71130.
For purposes of this part, the following terms have the following meanings:(a) “Capacity building” is the process of strengthening local coordination, leadership, knowledge, skills, expertise, and resources, resources to better develop applications for and receive grant funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation-related projects that serve the communities within that region, and helping to develop or increase the ability of that
community to compete for grants and conduct projects in the future on its own.
(b) (1)“Collaborative” means a coordinated body of regional stakeholder groups that are located in, serve, and represent the needs of the under-resourced communities within that region.
(2)For the purpose of the part, each collaborative shall select a managing stakeholder, such as a local government, community-based organization, small business, local government agency, joint powers authority, tribal government, or other organization with a history of providing community-based outreach and technical
assistance, that can demonstrate the organizational capacity to complete projects and the financial capacity to receive and be accountable for funds provided pursuant to the chapter.
(c) “Council” means the Strategic Growth Council.
(d) “Nonprofit organization” means a nonprofit corporation qualified to do business in the state and qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(e) “Stakeholder” includes, among others, but is not limited to, community-based organizations, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based
organizations, interested individuals, elected officials, and local government agencies.
(f) “Technical assistance” means the process of providing the necessary education and resources for climate mitigation and adaptation projects for any of the following:
(1) Project development.
(2) Grant development and writing for state and federal grant programs.
(3) The successful and appropriate expenditure of grant funds moneys for the successful completion of climate mitigation and
adaptation projects.
(4) Postapplication and implementation assistance.
(g) “Under-resourced community” means a community identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code or subdivision (g) of Section 75005.
71131.
(a) A regional climate collaborative program is hereby established to be administered by the council to assist under-resourced communities within a region to access statewide public and other grant moneys. A collaborative is a
regional partnership that provides capacity building to those under-resourced communities within its region to access statewide public and other grant moneys for climate mitigation and adaptation projects that maximize the benefits for the region.(b) The council shall do all of the following in selecting communities in the state to place a collaborative:
(1) Adopt program guidelines that
establish criteria for the selection of communities eligible for assistance in developing a collaborative.
(2) Post the guidelines outlining the criteria on the council’s Internet Web site and solicit public comment.
(3) Hold at least one public hearing before selecting a collaborative.
(4) Allow at least three months between the solicitation announcement and the selection of a collaborative by the council.
(5) Perform at least three outreach activities between the solicitation announcement and the
selection of a collaborative by the council to provide information and assistance to a potential collaborative. The outreach activities shall be made available using advanced forms of technology to the extent possible.
(6) Establish collaboratives a minimum of two times over the course of the program established pursuant to this section.
(c) After selecting communities for collaboratives, the council shall award annual grants as moneys are appropriated by the Legislature to the council for the purposes of this part.
(d) Eligible applicants for a collaborative include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:
(1) Community-based organizations.
(2) Nonprofits.
(3) Small businesses.
(4) Local government agencies.
(5) Joint powers authorities.
(6) Tribal governments.
(7) Other organizations with a history of providing community-based outreach and technical assistance.
(e) Eligible applicants shall form a regional collaborative
stakeholder structure and shall collectively submit one application based on a shared vision. With the application, the applicants shall collectively submit a memorandum of understanding that describes the governance and organization of the collaborative stakeholder structure.
(f) In selecting a collaborative, the council shall give priority to proposals that demonstrate strong and diverse partnerships, including with community-based organizations and other stakeholder groups.
(g) After being selected by the council, a collaborative shall provide capacity-building services to assist in building the community-driven leadership, knowledge, skills, experience, and resources to access public funding for sustainable and equitable infrastructure investments. A collaborative
Except if the council, in consultation with a collaborative, determines that an activity is unnecessary and not required to be conducted, a collaborative, for the region it serves, shall
conduct at least all of the following activities, except the council may determine that an activity is unnecessary, and therefore not required to be conducted, for the region served by the collaborative: activities:
(1) Conduct outreach and spread awareness of statewide competitive grant program resources to stakeholders.
(2) Convene stakeholders to discuss community needs regarding potential climate projects and activities eligible for statewide competitive grant programs with specific allocations for under-resourced communities.
(3) Develop community and project plans, including climate action plans, demonstrating local needs and identifying multiple-benefit projects for implementation.
(4) Support the development of partnerships between stakeholders and potential public and private funding sources.
(5) Provide policy, program, and technical advice to stakeholders to develop and align multibenefit projects with local, statewide, and federal competitive grant programs.
