AGENDA
ITEM
18 AGENDA
CALEXICO California ITEM
WHERE CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO MEET
18 CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
DATE: September 16, 2026
TO: Mayor and City Council
APPROVED BY: Benjamin A. Martinez, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Laura Bowen, Grants Manager pun
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Submission of a Community Resilience Centers Program Round 2 Implementation Grant Application for Eligible Heber Park Project Components
================
Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution authorizing the City of Calexico to:
a) Submit an application to the California Strategic Growth Council for a Community Resilience Centers Program Round 2 Implementation Grant in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 for eligible, nonduplicative components associated with the Heber Park project; and b) Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to sign and submit the application and application- related certifications, assurances, letters, and supporting documents necessary to complete the submission. If funding is awarded, staff will return to the City Council to request authorization to accept the award and approve the grant agreement, budget appropriations, partnership or subrecipient agreements, procurement actions, and all other required implementation processes.
Background:
The California Strategic Growth Council administers the Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program.
Round 2 Implementation Grants provide between $1,000,000 and $10,000,000 for projects that develop or improve community-serving facilities capable of providing shelter, resources, and services during extreme heat and other emergencies, while also supporting year-round programs and services that strengthen community resilience.
The City of Calexico previously received funding administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the Heber Park project. The City is evaluating whether additional components at or associated with Heber Park may qualify for CRC funding. The CRC application is still under development, and staff is working to identify eligible components, establish the partnerships required by the program, complete community engagement, develop the project work plan and budget, and confirm compliance with all applicable requirements.
The CRC Implementation Grant application deadline is September 25, 2026. Due to the time required to complete the application and formalize the necessary partnerships, staff is requesting City Council adoption of the attached Resolution at this time so the City may continue developing and submit the application by the deadline.
Discussion and Analysis:
The CRC Program prohibits the use of CRC funds to supplant other committed funds for any project element, including capital improvements, programs, and services. Therefore, the proposed application will request CRC funding only for allowable components that are separate from, additional to, and nonduplicative of the improvements and costs funded through the existing California State Parks award Staff will coordinate with CRC Program representatives and the City's assigned State Parks grant officer to confirm the eligibility of the proposed components and will clearly identify the separate scopes, budgets, deliverables, and funding sources in the application.
Potential CRC-funded components remain under evaluation and may include eligible emergency shelter and activation capabilities, resilient power and energy systems, cooling and air-quality improvements, emergency communications, accessible facilities, emergency supply storage, community programs and services, and other allowable resilience improvements. The City is also establishing the partnerships and collaborative governance structure required by the CRC Program. The final partners, scope of work, budget, schedule, responsibilities, and deliverables will be determined before submission. Adoption of the Resolution at this time is solely for submission of the application and does not authorize acceptance of an award, execution of a grant agreement, appropriation or expenditure of grant funds, construction, procurement, or execution of partner agreements. If the City receives an award, staff will return to the City Council for authorization to accept the award and for all required impiementation actions.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with adoption of the Resolution and submission of the application, other than staff time required to complete it. The CRC Program does not require matching funds. If funding is awarded, staff will return to the City Council with the proposed award, grant agreement, budget appropriations, any leverage funding commitments, long-term operation and maintenance considerations, and other financial requirements before acceptance or expenditure of funds.
