Educational Facilities Impacted by the Aliso Canyon Gas Leak to Receive Green Schoolyard CAL FIRE Grants

$13.5 Million Available To Improve The School Environments Of In-Need Educational Facilities

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry Program proudly announces the availability of $13.5 million in funding through the 2026 Green Schoolyards Grant initiative.

To improve the school environments of in-need educational facilities in neighborhoods affected by the 2015 Aliso Canyon gas leak, these funds are available to support school campuses in the neighborhoods of Porter Ranch, Granada Hills, Northridge, Chatsworth, North Hills, Canoga Park, Reseda, Winnetka, West Hills, Van Nuys, and Lake Balboa. This grant opportunity is made possible through funds from the State of California General Fund.

The purpose of the Green Schoolyards grant program is to protect the health, well-being, and educational opportunity of children most vulnerable to increasing temperatures and extreme heat across California.

Project activities include the planting of trees and other vegetation, converting pavement to green spaces, and other activities at California TK-12 public schools to help alleviate extreme heat, improve the immediate environment for students, and improve accessibility to nature and nature-based learning for the youngest population in the state.

“Children better learn, socialize, pay attention, and actively play under the shade of trees and while being surrounded by nature. That interaction with nature at an early age can form lifelong values for the future stewards of California,” said Walter Passmore, State Urban Forester.

The Green Schoolyards Grant program aligns with the State’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving urban forest health, and enhancing the quality of life in urban areas.

By creating greener and cooler spaces for our youngest population, these grants will provide a healthier environment that offers opportunities for nature-based, hands-on learning, improve environmental literacy and creativity, improve social skills like collaboration, and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future for California.

This investment in schoolyard greening has been made available to traditionally underserved communities to provide healthier environments for California’s youngest population, which is disproportionately impacted by extreme temperatures.

Green Schoolyards help combat extreme heat and lessen the impacts of climate change and provide nature-based solutions where California’s next generation often needs it most.

Applications can be submitted starting April 1, 2026, and will be accepted until 5:00 PM PST on May 29, 2026. Links to the online application portal, final grant guidelines, and additional applicant support documents are available on the Urban and Community Forestry Program Grants webpage and through the eCivis Grant Application Portal.