(6) Serve as an intermediary between community stakeholders and technical assistance programs within relevant agencies and coordinate scientific and technical support from outside experts.
(7) Coordinate and
implement assistance and training to stakeholders in grant application development, project management, implementation, and monitoring.
(8) Assist in the development of local job training and anti-displacement programs and policies. Where feasible, a collaborative will leverage, complement, and build on existing regional efforts and resources for capacity building and technical assistance.
(h) Each collaborative shall select a managing stakeholder that can demonstrate the organizational capacity to complete projects and the financial capacity to receive and be accountable for moneys provided pursuant to this part. A managing stakeholder may include, but need not be limited to, a local government agency, community-based organization, small
business, joint powers authority, tribal government, or other organization with a history of providing community-based outreach and technical assistance.
(h)
(i) (1) Grants awarded pursuant to this part shall provide
program moneys directly proportionate to the activities for which the grants are awarded and the needs of the region in which the activities will be carried out. The aggregate amount of grant moneys awarded should may be distributed in a manner to promote geographic investments throughout all of the regions of the state and to address the needs of the most under-resourced communities.
(2) Before awarding a grant pursuant to this subdivision, the council shall develop and adopt a regulation for guidelines and selection criteria for program implementation. In adopting guidelines, the council shall solicit public comments and conduct outreach to
under-resourced communities to encourage comments on the draft guidelines.
(3) The council shall provide advance payments of grant awards, over a period of not more than three years, to recipients to initiate and implement the collaboratives in a timely manner. In consultation with the Department of Finance, the council shall adopt regulations guidelines imposing additional requirements relating to the provision of advance payments and the use of the advance payments by the grant recipient to ensure that the moneys are used properly.
(i)
(j) (1) Collaboratives shall submit to the council an annual report that includes, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) The members of the collaborative.
(B) Populations served.
(C) An outline of all the activities conducted, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(i) Technical assistance.
(ii) Capacity building.
(iii) Project and grant development,
application, and completion.
(D) Meetings and actions taken by the collaborative.
(E) An accounting of the administration of and expenditures made by the collaborative.
(F) The outcome of each activity, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(i) The efficacy of capacity building within the region.
(ii) Technical assistance provided.
(iii) Success of grants applied for.
(iv) Projects commenced and completed.
(2) (A) The council shall post the annual reports on its Internet Web site and provide the reports to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature.
(B) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(j)
(k) By July October 1, 2019, the
council shall adopt regulations guidelines implementing this section.
(l) This section shall become inoperative on October 1, 2029, and, as of January 1, 2030, is repealed.
71132.
(a) (1) A state agency or department that administers a funding program that contains a targeted mechanism for funding under-resourced communities shall develop technical assistance policies and standards, with activities to be funded with a minimum of 3 percent, not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) annually, of its grant program funding, according to the guidelines developed and adopted by the council pursuant to subdivision (b).(2) A state agency or department that administers funding programs with allocations for under-resourced communities shall develop and adopt technical assistance guidelines consistent with the
guidelines developed and adopted by the council pursuant to subdivision (b) after holding at least one public meeting to consider public comments.
(b) The council shall develop technical assistance guidelines that a state agency shall use in developing its internal technical assistance programs and policies. The technical assistance guidelines should may support established technical assistance programs and build upon best practices. The council’s technical assistance guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Procedures and minimum standards for state agencies providing
direct technical assistance to communities and collaboratives.
(2) Measures to streamline and align grant application requirements, where practicable, and provide efficient technical assistance across multiple programs, where applicable.
(3) Requirements for relevant state agencies and departments to annually report to the council on technical assistance activities, including identified quantitative performance measures and standards for sharing best practices with the council, across state agencies, and nationally.
(c) For the purposes of this section, state agencies and departments that administer funding programs with allocations for under-resourced communities include, but are not limited to, all of the
following:
(1) The council.
(2) Natural Resources Agency.
(3) Department of Conservation.
(4) Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(5) Department of Transportation.
(6) State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.
(7) State Air Resources Board.
(8) Department of Water Resources.
(9) State Water Resources Control Board.
(10) Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.
(d) Activities conducted by state agencies and departments in implementing technical assistance for under-resourced communities and collaboratives pursuant to this section may include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:
(1) Outreach and awareness of the state agency’s and department’s competitive grant program resources.
(2) Direct technical assistance to applicants in the development of eligible projects and the completion of grant applications.
(3) Support to successful applicants in project management, implementation, and evaluation.
(4) Engagement with collaboratives to share best practices, outreach materials, and policy knowledge and to receive referrals.