The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) enlisted CLEE to conduct initial assessments of two climate adaptation and resilience grant programs administered by the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP): the Regional Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program and the Adaptation Planning Grant Program. Both programs were established in the 2021 Budget Act and recently completed their first rounds of funding. Given the early stage of each program, these evaluations focus on program development, accessibility, and demand and provide a preliminary overview of awarded projects from the first round of each program. Finally, CLEE’s analysis places these programs within the broader context of the State’s climate adaptation and resilience initiatives.
The Regional Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program (RRGP) advances climate resilience in California by fostering collaboration in planning, project implementation, and capacity building. RRGP funds the planning and implementation of projects that advance climate resilience via regional-scale approaches, with an emphasis on projects that address multiple risks and build resilience in vulnerable communities.
The Adaptation Planning Grant Program (APGP) addresses local, regional, and tribal planning needs by supporting communities statewide in developing adaptation projects that address climate risks and strengthen resilience. APGP funds climate adaptation planning that addresses cross-sector issues intersecting with multiple climate risks.
Building on these evaluations, CLEE published a policy report titled Bridging the Implementation Gap: Challenges and Opportunities for California’s Resilience Funding Landscape. This report expands on the program evaluations through a review of policy-facing literature on adaptation funding in California and a preliminary analysis of the adaptation funding landscape. The final report provides recommendations for State grant administrators and policymakers to overcome existing challenges and leverage opportunities for more effective resilience funding.
For more information about this report series or any project case studies, please contact Hanna Payne, Kasia Dahlbeck, Shruti Sarode, or Louise Bedsworth.