California Competes Grant Program (CCGP)
Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Up to $36M per award
Researched for this program: 5 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
CA's big jobs cash grant
The California Competes Grant Program (CCGP) is GO-Biz's discretionary cash-grant counterpart to the California Competes Tax Credit, created under SB 151 to attract and retain businesses that create quality, full-time jobs in California. Unlike the tax credit, it provides a direct grant (useful for companies with limited California tax liability) and targets larger job-creating and capital-investment projects. In its FY2023-24 round, $120 million was available with a maximum grant award of $36 million. Applicants are evaluated on the same fourteen factors as the tax credit — including the number of full-time jobs created, the amount of investment, and strategic importance to the state or region. Funding is appropriated round-by-round through the state budget rather than guaranteed annually, so the program cycles between funded rounds; a fourth round (≈$60 million) was proposed in the 2025-26 budget. Applications are submitted online during defined application periods.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $5,000,000 – $36,000,000
- Realistic amount
- Awards are large and project-specific, negotiated against committed jobs and capital investment; most awards fall below the $36M ceiling. This program suits substantial expansion or relocation projects, not small grant-seekers — typical awards are in the multi-million-dollar range.
- Deadline
- Between funded rounds. The FY2023-24 round ($120M) has closed; a fourth round (~$60M) was proposed in the 2025-26 budget but a confirmed open application period was not published as of June 2026.
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- California
- Payment model
- milestone
Who qualifies
- For-profit California business, or a business locating/expanding in California
- Commit to creating quality, full-time jobs that would not otherwise be created (or retaining jobs at risk of leaving California)
- Demonstrate capital investment in California
- Per FY2023-24 guidance, meet the applicable in-operation and business-size requirements for the round
- Apply online during an open application period and negotiate a grant agreement with milestones
Hard requirements
- Must be an incorporated business
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Hiring and wages for new full-time California jobs
- Capital investment in California facilities
- Equipment and facility build-out tied to the expansion/relocation
- Other project costs negotiated in the grant agreement
Ineligible expenses
- Projects without net new quality full-time jobs in California
- Uses outside the negotiated grant agreement
- Activities the committee does not approve
How to apply
-
1
Confirm a round is open and review the solicitation
Verify GO-Biz has a funded California Competes GRANT round with an open application period (distinct from the tax credit), and read the round's solicitation and FAQ.
~4 hrs
-
2
Model jobs, wages, and investment commitments
Prepare the multi-year commitments the program scores on: number and quality of full-time jobs, wages, capital investment, and California economic impact. Attend a GO-Biz webinar if offered.
~16 hrs
-
3
Submit the online application
Submit at calcompetes.ca.gov during the open period. The application uses a cost-benefit phase followed by evaluation on the fourteen factors.
~12 hrs
-
4
Evaluation, committee approval, and agreement
GO-Biz evaluates and negotiates recommended awards; the California Competes Tax Credit Committee approves them. Awardees sign an agreement with milestone-based terms and reporting.
~8 hrs
Treat this like the tax credit's twin: the same fourteen factors and the same calcompetes.ca.gov portal apply, and the grant exists mainly to reach companies that can't use a nonrefundable tax credit (limited California tax liability). The scoring is heavily a cost-benefit ratio of state benefit per dollar requested — bidding a lower ask relative to your jobs/investment commitments materially improves competitiveness. Don't apply until a grant round is actually funded; otherwise pursue the tax credit, which runs on a fixed schedule.
Deadline & timing
The grant program is funded round-by-round through the state budget, not on a guaranteed annual cycle. When a round is funded, GO-Biz opens defined application periods at calcompetes.ca.gov. Monitor GO-Biz/business.ca.gov for a confirmed FY2025-26 (round 4) grant application window — distinct from the always-running California Competes Tax Credit periods.
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