Closed
California state funding opportunity
CalMoneySmart 2026-2028 Grant Program
Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
- Portal ID163110
- StatusClosed
Competitive proposals usually start 6+ weeks out.
Program summary
Synopsis
CalMoneySmart aims to advance financial empowerment for unbanked and underbanked Californians by investing in nonprofit organizations that deliver free, high-quality financial education and related services. The program equips nonprofits with grants of up to $200,000 per year to help reduce socioeconomic disparities, improve access to safe and affordable financial products, and ultimately promote greater financial security statewide.
Grant funds may only be used for the following financial education and empowerment services for the targeted at-risk unbanked and underbanked populations: 1) Designing, developing, or offering, free of charge to consumers, classroom or web-based financial education and empowerment content intended to help unbanked and underbanked consumers achieve, identify, and access lower cost financial products and services, establish or improve their credit, increase their savings, or lower their debt. 2) Providing individualized, free financial coaching to unbanked and underbanked consumers. 3) Designing, developing, or offering, free of charge to consumers, a financial product or service intended to help unbanked and underbanked consumers identify and access responsible financial products and financial services, establish or improve their credit, increase their savings, or lower their debt. Every project funded with a grant from the Financial Empowerment Fund shall meet the following criteria: 1) Promote and enhance the economic security of consumers. 2) Adhere to the five principles of effective financial education described in the June 2017 report issued by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau titled “Effective financial education: Five principles and how to use them.” Grant awards will be announced for a two-year period covering two consecutive fiscal years (2026-27 and 2027-28). Funds for each fiscal year are disbursed separately, and any unexpended funds must be returned to the DFPI. Disbursement of funding for the second fiscal year is contingent on submission of a satisfactory annual report. Grantees may use no more than 15 percent of the grant to cover administrative (indirect) costs. Failure to comply shall render the Applicant ineligible for a grant during the subsequent fiscal year and until the noncompliance is corrected. A grantee may subcontract services that it has agreed to provide under the grant agreement, so long as those services are conducted on behalf of the grantee. Subcontract arrangements must be clearly described in the scope of work and budget. Accepting grant funds with the intent of distributing those funds to other nonprofit organizations (i.e. sub-grants or fiscal sponsorship) is not allowed. Grant funding may not be used for financial incentives for individuals. Prohibited incentives include, but are not limited to, match funding for savings accounts, participant stipends, or gift cards with a cash value. Grantees are required to submit quarterly and final annual reports, in a form and by a date specified by the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, documenting: 1) The specific uses to which grant funds were allocated, 2) The specified required data elements, 3) Quantitative results regarding the impact of grant funding, and 4) Any other information requested by the Commissioner. Failure to submit satisfactory reports shall render the Applicant ineligible for any DFPI grant during the subsequent fiscal year and until the required report is submitted.
Timeline
Key dates
-
March 30, 2026
Opportunity posted to California Grants Portal -
April 27, 2026
Applications close -
July 2026
Expected award date
Who may apply
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types as published by the awarding agency:
- Nonprofit
- Additional info on eligibility
- All applicants must meet the following criteria: 1) Applicant is exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 2) No part of the Applicant's Net Earnings shall inure to the benefit of a private shareholder or individual. 3) Applicant must be in good standing with the Secretary of State of California. 4) Submission of a satisfactory final report for any prior grant funding awarded by DFPI.
- Geography
- CalMoneySmart grant funds may only be used to serve residents of California. Applicants headquartered outside the state are eligible to apply but must provide documentation demonstrating good standing to conduct business both in California and in their home state.
Awarding agency
Additional information
- Agency name
- Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
- Full announcement
- View the full announcement ↗
- Grantor contact
-
DFPI Grants Team
1-213-264-6668
grants@dfpi.ca.gov
Funding
Funding source
- Source
- State
- Funding method
- Advance(s)
- Notes
- Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 455 (Bradford) in October 2019, which created the Financial Empowerment Fund to fund the CalMoneySmart program. In 2021-22, Assembly Bill 137 expanded the Financial Empowerment Fund by an additional $10 million, increasing the annual amount available for grants to $2 million with a maximum grant award to $200,000 per fiscal year until the CalMoneySmart program sunsets on January 1, 2030.
Government Grants Consulting
Federal, state, and local grant funding is highly competitive, and the gap between a complete application and a winning one usually comes down to strategy, compliance, and execution. GTC 360° Advisors supports organizations across the entire grant lifecycle — from identifying the right opportunities to managing the award long after it is won. The questions below cover how our grant consulting practice works and the organizations we serve.