Coordinated With:
City Manager's Office
Public Works Department
Recreation Department
Attachment:
1. Resolution Authorizing Submission of the CRC Round 2 Implementation Grant Application Community Resilience Centers Program Round 2 Final Program Guidelines 2 ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-_
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CALEXICO AUTHORIZING THE
CITY TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE CENTERS PROGRAM ROUND 2 IMPLEMENTATION GRANT FOR ELIGIBLE
HEBER PARK PROJECT COMPONENTS
WHEREAS, the California Strategic Growth Council administers the Community Resilience Centers Program ("CRC Program"), which provides competitive funding to develop and improve community-serving facilities that provide shelter, resources, and services during extreme heat and other emergencies and offer year-round programs and services that strengthen community resilience; and
WHEREAS, CRC Program Round 2 Implementation Grants provide awards ranging from $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 for eligible capital improvements, community engagement, programs, services, and other activities consistent with the program requirements; and WHEREAS, the City of Calexico desires to submit an application for an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 for eligible components at or associated with the Heber Park project that would strengthen emergency preparedness, climate resilience, accessibility, and year-round community services; and
WHEREAS, potential CRC-funded components remain under evaluation and may include eligible emergency shelter and activation capabilities, resilient power and energy systems, cooling and air-quality improvements, emergency communications, accessible facilities, emergency supply storage, community programs and services, and other allowable resilience improvements; and WHEREAS, the City previously received funding administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the Heber Park project, and the City intends to request CRC funding only for eligible components that are separate from, additional to, and nonduplicative of the improvements and costs funded through the existing State Parks award; and WHEREAS, the City is continuing to develop the CRC application, establish the partnerships and collaborative governance structure required by the program, conduct community engagement, and finalize the proposed scope of work, budget, schedule, responsibilities, and deliverables; and WHEREAS, the CRC Implementation Grant application deadline is September 25, 2026, and the City Council desires to authorize staff to complete and submit the application by the deadline; and WHEREAS, authorization granted by this Resolution is limited to preparation and submission of the CRC application and application-related documents and does not constitute authorization to accept an award, execute a grant agreement, appropriate or expend grant funds, commence construction, conduct procurement, or execute partnership or subrecipient agreements; and WHEREAS, if the City is selected for funding, staff will return to the City Council to request authorization to accept the award and approve the grant agreement, budget appropriations, partnership or subrecipient agreements, procurement actions, and all other required implementation processes.
1 NOW, THEREFORE, BEIT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Calexico as follows:
SECTION 1.
The City Council hereby authorizes the City of Calexico to prepare and submit an application to the California Strategic Growth Council for a Community Resilience Centers Program Round 2 Implementation Grant in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 for eligible, nonduplicative components associated with the Heber Park project.
SECTION 2.
The City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to execute and submit the application and all application-related certifications, assurances, letters, and supporting locuments necessary to complete the submission, subject to review as to form when appropriate.
SECTION 3.
If the City is selected for CRC funding, staff shall return to the City Council to request authorization to accept the award and to consider and approve the grant agreement, budget appropriations, partnership or subrecipient agreements, procurement actions, and all other documents anc actions required for implementation. Nothing in this Resolution authorizes acceptance or expenditure of grant funds
SECTION 4.
The City shall identify and maintain separate scopes, budgets, deliverables, funding sources, contracts, invoices, and accounting records, as applicable, to demonstrate that proposed CRC- funded components do not supplant or duplicate committed funding for the existing State Parks- funded Heber Park project.
SECTION 5.
The City Manager, or designee, is authorized to make non-substantive revisions to the application and application-related documents necessary to comply with CRC Program requirements orovided that such revisions do not authorize acceptance or expenditure of grant funds or materially expand the authority granted by this Resolution.
SECTION 6.
The City Council finds that pursuing CRC funding for eligible Heber Park project components would support emergency preparedness, climate resilience, public health, accessibility, community services, and the overall quality of life of Calexico residents.
SECTION 7.
This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. 2 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 16th day of September 2026.
Victor Legaspi, Mayor
Attest:
Veronica Alvarado, City Clerk
Resolution No. 2026-_
Approved as to Form:
Laura Estrada, City Attorney
3 State of California)
County of Imperial) ss.
City of Calexico )
1, Veronica Alvarado, City Clerk of the City of Calexico, do hereby certify that the above Resolution No. 2026- _ was approved at a regular City Council meeting held on the 16th day of September 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
Veronica Alvarado, City Clerk
ATTACHMENT 2
Community Resilience Centers
Program
Round 2 Program Guidelines
CALIFORNIA
STRATEGIC
GROWTH
COUNCIL
April 29, 2026
Final Guidelines
Program information can be accessed at: https://sgc.ca.goy/programs/community-resitience- centers/
To sign up to receive notices, updates, and information regarding the Community Resilience Centers Program (and other California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) grant programs and initiatives), visit the SGC website and click on the "E-list" link at: http://sgc.ca.gov/.
