Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.
Broadband for All - Map Your Organization, Map Your Impact! Help Close California's Digital Divide
The California Department of Technology is developing the state's Digital Equity Plan, which when completed will help inform how the state funds programs to get Californians the access and training they need.
Your feedback is needed to help close the digital divide in your community. Your participation will help uncover:
- What programs and services are being offered;
- Where these programs and services are being offered, and
- To whom these programs and services are being offered.
Your organization will also be added to an inventory of entities committed to supporting digital equity initiatives across the State.
Who should take part?
ALL government agencies, nonprofits, experts, practitioners, funders, researchers and community organizers. If your work helps people in your community access the internet, computers or digital skills training, or other information and resources, you should take part in this survey. If you have programs that support covered populations that could also support digital equity, you should complete this survey.
Learn more and take the Digital Equity Ecosystem Map (DEEM) survey here.
Department of Conservation Monthly Discussions on Williamson Act Key Topics
Join Department of Conservation staff for a monthly discussion on key topics under the Williamson Act. County staff and members of the public are invited to these hour-long, virtual sessions where staff from DOC’s Division of Land Resource Protection (DLRP) discuss select topics, provide technical assistance, and invite questions on Williamson Act implementation.
Upcoming sessions in 2023 include:
- June 15th – CEQA & Williamson Act, and Farmland Mitigation
- August 17th – Public Acquisitions
- September 21st – Solar Use & WA Contracts
- October 19th – WA Enrollment Finder
- November 16th – Open Question Hour
For questions, contact LCA@conservation.ca.gov. For more information, please visit www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/wa.
Bureau of Land Management Meeting Dates for Proposed Public Lands Rule
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced a schedule for five public meetings that will provide forums across the country for the public to learn more about the proposed Public Lands Rule and have questions answered.
The proposed Public Lands Rule, which was announced in late March, would provide tools for the BLM to protect healthy public lands in the face of increasing drought, wildfire and climate impacts; conserve important wildlife habitat and intact landscapes; better use science and data in decision-making; plan for thoughtful development; and better recognize unique cultural and natural resources on public lands.
Members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions that facilitate a deeper understanding of the proposal. The dates and cities of upcoming meetings are:
- Tuesday, May 30, 2023 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Time: 5:00 PM -7:00 PM MT
- Thursday, June 1, 2023 - Reno, Nevada
Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4950 S Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada
Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM PT
- Monday, June 5, 2023 - Virtual Meeting
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM MT
Register at https://swca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QwRH6XZeS6amUDI70FzriA
Career Opportunities
Yolo County
The County of Yolo, County Administrators Office is recruiting to fill 2 full-time positions, scheduled to close Monday, June 12, 2023:
- Associate Management Analyst. Annual salary range: $67,724.80 - $82,305.60. For full details and to apply, click here.
- Senior Management Analyst. Annual salary range: $94,619.20 - $115,003.20. For full details and to apply, click here.
NRCS California Allocates $2 Million to Assist Farmers Recover from Floods
Beginning April 26, 2023, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is setting aside $2 million in federal financial assistance to help California’s agricultural producers recover from recent flooding. This funding is in addition to recent USDA funding allocated through the USDA Emergency Watershed Protection Program (administered by NRCS) and the USDA Emergency Conservation Program (administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency). The deadline to apply is June 16, 2023. For more information, see here.
USDA Grants Available to Help Rural California Repair Their Homes Damaged By Floods and Fires in 2022
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announces the availability of grants to help people repair their homes that were damaged by severe weather or natural disasters in 2022, including the California Mosquito, Oak, Coastal, Fairview, and Mill fires as well as severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides.
People living in identified counties in California may be eligible for the funding. The homes must be located in presidentially declared disaster areas.
The grants will be available through supplemental disaster funding under the Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program. Through this program, people may apply to receive grants of up to $40,675 directly from USDA to repair their homes.
Funds will be available until expended. They may be used to:
- Pay for home repair expenses that were a result of a presidentially declared disaster in calendar year 2022.
- Prepare a site for a manufactured home.
- Relocate a manufactured home.
To be eligible:
- Applicants must have household incomes that do not exceed the low-limits based on their household size and county.
- Homes must be located in an eligible rural area.
- Homes must be located in a presidentially declared disaster areas 2022.
Residents in the following counties may be eligible for the funding: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, and Yolo
For more information on how to apply, visit the USDA website here.
Access the State Grants Portal for a Multitude of Funding Opportunities
Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities delivered straight to your inbox