New Year New Opportunities

California Strategic Growth Council’s Community Resilience Centers (CRC) program funds new construction and upgrades to neighborhood “resilience hubs” that can provide safe shelter and critical services during emergencies (extreme heat, wildfire smoke, power outages, etc.)—plus year-round programming that strengthens community resilience.  

Key details to know now (Round 2 is coming):

• Grant types & typical award ranges: Planning $100k–$500k, Project Development $500k–$5M, Implementation $1M–$10M.  
• Match required: No match requirement (projects still must show financial feasibility).  
• Round 2 timing: Draft guidelines public comment closed Jan. 2, 2026; Final Guidelines + NOFA expected Spring/Summer 2026, with an application period in Summer/Fall 2026 and applications due Fall 2026.  

Why this matters for LA County: If you have a community-serving facility—like a community center, library, clinic, or school—this is a major opportunity to fund upgrades that improve day-to-day services and emergency readiness. Start lining up site control, community partners, and a community-driven scope now so you’re ready when the NOFA drops.

Los Angeles County fleets, contractors, and public agencies can cut the upfront cost of clean vehicles through California’s Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP)—a first-come, first-served program that delivers instant, point-of-sale vouchers through participating dealers (less paperwork, faster purchasing).  

What you can fund (highlights): 

• Zero-emission trucks (including Class 2b pickups): base vouchers range from $7,500 (Class 2b) up to $120,000 (Class 8), with larger “small business” voucher amounts available.  
• Public school & public transit buses: vouchers scale by vehicle class, with dedicated school/transit amounts listed in HVIP’s current funding table.  
• Key FY24–25 update: Class 2b pickups are eligible, and Clean Fuel Rewards can stack with HVIP for Class 8 purchases (per the December 2025 addendum).  

 Good to know: 

• Small fleet policy: eligible small fleets can access higher voucher amounts, but there’s a lifetime cap of 5 vehicles at the small-fleet level.  
• Stacking is allowed (with rules): HVIP can combine with other public incentives, but it pays last and can’t exceed cost caps.  

If you’re planning fleet replacements in 2026—municipal operations, goods movement, school transportation, or private fleets—this is one of the fastest ways to move a purchase forward while improving air quality across LA County. 

The Federal Aviation Administration has opened the FY 2026 FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program with up to $120 million available for airport-owned air traffic control tower (ATCT) projects—ranging from repair/rehab/modernization and replacement to tower equipment (ATC, communications, related systems). Applications are due February 17, 2026 by 5:00 p.m. ET, and no match is required (100% federal share).  

Submission tip: Applications are submitted using FAA Form 5100-144 (fillable PDF), and late submissions won’t be accepted.