What is the Community Resilience
Centers Program
From extreme heat to wildfires, recent climate events and public health emergencies impact every part of California. The best available projections anticipate that these climate impacts will intensify. In the face of these challenges, strengthening resilience requires investments in both physical and social infrastructure. In addition to climate resilience activities, community resilience builds ongoing social cohesion, trust, and networks.
The Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program:
• Funds the planning, construction, and retrofit of community resilience centers across California's diverse communities
• Advances communities' capacity to plan for long-term resilience and acute emergencies • Encourages meaningful engagement, cross-sectoral collaboration, community-based partnerships, and shared governance and decision-making models • Mitigates the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change
• Prioritizes projects located in and benefiting under-resourced, rural, unincorporated, and Tribal communities across geographically diverse regions in the state of California What activities does the CRC Program fund?
The CRC Program funds Planning and Implementation Grants that advance the development of neighborhood resilience centers that provide shelter and resources during climate emergencies. It also supports year-round community services and programming.
How much funding is available?
Approximately $55 million is available. The funding is from the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, commonly known as the "Climate Bond." (Proposition 4)
Who is eligible to apply?
In Round 2, Lead Applicants must be a public or local agency, nonprofit organization, special district, joint powers authority, Tribe, public utility, local publicly owned utility, or mutual water company.
Priority Communities
All communities are eligible for CRC Program funds. However, in alignment with the Climate Bond's funding goals, Round 2 of the CRC Program will prioritize investments in the communities most burdened by environmental, socioeconomic, and health inequities. Priority communities include under-resourced (low-income, disadvantaged, and severely disadvantaged) communities, Tribes, rural communities, and unincorporated communities.
How do you apply?
• Spring 2026: Final Round 2 Program Guidelines released • Eligible applicants can complete a Technical Assistance Request Form • Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) released
• Summer 2026: Application Period
• Applications open via the online platform Submittable • Complete application for appropriate grant type by due date stated in NOFA • Applications due via Submittable
• Fall and Winter 2026-27: Application review
• SGC will notify applicants who are deemed ineligible or fail threshold review • Notified applicants with incomplete applications will have up to three days to submit missing documentation
• Final applications and requested materials due via Submittable Top-scoring applicants invited for an interview
• Spring 2027: Awards
For more information:
Visit https://sgc.ca.gov/grant-programs/crc/and sign-up for out email list at CRC Mailing List or email [email protected].
Table of Contents
What is the Community Resilience Centers Program •-2-
How to use this document .... .....7
Section 1: Program Overview.......... 8
1.1 Background......... ...8
1.2 Program Summary..... ..10
1.3 Program Objectives ... ...11
1.4 Program Approach... ...12
1.5 Investing in Priority Cormunities and Populations .. ...13
1.6 Funding Priorities. ..15
Section 2: California Native American Tribes and Tribal Applicants. ..17
2.1 Important Terminology. ..17
2.2 Limited Waiver of Sovereign Immunity.. ..18
2.3 Tribal Funding Goal and Priority Points. ..18
2.4 Tribal Modifications ..18
2.5 Data Sovereignty ..19
2.6 Tribal Notification.. ..19
2.7 Technical Assistance .20
Section 3: Eligibility... .21
3.1 Eligible Applicants.. ..21
3.2 Collaborative Governance Structure .. .23
3.3 Eligible Planning and Project Areas .. .28
3.4 Eligible Facility Types. .30
Section 4: Planning Grants ... ..32
4.1 CRC Planning Grant Objectives • .... ..32
