Business and Workforce Development Grants
Forecasted
Business and Workforce Development Grants support California forest-sector businesses and training programs, funding infrastructure and workforce capacity to advance sustainable management and resilient forests.
Funder: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Due Dates (Anticipated): May 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $10,000–$3,000,000 per award under FY 2025–2026 guidelines; category-specific match requirements
Summary: Supports California forest-sector businesses, infrastructure, and workforce training to advance healthy, resilient forests.
Key Information: Training a business’s own workers belongs under business development, not workforce development.
Description
CAL FIRE’s Wood Products and Bioenergy Team, within its Climate and Energy Program, funds business and workforce development projects supporting California’s forests and the people and ecosystems that depend on them. The program seeks a robust, diversified wood products industry that enables sustainable forest management, increases forest fuels management capacity, and encourages clean technologies and innovative wood processing.
Supported work includes solid wood and biomass processing, forest operations, biomass transportation, tree nurseries, forest-derived bioenergy, and recurring workforce training. Projects may combine planning, business capacity building, permitting, equipment, and infrastructure. California Climate Investments funding emphasizes greenhouse gas reductions, jobs, and benefits for disadvantaged and low-income populations. The program supports infrastructure and workforce capacity rather than paying for stand-alone forest treatments.
