California Serves Grant Program

Funding Description

The California Serves Grant Program provides funding from fiscal year (FY) 2026-27 for a grant period that runs from FY 2027-28 through 2029-30. Funds available to each applicant are based on the content and quality of the submitted application and proposed activities. The total annual grant budget for this Request for Applications (RFA), as appropriated in Section 71 of Assembly Bill 181 of the General Fund, is up to $5 million. Eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) may apply for grants of up to $500,000.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants	Local educational agencies
Required Eligibility Criteria	Applicants must be LEAs that serve pupils in grade twelve; offer or are working to offer the State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE) to students locally; and in which at least 55 percent of the pupils enrolled are unduplicated pupils as defined in California Education Code sections 2574 or 42238.02, as applicable.
Other Eligibility Considerations	The CDE shall give positive consideration to applicants with high-quality service-learning programs that support the statewide SSCE criteria, and to applicants that have not received prior California Serves Grant funding.
Eligible Grade Level(s)	12
Eligible Age Level(s)	Not applicable

Funding

Legal Authority	The 2022 Education Omnibus Budget Trailer Bill authorizes this program (Assembly Bill 181, Section 71, Statutes of 2022).
Source / Type	State / Grant
State Fiscal Year	2026-27
SACS Resource / Revenue Codes	7810 / 8590
Total Available	$5,000,000
Recipient Amount	$500,000 maximum award amount for each participating LEA
Match Requirement	No
Allocation Formula	The CDE shall issue grants of up to $500,000 to eligible LEAs that apply and are evaluated through a rubric provided in a Request for Applications.

Important Dates

Date Application Available	August 3, 2026
Due Date	October 5, 2026
Expected Notification Date	December 21, 2026

Additional Information

Application	Unavailable
Background	California Serves [http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/pl/californiaserves.asp]
Fiscal	Unavailable
Other	Unavailable

Contacts

Program	Sarah Smith, SSCE@cde.ca.gov
Fiscal	Delaina Henson, SSCE@cde.ca.gov
Division	Professional Learning Support Division, 916-323-4630