4.2 Eligible Planning Grant Activities ® .. .32
4.3 Planning Grant Requirements ® .34
4.4 Planning Grant Timeline ® .34
4.5 Planning Grant Phases O.. .34
4.6 Developing a Planning Grant Application P .35
Section 5: Implementation Grants ......... ...36
5.1 CRC Implementation Grant Objectives • .36
5.2 Eligible Implementation Grant Activities O ..37
5.3 Implementation Grant Strategies O ..38
5.4 Implementation Grant Requirements O ...43
5.5 Implementation Grant Timeline O.... ..46
5.6 Implementation Grant Phases O...... .47
5.7 Developing an Implementation Grant Application O ..49 Section 6: Program Costs. ..51
6.1 Eligible Costs ...51
6.2 Ineligible Costs... ..54
6.3 Cost Categories and Caps .. ..56
Section 7: Program Requirements..... ..61
7.1 Program Requirements Overview ... ...61
7.2 Applicant Eligibility ..62
7.3 Applicant Capacity ..63
7.4 Community Engagement ...66
7.5 Collaborative Governance. ..67
7.6 Site Control and Readiness. ..68
7.7 Permitting and Environmental Compliance ® ..72
7.8 Project Financial Feasibility ..73
7.9 CRC Emergency Plan and Community Resilience Plan O.. ..77 Section 8: Application and Scoring .... ..79
8.1 Application and Scoring Overview... ...79
8.2 Award Amounts. .79
8.3 Application Process... 80
8.4 Funding Priorities and Priority Points ... ..81
8.5 Planning Grant Program Thresholds and Scoring Criteria P .84
8.6 Implementation Grant Program Thresholds and Scoring Criteria 0 ..87
8.7 Close Scores Protocol .95
Section 9: Grant Administration........... ......97
9.1 Grant Terms ......97
9.2 Lead Grantees, Partners, and Contractors ..97
9.3 Post-Award Consultation Process....... ..98
9.4 Disbursements and Accounting of Funds .98
9.5 Project Administration. ..99
9.6 Reporting Requirements. .100
9.7 Implementation Grant Evaluation O. 102
9.8 Monitoring O ..103
9.9 Prevailing Wage Requirements O ..104
9.10 Ownership. ...105
9.11 Publicity Requirements. ..106
9.12 Audit and Record Retention .106
Section 10: Technical Assistance ..107
10.1 Application Technical Assistance... .107
10.2 Pre-Development Phase Technical Assistance • ..... ...109
10.3 Implementation Technical Assistance. .109
10.4 Evaluation Technical Assistance © ..109
Section 11: Appendices.. ..111
Appendix A: Terms and Definitions... ..111
Appendix B: Collaborative Governance Requirements. ..121 Appendix C: Community Engagement Activities and Eligible Costs ..125 Appendix D: Program Requirements Overview. ...129
Appendix E: Examples of Eligible Implementation Grant Activities O .. 136 Appendix F: Site Control. ..141
Appendix G: Cal OES Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid Regions. ..144 Appendix H: Facility Condition Assessments O ..146
Appendix I: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Multiple Jurisdictions •. ..147 Appendix J: Leverage Funding .......... ..149
Appendix K: Post-Award Consultation Process - Planning Grants.. 150 Appendix L: Post-Award Consultation Process - Implementation Grants O 154 Appendix M: Previously Funded CRC Grants by Project Type .158 Appendix N: Answers to Common Questions. .161
Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 How to use this document
These Final Program Guidelines govern the California Strategic Growth Council's (SGG) Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program Round 2. This document includes information on the two available grant types:
• Planning Grants
• Implementation Grants
All information in this document applies to both grant types unless specifically stated otherwise.
Please read all relevant sections.
This document is not the only source of information on CRC requirements. The forthcoming Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), application, and application instructions contain additional requirements, relevant information, and resources for applicants. For updates, please reference the CRC Program timeline on the CRC Program webpage at https://sgc.ca.gov/grant- programs/crc/.
To help readers use this document, we include icons next to section headers for sections that are only relevant to a specific grant type (® for Planning Grants or ® for Implementation Grants). If there is a difference between text and icon placement, use the text as your guide.
