To: Board of Supervisors
From: Aaron J. McAlister, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: RATIFY the Fire Chief's authorization to submit a PG&E CBO-Direct Program Grant Application on behalf of the East Bay Wildfire Coalition
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, RATIFY the Fire Chief, or designee, on behalf of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to apply for grant funding from Pacific Gas & Electric Company under the 2026 Community-Based Organization Direct Program and APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to accept this grant funding on behalf of the East Bay Wildfire Coalition, for which the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District serves as the fiscal agent.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The grant will not exceed $10,000 and does not require a local match. If awarded, all expenditures will be limited to the grant amount, and no additional Contra Costa County Fire Protection District General Fund appropriation will be required.
BACKGROUND:
The Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) Community-Based Organization (CBO) Direct Program provides grants of up to $10,000 to eligible CBOs serving residents in Tier 2 and Tier 3 wildfire threat areas. Grant applications were due on July 19, 2026. The East Bay Wildfire Coalition (Coalition) submitted a request for $10,000 to expand regional wildfire education and outreach efforts throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
The Coalition is a regional partnership of local governments, fire agencies, and stakeholder organizations in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, working collaboratively to reduce wildfire risk through public education, community engagement, and coordinated wildfire resilience initiatives. The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) serves as the Coalition's fiscal agent.
Grant funding would support dissemination of wildfire preparedness information through the Coalition's communication platforms, including social media, electronic newsletters, and other public education initiatives. The Coalition is simultaneously developing a comprehensive strategic communications plan, conducting community surveys and focus groups, and creating regionally tailored educational materials that reflect the demographics and wildfire risks unique to the East Bay. Grant funding would complement these efforts by incorporating PG&E wildfire safety messaging into the Coalition's broader public education campaign.
As part of the grant program, recipients are expected to distribute wildfire preparedness messaging provided by PG&E throughout the campaign period, provide multilingual outreach where feasible, report outreach metrics, and provide feedback regarding program effectiveness.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action were not ratified, the District would be unable to accept or administer this grant funding on behalf of the East Bay Wildfire Coalition if the application is selected for award. Alternative funding would need to be identified to expand coordinated regional wildfire preparedness and public education efforts benefiting residents throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.