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Community Benefits Grant Application 2025-2026 

The Community Benefits Grant is an innovative partnership between Calpine Community Energy and Clean Power Alliance. This annual program provides grant funding to nonprofit organizations working to advance clean energy and clean energy industry jobs, environmental education and stewardship, and energy equity and diversity in the communities that CPA serves. 

Learn more about the grant opportunity by watching a recording of the August 13 online webinar here.

The 2025-2026 application period opens on September 2, 2025. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. September 30, 2025.

Through this ongoing partnership, CPA will award 9-12 grants worth more than $280,000 to non-profit organizations working in CPA’s service area to advance clean energy, resiliency, green job training, environmental education and stewardship, and energy equity and diversity efforts within their respective communities. Total grand funding for 2025-2026 included an additional $50,000 that was previously distributed to nonprofits working to address the immediate aftermath of the devastating wildfires in January 2025.  

These grants are designed not only to provide critical financial support but also to empower local organizations to expand their reach and amplify their impact. 

Investing in local communities is a key aspect of CPA’s mission to strengthen regional resilience and advance access to clean energy for all. Calpine Community Energy awards the funding, while CPA develops the grant guidelines and helps engage local non-profit organizations to apply for the funding. Both organizations work together to review the applications and choose awardees.

By investing in these initiatives, CPA is fostering long-term sustainability, building stronger community resilience, and creating pathways for inclusive participation in the clean energy transition.

Grant Award Recipients

View current and previous Community Benefits Grant Awardees

FAQ

Who is eligible to receive a Community Benefits Grant?

Previous Community Benefits Grant recipients are eligible to apply for the 2025-2026 grant . However, previous grant recipients are ineligible to receive funds more than two years in a row.  

What are the priority focus areas?

The CBG is available to projects and organizations focused on advancing clean energy, sustainability, and resiliency through the following pathways:

  • Research
  • Resilience
  • Environmental and Social Justice Communities*
  • Workforce Development
  • Education
      * The CPUC identified environmental and social justice communities as those where residents are:
          • Predominantly communities of color or low-income
          • Underrepresented in the policy setting or decision-making process
          • Subject to a disproportionate impact from one or more environmental hazards and
          • Likely to experience disparate implementation of environmental regulations and socioeconomic investments in their communities
  •  
      • On the ground, targeted communities typically include but are not limited to:
          • Disadvantaged Communities, located in the most environmentally burdened California census tracts, as determined by the 25 percent highest scores (75th percentile) when using the CalEnviroScreen tool
          • All Tribal lands
          • Low-income households (household incomes below 80 percent of the area median income) and
          • Low-income census tracts (census tracts where aggregated household incomes are less than 80 percent of area or state median income).
How much are the grant awards?

Awards will range from $15,000 to $30,000 for a one-year grant term.

What is the application and selection timeline?
  • September 2, 2025 grant opens. 
  • August 13, 2025 from 1–2 pm — Community Benefits Grant webinar. View a recording of the webinar here.
  • September 30, 2025 by 5 pm — All applications and relevant attachments are due. 
  • October through November — Application evaluation period
  • December — Awardees contacted.
  • Grant funds will be processed for distribution in December
Where can I apply?

Completed applications and all relevant attachments can be submitted to no later than 5 pm on September 30, 2025

What supporting documents will I be required to submit with my applications?

A budget is required as part of a completed application. Applicants can complete attachment A, or they can submit a supplemental budget. If an applicant is working with a fiscal sponsor, the fiscal sponsor must also submit the following documents:   

  • A fiscal sponsorship letter taking responsibility for your organization’s fiscal administration.  
  • A letter of request authorizing your organization to apply for the community benefits grant for the amount you are requesting. 
Are there any reporting requirements for grant recipients?

Awardees of the Community Benefits Grant must agree to provide the following: 

  1. Eight-month post-award status report, including pictures and videos, a statement of expenditures to date, and a description of the progress of the project, as applicable.
  2. One-year post-award interview, including pictures and videos, a statement of expenditures, and a project wrap-up summary.

Note: During this interview, CPA, Calpine Community Energy, and the grant recipients’ staff will discuss the status of granted projects and their local impact. 

What if I missed the application deadline? Will there be additional opportunities to apply for a grant?

The Community Benefits Grant is an annual grant. The next grant opportunity will open in September 2026. Sign up for CPA’s monthly newsletter to be informed when additional grant funds will be available. Visit www.cleanpoweralliance.org/#newsletter  to join CPA’s newsletter mailing list for more information.

What is the CPA service territory?
Agoura Hills Hawaiian Gardens Rolling Hills Estates
Alhambra Hawthorne Santa Monica
Arcadia Hermosa Beach Santa Paula
Beverly Hills La Cañada Flintridge Sierra Madre
Calabasas Lynwood Simi Valley
Camarillo Malibu South Pasadena
Carson Manhattan Beach Temple City
Claremont Monrovia Thousand Oaks
Culver City Ojai Unincorporated Los Angeles County *
Downey Oxnard Unincorporated Ventura County
Hermosa Beach Paramount Ventura
Port Hueneme Redondo Beach West Hollywood
Westlake Village Whittier
* CPA does not provide service to the City of Los Angeles
How is the Grant Program Managed?

Calpine Community Energy awards the grant funding, while Clean Power Alliance determines the grant guidelines and project criteria and helps engage nonprofit organizations to apply for funding. Both entities work together to assess grant applications.

The Community Benefits Grant is an annual grant. The next grant opportunity will open in September 2026. 

Sign up for CPA’s monthly newsletter to be informed when additional grant funds will be available. Visit www.cleanpoweralliance.org/#newsletter to join the mailing list.