Sections relevant to both grant types will be structured as follows:
Example header
Brief introduction describing this portion of the Program Guidelines All Grant Types
Information that applies to all grant types. All applicants must read this section.
Planning Grants
Information that only applies to Planning Grants.
Implementation Grants O
Information that only applies to Implementation Grants.
Some sub-sections are omitted and/or combined as appropriate.
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Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 Section 1: Program Overview
Summary of Section 1
The Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program was created in 2021 to develop and build Community Resilience Centers that mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change. Round 2 of the CRC Program will fund Planning and Implementation Grants through the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, which is also known as the "Climate Bond." Funding amounts for each grant type will be announced in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
1.1 Background
Context
Recent climate and public health emergencies have impacted every part of California, underscoring the need for effective planning, preparation, and adaptation. Some impacts are acute events, like earthquakes, extreme heat, floods, mudslides, power outages, storms, and wildfires. Some impacts are longer-term events like the COVID-19 pandemic, drought, rising temperatures, and sea level rise. Climate science projections published by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) anticipate that these climate impacts will worsen and compound. In the face of these challenges, strengthening resilience requires investments in both physical and social infrastructure.
Because some neighborhoods have experienced systemic underinvestment for many years, communities across California do not have equal access to affordable clean energy, water infrastructure, emergency response services, and public health resources. Given California's diverse landscapes, populations, and infrastructure, resilience will look different across the state.
To build resilience, community priorities must drive local infrastructure projects. Robust, meaningful, and culturally appropriate engagement helps ensure that projects reflect community priorities and benefit local residents.
As a Cabinet-level interagency organization housed within the California Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), SGC advances the State's key policy priorities through four main categories: investment programs, collaborative policy initiatives, integrated policy and planning, and capacity building and technical assistance. The Community Resilience Centers (CRC) Program is one of SGC's community investment programs. Alongside other statewide efforts, the CRC Program aims to build local resilience across California communities. The program is designed to serve community needs and strengthen overall resilience in neighborhoods across California.
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Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 Budget and Legislative Background
The CRC Program was created as a part of California's 2021-2022 Climate Budget Package. The budget focuses on addressing wildfire and drought, strengthening community resilience, promoting sustainable agriculture, and advancing the state's climate goals.
Senate Bill (SB) 155 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Public resources trailer bill, Chapter 258, Statutes of 2022) authorized "funding ... for the construction or retrofit of facilities to serve as Community Resilience Centers that mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergency situations exacerbated by climate change." This enabling statute names specific functions for resilience centers, including hydration stations, cooling centers, clean air centers, respite centers, and community evacuation and emergency response centers. SB 155 also specifies that the program will fund: physical infrastructure elements critical to emergency response facilities during climate or other disasters; long-term resilience efforts; and the integrated delivery of services. Finally, SB 155 requires that community-based organizations (CBOs) and local residents participate in CRC Project governance and decision-making through partnerships and mandates a public process for guidelines development to allow for transparency and public input.
In addition to SB 155, the following legislation governs the CRC Program:
• Assembly Bill (AB) 179 (Ting, Chapter 249, Statutes of 2022): Amends the Budget Act of 2022 and allocates additional funds for CRC program administration and staffing, technical assistance, and monitoring and evaluation. The 2022-2023 Budget Change Proposal (BCP) "Addressing Extreme Heat" notes: "SGC funds will also support programs associated with building community level social infrastructure that could support better functioning resilience centers." The BCP commits to funding "services and programming that build the community infrastructure necessary to respond quickly and effectively in times of crisis." The BCP highlights the importance of community-serving locations, prioritizing disadvantaged and low-income communities in both urban and rural areas, providing technical assistance for those priority communities, and providing both planning and implementation grants.
• AB 211 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 574, Statutes 2022) codifies language for the CRC Program and authorizes the CRC Program to provide advance payment. AB 211 directs the CRC Program to ensure funded Community Resilience Centers provide eligible services and amenities year-round to community residents, for a minimum number of years. AB 211 also directs SGC staff to prioritize projects in and benefitting under-resourced communities and consider statewide geographic diversity.