What is government grant consulting, and how does GTC 360° Advisors help?
Government grant consulting means guiding an organization through the full grant lifecycle — research, eligibility review, strategy, writing, submission, and post-award compliance. GTC 360° Advisors manages this end to end, pairing grant writers, project managers, financial analysts, and compliance analysts to maximize the odds of an award and keep it in good standing afterward.What types of organizations can GTC 360° Advisors help win grants?
GTC 360° Advisors supports municipalities, state agencies, nonprofits, school districts, tribal governments, higher education institutions, and private companies pursuing grant funding. Clients have included the City of Los Angeles, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, Virginia Commonwealth University, and nonprofit partners such as the Walton Family Foundation and Blue Meridian Partners.What federal agencies has GTC 360° Advisors secured funding from?
GTC 360° Advisors has secured funding from agencies including the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Commerce (EDA and NIST), Education, and State, as well as FEMA, EPA, NSF, NIH, HRSA, SAMHSA, and the CDC. The firm has won over $860 million and counting in federal and state contracts and grants for its clients.Does GTC 360° Advisors handle state and local grants, or only federal?
GTC 360° Advisors pursues grant funding at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The firm’s advisor network is positioned in every state to help clients identify and compete for regional and state-level funding in addition to federal opportunities.What is GrantSignal AI, and how does it help find grant opportunities?
GrantSignal AI is GTC 360° Advisors’ AI-powered funding intelligence platform. It aggregates federal, foundation, and other public funding sources into a single dashboard, then uses AI to match opportunities to an organization’s mission, eligibility, and capacity — rather than relying on simple keyword search — and sends alerts as new, winnable opportunities appear.Does GTC 360° Advisors provide grant compliance and post-award management?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors manages grants through close-out, including compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), Davis-Bacon labor standards, Section 3, environmental review requirements, and funder reporting obligations. The firm builds compliance systems and reporting frameworks so clients stay in good standing with federal and state grantors.What is GTC 360° Advisors’ track record on grant applications?
GTC 360° Advisors has historically maintained an 88%-plus win rate on the grant applications it has submitted, including a 100% win rate in 2024 across several highly competitive programs. Recent wins include $180 million in EDA Tech Hubs funding for three consortia and $20 million in EDA Recompete funding for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.Can nonprofits and higher education institutions work with GTC 360° Advisors on grants?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors regularly supports nonprofits and universities with grant strategy, writing, and administration, including current work with the Walton Family Foundation, Blue Meridian Partners, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Working With GTC 360° Advisors
Every engagement is scoped around the organization in front of us — its goals, its deadline, and the internal capacity it already has. Pricing, team assignments, and project milestones are agreed before any work begins, so there are no surprises mid-project. Below are the questions prospective clients and partners ask us most often.
How much does it cost to work with GTC 360° Advisors?
Pricing is customized to the scope, timeline, and budget of each engagement, with both hourly and fixed-fee options available depending on the deliverable. GTC 360° Advisors prices transparently, with no hidden fees for administrative or incidental work, and structures fees so clients gain a full team of senior professionals for less than the cost of a single in-house hire.What is the process for getting started with GTC 360° Advisors?
Engagements typically start with a conversation about your organization’s goals, funding needs, or growth targets, followed by a scoped proposal outlining services, team, and pricing. From there, GTC 360° Advisors assigns team members matched to the work and begins with research, strategy, or capture planning, depending on the engagement.How long does it take to see results from a grant or contract engagement?
Timelines vary by opportunity: some grant or contract cycles run a few months from research to submission, while others (large infrastructure or multi-year programs) take longer and continue through post-award management. GTC 360° Advisors sets clear project timelines and milestones at the start of every engagement so clients know what to expect.Does GTC 360° Advisors work with organizations outside the United States?
GTC 360° Advisors primarily supports U.S.-based government contracts, grants, and business development, but its public affairs and business development services extend internationally through its global partner network for clients running cross-border campaigns.Can I join the GTC 360° Advisors Network as a consultant or subject matter expert?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors welcomes applications from experienced firms and freelancers who align with its mission and values to join the GTC 360° Advisors Network, giving members access to mutual marketing, referrals, and new client opportunities.How do I contact GTC 360° Advisors to discuss a project?
You can reach GTC 360° Advisors at info@gtc360.com or through the contact form at gtc360.com/join-our-network. The firm typically responds to discuss goals, funding needs, or growth targets and outline next steps for an engagement.
Planning for the next cycle?
Tell us the opportunity and we will come back with an honest read on fit, the partners you would need, and what a compliant submission takes.