laboratories, nonprofit colleges and universities, and nonprofit research institutions. However, program guidelines require a funded non-academic partner be included in the projects and that the work be driven by partner priorities.

How does this program provide benefits to priority populations?

Research projects and partnerships must be designed to address and facilitate achieving climate outcomes in low-income, disadvantaged, and climate vulnerable communities. This can be achieved through direct connection with communities and community-based organizations, explicit examination of replicability of projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities, or other mechanisms that demonstrate how research investments will be leveraged to support low-income and disadvantaged communities. The program builds these requirements into scoring to ensure projects are providing these connections and benefits.