Business & Workforce Development Grants

Business & Workforce Development Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Amount: US $10,000 - US $5,000,000
Last Updated: March 07, 2026

Summary

The Business & Workforce Development Grants aim to bolster California's wood products infrastructure, ensuring the sustainability of forests and supporting the communities reliant on them. Funded through California Climate Investments, this initiative promotes diverse projects that enhance business and workforce development in the forestry sector. Key areas include business development, bioenergy, and forest-related workforce training, all contributing to healthier, resilient forests and a stronger economy, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Overview

Wood Products and Bioenergy Maintaining and enhancing the wood products infrastructure of California to support healthy resilient forests along with the people and ecosystems that depend on them. CAL FIRE's Wood Products and Bioenergy team seeks to maintain and enhance the forest-sector workforce and businesses of California to promote healthy resilient forests throughout the state by supporting a diverse set of business development and workforce development projects. Business and Workforce Development Grants are funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment– particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The Wood Products and Bioenergy Team (Wood Products) is part of CAL FIRE’s Climate and Energy Program. Wood Products awards funding for California business and workforce development projects that support healthy, resilient forests and the people and ecosystems that depend on them. Wood Products has four primary areas of responsibility, including existing and emerging technologies: Business development, including solid wood and biomass processing and manufacturing, in-woods operations, and tree nurseries Bioenergy business and workforce development, including forest bio-material power generation and biofuels for domestic use and export Forest-related workforce development at all levels, including in-woods, transportation, and manufacturing CAL FIRE Wood Products supports the creation of a robust and diversified wood products industry to facilitate the economic and sustainable management of California’s forests. Grants can make California a more competitive place to conduct forest-sector business. Grants will also create financial incentives for industries to invest in clean technologies, develop innovative ways to process wood products, and support the growth of a strong forest-sector workforce.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.