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The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is now accepting proposals for the Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Directed Grant Program to support innovative efforts to enhance, promote, and develop sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities and increase access for all to public lands in the Sierra-Cascade region. The SNC anticipates the availability of $4.1 million for this Fiscal Years 2025-2027 funding cycle, with individual grant awards limited to no more than $500,000.

The Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access program is a directed grant program. This means that concept proposals are accepted on a continuous basis and projects are developed in conjunction with the SNC. There is no deadline-oriented Request for Proposals or competitive scoring review. Concept proposals will be accepted on a continuous basis and considered on a quarterly cycle until funds are no longer available.

What are the program objectives? This program aims to support innovative, collaborative efforts to enhance, promote, and develop sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities and increase access to public lands in the Sierra-Cascade region. Projects funded through this program should accomplish one or more of the following across a defined geographic region:

• Assess conditions, existing resources, needs, and opportunities to support or promote recreation and tourism throughout the region and identify highest priority activities.
• Identify, create, and participate in partnerships to support the development of equitable and sustainable recreation and tourism throughout the region.
• Support projects or collaboratives that achieve sustainable recreation and tourism objectives throughout the region.

Community access projects that address collaborative recreation and tourism may be supported under this program. Public Resources Code, Section 80008, subd. (c) in Proposition 68 defines “community access” as engagement programs, technical assistance, or facilities that maximize safe and equitable physical admittance, especially for low-income communities, to natural or cultural resources, community education, or recreational amenities. Such projects should include at least one of the following elements:

• Transportation
• Physical activity programming
• Resource interpretation
• Multilingual translation
• Natural science
• Workforce development and career pathways
• Education
• Communication related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other outdoor pursuits

What are the program priorities for this solicitation? The specific focus areas of the Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant Program for Fiscal Years 2025-2027 are outlined below. Projects must fall within one of these focus areas to be considered for funding.

1. Build Climate Resilience: Support the planning, development, and maintenance of recreation and outdoor infrastructure that anticipates or adapts to increased use and pressure from climate change and visitors escaping extreme weather. Projects must clearly have multiple benefits, such as tourism as well as education, recreation infrastructure with water-quality benefits, or recreation with habitat protection.
2. Improve/Increase Access for All: Improve and/or increase access to nature, including for communities that have not traditionally had equitable access through grants which result in either the implementation or identification, prioritization, and preparation for capital improvement projects. Projects must clearly have multiple benefits, such as tourism as well as education, recreation infrastructure with water-quality benefits, or recreation with habitat protection.
3. Landscape-scale Assessments: Support landscape-scale partnerships to develop an assessment of landscape conditions and risks to recreational infrastructure and other assets. Projects must clearly have multiple benefits, such as tourism as well as education, recreation infrastructure with water-quality benefits, or recreation with habitat protection.

Consistent with the requirements of Proposition 68, all projects must either plan for or implement capital improvement projects that will benefit California citizens for no less than 30 years.  

Who is eligible to apply? Grant funds may be authorized for:

• Public agencies: Any city, county, special district, joint powers authority, state agency, or federal agency. The SNC’s governing statute does not allow grants to mutual water companies.
• Qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations: “Nonprofit Organization" means a private, nonprofit organization that qualifies for exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code, is in good standing with the state of California, and whose charitable purposes are consistent with the purposes of the SNC.
• Eligible Tribal Entities: An Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, or a tribal agency authorized by a tribe, which is one or both of the following: (1) Recognized by the United States and identified within the most current Federal Register; (2) Listed on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission as a California Native American tribe. Tribes should consult with SNC regarding the legal entity applying for and managing grant funds.

What are the eligible project types? The Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant Program supports planning projects and implementation projects, as described below. Each project proposal must identify whether it is a planning or implementation project; the project types may not be combined.

Planning Projects: Planning projects include project development and other pre-implementation activities that will result in specific, identified future on-the-ground project(s). Future actions resulting from planning activities should be described in the proposal. Lead agencies for CEQA/NEPA compliance with future actions should be identified, if applicable. Examples of potential planning project activities include, but are not limited to:

• The development of a recreation and tourism collaborative or partnership that identifies and prioritizes site-improvement projects across a large geographic region.
• Baseline studies, cultural resources, biological, botanical, aquatic, soil, hydrologic, wildlife, timber, or other studies/surveys necessary for the implementation of a future on-the-ground recreation project.

Implementation Projects: Implementation projects are the execution of on-the-ground projects. Examples of potential implementation projects include, but are not limited to:

• The implementation of priority projects identified through a collaborative process.
• Trail building and/or improvements.
• Accessible trails or recreation access points.
• Site improvements that minimize impacts to natural resources, e.g. food storage lockers, campsite improvements, toilets, re-routing trails around sensitive areas, trailhead improvements that protect resources.

Additionally, to be eligible to receive a grant award from the SNC under this program, projects must meet all the following criteria:

• Be located within the Sierra-Cascade Region
• Be consistent with the Program Objectives described in the Grant Program Guidelines linked below.
• Be consistent with the SNC mission and program areas as defined in the SNC Strategic Plan and the Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program (WIP).
• Meet all requirements of Proposition 68
• Result in a clear, demonstrable, and enduring public benefit.

How much funding is available for this solicitation? This grant is funded by Proposition 68. California voters passed Proposition 68, the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, on June 5, 2018. The SNC anticipates the availability of $4.1 million for the Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access Directed Grant Program in this funding cycle, during Fiscal Years 2025-2027. All grant awards will be limited to no more than $500,000.

What is the application process and timeline? As the Sustainable Recreation, Tourism, and Equitable Outdoor Access program is a directed grant program, proposals are developed in conjunction with SNC. To initiate consideration of a project, an applicant should contact the appropriate SNC Area Representative or other SNC staff. The Area Representative will assist the applicant organizer to determine if the project meets SNC criteria. If it is determined that SNC will consider partnering on the project, the Area Representative will share the Concept Proposal Form with the applicant and assist in developing the project. Upon review of the Concept Proposal, applicants may be directed to develop a Final Proposal in conjunction with SNC staff.

Proposals will be accepted on a continuous basis and considered on a quarterly cycle.

• December 2025: Review of Concept Proposals received by December 1, 2025, and direction given to develop Final Proposals.
• March 2026: Review of Final Proposals received by March 1, 2026 and decisions regarding continued due diligence activities and potential recommendations to the SNC Governing Board.
• June 2026: If due diligence is complete, Final Proposals recommended to the SNC Governing Board for grant award.

The cycle will be repeated every quarter until funds are no longer available.

The full Grant Program Guidelines and Companion Document can be found here.

Contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764 for more information on this grant and our grant writing services.