Lastly, AB 211 provides details on reporting requirements to the Legislature.
In November 2024, California voters passed Proposition 4, a $10 billion General Obligation Bond, called the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024. Commonly called the "Climate Bond," it authorizes various state agencies to provide funding for a wide variety of programs and investments to reduce environmental risks to California communities.
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Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 The Climate Bond prioritizes keeping communities safe from climate risks by funding:
• The development of Community Resilience Centers across diverse regions of the state that will prepare and protect people from extreme heat.
• The coordination and delivery of emergency response services during disruptions, including disasters, states of emergency, local emergencies, or de-energization events. • The inclusion of community-based organizations and residents in decision-making processes and administration.
This funding provides additional support to the CRC Program's work to protect communities against risks associated with extreme heat.
1.2 Program Summary
SGC expects to receive $60 million from the Climate Bond to implement the CRC Program through the provision of grants, staff support, and third-party technical assistance. Of the total funds, $55 million will be available for Round 2 grants.
The CRC Program will offer Planning Grants and Implementation Grants. Unlike Round 1, the CRC Program will not offer a separate Project Development Grant type. Instead, Round 2's Implementation Grant will offer a new, funded "Pre-Development Phase" that will support Lead Grantees' project readiness before implementation. The Pre-Development Phase will last no more than one year from grant execution.
SGC retains the right to make partial awards and to reallocate funds between CRC Round 2 grant types in the event of undersubscription, ineligibility, or recission of award.
Applicants may apply for multiple funding programs to accomplish the same scope of work.
However, awarded applicants will only be able to receive full funding from the one award. If selected for more than one award, SC will work with applicants to modify the scope of work to eliminate duplication of funding.
Planning Grants P
• Grant Purpose: Planning Grants will fund communities in the initial stages of CRC project development. Grant activities will prepare grantees for future funding to build or renovate resilience centers.
• Examples of Eligible Activities: Community engagement; creating relevant plans (e.g., Emergency Operations, Climate Adaptation); evaluating and updating policies and codes; capacity building
• Award Amount: $100,000 to $500,000
• Grant Term: Two years, with the option to extend on a case-by-case basis • Planning Area: Area inclusive of the planned CRC Site, the proposed planning activities, and the impacted community around the proposed site
• Special Requirements: Must develop and complete:
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Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 Community Engagement Plan (CEP): Due within the first six months of the grant term (See Section 7.4 Community engagement)
Collaborative Governance Structure and fully executed Collaborative Governance Agreement: Due by the end of the first year of the grant term (See Section 7.5 Collaborative Governance)
Demonstrate ability to gain site control: Due 90 days prior to the end of the grant term (See Section 7.6 Site control and readiness
For more information about the Planning Grant objectives and eligible activities, see Section 4:
Planning Grants.
Implementation Grants O
• Grant Purpose: Implementation Grants will fund new construction and retrofits of facilities to serve as Community Resilience Centers, as well as programs and services that build overall community resilience.
• Examples of Eligible Activities: Construction, retrofits, and other upgrades to the CRC Facility itself; Campus Amenity improvements; programs and services; community engagement
• Award Amount: $1,000,000 to $10,000,000
• Grant term: Six years
• Project Area: The physical location of the CRC Facility(ies), Campus Amenities, and Partner Sites offering services or programs (See Section 1.1 Backgroynd) • Special Requirements:
• Grantees must meet Facility and Features Requirements (See Section 5.4 Implementation Grant requirements)
• The CRC Facility must remain dedicated to service as a Community Resilience Center for a minimum of 15 years (See Section 7.8 Long-term use of the CRC Facility)
• Finalized CRC Emergency Plan and Community Resilience Plan - due 90 days prior to the end of the Implementation Phase (prior to Evaluation Phase) (See Section Z.9 CRC Emergency Plan and Community Resilience Plan)
1.3 Program Objectives
The program objectives inspire and guide the CRC Program's overall design and implementation.
