To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Transformative Climate Communities Project Development Grant Application for the community of Rodeo.
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to apply for and accept, if awarded, a Transformative Climate Communities Program Project Development Grant from the California Strategic Growth Council in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 for pre-development activities related to community development, community engagement, and climate adaptation and resilience in Rodeo.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% Grant funds. Project Development Grants have a maximum award of $5,000,000. Should the grant be awarded, these funds will be allocated between the County and co-applicants for the projects described below. There is no County match requirement.
BACKGROUND:
This grant application, if successful, will enable the County, partner agencies and organizations, and community-based organizations to complete essential pre-development work for a variety of climate adaptation and resilience projects in Rodeo. The application also includes support to build the capacity of local community-based organizations for future implementation of the programs and projects developed through this grant and similar opportunities.
The Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program objectives include achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, improving public health and environmental benefits, and expanding economic opportunity and shared prosperity. The grant is intended to support communities most burdened by socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazards, which make them more sensitive to pollution. The TCC Program offers three types of grants:
• Planning Grants to support planning activities that prepare communities for future implementation of programs aligned with TCC Program objectives. (Up to $300,000. Two-year grant term.)
• Project Development Grants to bridge the gap between Planning Grants and Implementation Grants to help move projects to implementation, including demonstration projects and pre-development activities. (Up to $5,000,000. Two-year grant term.)
• Implementation Grants to fund multiple projects in a neighborhood to support climate resilience and community needs, in alignment with at least three TCC Program strategies. (Up to $27.5 million. Six-year grant term.)
Three grants will be made in each category for a total of nine grant awards for this round of TCC funding.
The California Strategic Growth Council is accepting applications through September 30, 2026, for the TCC Program. The County intends to apply for a Project Development grant of up to $5,000,000. There is no matching requirement for Project Development grants. The recommended grant activities that will support pre-development activities in Rodeo include the following:
• $2,250,000 to develop a vision and conduct feasibility studies for the former redevelopment agency site in downtown Rodeo, at Parker Avenue and Investment Street exploring the feasibility and advancing the development of housing and community facilities with climate resilient features.
• $1,450,000 for conducting community engagement to identify community priorities for the projects included in the grant. A key component of this engagement will be student-led community-planning, provided in partnership with the John Swett Unified School District. The community engagement work also will include a process to strengthen the capacity and collaborative structures of community-based organizations.
• $250,000 for permitting and feasibility studies for a community solar and battery storage project that would provide clean energy to certain residents of Rodeo.
• $300,000 for planning future green infrastructure projects related to tree planting, creek trail improvements, community garden development, and other priorities that may be identified through the community engagement process.
• $100,000 for studying the potential for clean energy upgrades for low-income homes.
• $547,500 for Grant management and administration, and indirect costs.
The project development grant dollar amounts anticipated above for each activity may be modified if adjustments are needed to meet specific project goals and/or other grant application requirements.
The project will be administered by the Department of Conservation and Development. The Department of Public Works will play a key role in leading the green infrastructure component of the project. Other groups that are anticipated to be partners in the project include: the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, The Watershed Project, GRID Alternatives, MCE, the John Swett Unified School District, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104, and community-based organizations, including but not limited to New Horizons Career Development Center, Rodeo Citizens Association, Rodeo Baseball Association, and others. The grant application is required to include a collaborative governance agreement that outlines how the grant partners and community-based organizations will work together to achieve the goals of the grant; all partners to the grant must be signatories to the collaborative governance agreement.
The County will retain a facilitator to lead coordination of the community engagement work, in partnership with the County, community-based organizations, and the John Swett Unified School District. Community engagement is anticipated to include surveys, focus groups, meetings, participatory design processes, participation in community events, and other dialogue opportunities around priorities, concerns, and climate resilience goals of community members related to the downtown Rodeo site, green infrastructure, residential energy upgrades, and community solar. The community engagement work also will include strengthening the capacity and collaborative structures of community-based organizations in Rodeo to lead transformative work going forward.
The activities supported by this grant further the goals in the County’s 2045 General Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Specifically, they address several guiding principles and policies identified by Rodeo community members in the Rodeo Community Profile in the General Plan: preserving and enhancing connectedness among community members; energizing the community’s downtown core; having access to amenities necessary to making health lifestyle choices, including community gardens; creeks and waterways serving as multi-use linear parks; mitigating risks from exposure to air pollutants and other health hazards; and partnering with civic organizations to expand opportunities for community members to engage in the planning process.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The County would not pursue this opportunity to fund pre-development activities related to community engagement and climate adaptation and resilience in Rodeo.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
and for Special Districts, Agencies and Authorities Governed by the Board
body
IN THE MATTER OF AUTHORIZING THE APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDING UNDER THE TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AS ADMINISTERED BY THE STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,000,000.
WHEREAS, in 2026 the Legislature and the Governor of the State of California provided funds for the Transformative Climate Communities Program, established by Assembly Bill 2722 (2016); and
WHEREAS the Strategic Growth Council is responsible for the administration of this grant program, including developing guidelines and selection criteria; and
WHEREAS the Strategic Growth Council released the application guidance on May 29, 2026, with a due date of September 30, 2026; and
WHEREAS procedures established by the Strategic Growth Council require a resolution certifying the approval of application(s) by the Applicant’s governing board before submission to the State; and
WHEREAS the Lead Applicant, Contra Costa County, is authorized to apply for and accept a Transformative Climate Communities grant if awarded, and authority to execute all related documents;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County as follows:
RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County: approves the filing of an application for a Transformative Climate Communities grant for funding year 2026, to be submitted no later than September 30, 2026.
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County certifies that Lead Applicant, in partnership with its Co-Applicants, will have sufficient resources to execute the strategies and projects that are outlined in the grant application.
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County appoints the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, as agent to conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all documents including, but not limited to, applications, agreements, and payment requests that may be necessary for competition of the aforementioned strategies and projects.
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Contra Costa County Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution, which shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 8th day of September 2026 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED: September 8, 2026
Signature Field for County Clerk
By:
Signature Field for County Administrator
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Signature field for Attorney
end