California Natural Resources Agency

About the Youth Community Access Grant Program

The Youth Community Access (YCA) Grant Program supports youth access to natural or cultural resources with a focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities. The program is funded by the Youth, Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account (YEPEITA), created by Proposition 64. The YCA Grant Program helps advance Outdoors for All, California’s initiative to expand parks and outdoors spaces in communities that need them the most, improve access to the outdoors for those who lack, and help all Californians feel a sense of belonging in the outdoors.

The third solicitation cycle has awarded 108 projects totaling approximately $38.2M. Awarded projects will provide California youth access to national, state, and local parks; provide outdoor educational programming in environmental and conservation science; fund field trips to natural and cultural resources; implement urban agricultural and gardening programs; and provide workforce development opportunities in natural resource careers. 

A full list of awarded projects can be found here. A press release from the Governor's Office is available here. 

In total, all 3 competitive grant cycles have resulted in funding 242 projects totaling approximately $70.8 million. The next solicitation for proposals is anticipated to be posted in Spring of 2026.

The original June 2024 grant guidelines are linked here. An addendum to the Round 3 Guidelines linked here was published separately.