As such, all applicants should reference the program objectives when crafting their applications and implementing their projects.
The CRC Program objectives are to:
• Fund the planning, construction, and/or retrofit of Community Resilience Centers across California's diverse communities
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Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 • Advance the capacity of communities to respond to and recover from emergencies as they build long-term resilience with investments in physical and social infrastructure • Support meaningful engagement, cross-sectoral collaboration, community-based partnerships, and shared governance models
• Mitigate the public health impacts of extreme heat and other emergencies exacerbated by climate change
• Prioritize projects located in and benefiting under-resourced (low-income, extremely low- income, disadvantaged, severely disadvantaged), rural, unincorporated, and Tribal communities across geographically diverse regions in the state of California
1.4 Program Approach
Vision for a Better California for AlL
SGC is committed to advancing racial equity in its operations, investments, and policy initiatives; as well as advancing its vision that: All people in California live in healthy, thriving, and resilient communities regardless of race.
Vision for Resilience
SGC's CRC Program intends to build both climate resilience and community resilience across California.
The CRC Program defines these terms as:
• Climate resilience is the capacity of any entity—an individual, a community, an organization, or a natural system—to prepare for climate impacts, recover from disruptions, and adjust over time to be able to better handle future challenges. Climate resilience is strengthened locally through specific strategies and activities that help prepare areas for climate impacts including drought, extreme temperatures, floods, sea level rise, and wildfires.
• Community resilience is the ability of communities to withstand, recover, and learn from adverse events (climate or otherwise) and to strengthen future response and recovery efforts. Strengthening community resilience requires a broad approach that addresses challenges across public health; social and economic equity; community well-being; multi-sector coordination in disasters preparedness, response, and recovery; and the development of social cohesion and community trust. Activities that build community resilience will in turn increase resilience to climate-related impacts.
Core Components
The CRC Program focuses on funding projects that address the specific needs of neighborhoods across the state. Each project must align with the priorities, assets, and objectives of its Page | 12
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Community Resilience Centers Program - Round 2 Final Program Guidelines April 2026 community. While the CRC Program model is intentionally flexible to account for the vast spectrum of communities across California, the Program's core components include:
• Place-based approach: A place-based approach allows the State to make significant, targeted investments that meet multiple needs of burdened communities. It also empowers communities to tackle climate change and equity challenges at a neighborhood scale. Communities propose systemic solutions to address their neighborhood's specific needs and assets.
• Integrated physical and social infrastructure investment: The program funds retrofits and new construction of facilities and accompanying campus amenities. The program also funds community resilience programming and services which build social cohesion. CRC Projects should balance shorter-term needs and longer-term needs, equip CRC Sites with emergency activation capabilities and plans, and include year-round services and programs that build community resilience.
• Partnerships and Collaborative Governance: Applicants are required to create "Collaborative Governance Structures" that bring together public agencies, community- based organizations, residents, and other local entities to create long-term investment in the community's vision for resilience.
• Community engagement and participation: CRCs should prioritize the local priority populations and the residents most vulnerable to climate change in their decision-making, design, and implementation.
1.5 Investing in Priority Communities and
Populations
Some residents and communities face higher risks from climate change and have fewer resources to manage climate impacts. These disproportionate effects are caused by physical, social, political, and/or economic factor(s), which are further exacerbated by the changing climate. Many of these challenges result from a history of inequitable land use and zoning policies, underinvestment, and lack of meaningful engagement with community residents in planning and policy decisions.
Consistent with existing State guidance and robust public input, eligible applicants from all communities may apply for CRC Program funds. However, the CRC Program will prioritize investments in the following priority communities which are most burdened by environmental, socioeconomic, and health inequities.
Statewide: Priority Communities
SGC prioritizes CRC Projects that are located in and benefit priority communities. These definitions do not determine eligibility for the CRC Program. (See Section 3: Eligibility) Priority communities include under-resourced communities. For Round 2 of the CRC Program, under-resourced communities are communities located within:
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