TO: Napa County Wildlife Conservation Commission
FROM: Dana Morrison, Secretary to the Wildlife Conservation Commission
REPORT BY: Pam Arifian, Planner III
SUBJECT: Review, Discuss and Make Recommendations for the 2026-27 Grant Cycle
RECOMMENDATION
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Receive a report from Wildlife Conservation Commission (WCC) staff regarding the 2026-2027 Grant Cycle, hear presentations from Applicants, deliberate and pass a motion on Recommendations for the Director of Planning, Building & Environmental Services (pursuant to the Napa County Policy Manual Section 8A [Rev. 7/25/2023]) on how the current grant funds should be allocated for the 2026-2027 cycle.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Board of Supervisors allocated a total of $75,000 for the 2026-27 Wildlife Conservation Commission Grant Cycle. The grant application window opened on June 22, 2026, and closed on July 22, 2026, during which time the WCC received 14 eligible grant proposals that requested a total of approximately $187,739 in funding.
The Commission will receive a report providing a summary of the 2026-27 Grant Cycle proposals and will then hear presentations from and have the opportunity to ask questions of each applicant by the Commission in the order listed herein. Once all applicants have had the opportunity to answer questions, the Commission will deliberate and pass a Motion on Recommendations for the Director of Planning, Building & Environmental Services (pursuant to the Napa County Policy Manual Section 8A [Rev. 7/25/2023]) on how the current grant funds should be allocated for the 2026-2027 cycle.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The WCC 2026-2027 Grant Awards do not meet the definition of a “project” as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and, therefore, CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Wildlife Conservation Commission received a total of fourteen (14) grant applications during the 2026-2027 Grant Application Cycle, with requests that total approximately $187,739 in funding.
This reflects an increase from eleven (11) applications totaling a requested $134,921 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 and a continued elevated total amount of funds requested in a cycle relative to available funds, with the average amount requested per cycle over the last five (5) years (2021-2025) being approximately $87,384.
FY 2026-27 BUDGET
The total budget for FY 2026-2027 is $75,000, which was allocated by the Board of Supervisors from the General Fund to the WCC Grant budget for this grant cycle. The available budget of $75,000 equates to approximately 40% of the total eligible funding requests.
SELECTION CRITERIA
The Bylaws task the WCC with supporting those proposals that advance the purposes listed in Section 13103 of the California Department of Fish & Game Code (CDFG). The WCC has established four (4) Selection Criteria Priorities for proposals to aid Commissioners in decision-making; these are listed at the end of Grant Application Requirements, along with the CDFG Code Section 13103, all of which is enclosed in this Agenda Packet, and available on the WCC website.
Note: Staff recommend that Commissioners refer to the Selection Criteria and the CDFG Section 13103 criteria documents when reviewing the grant proposals to assist in the discernment of allocation recommendations.
SUMMARY OF GRANT PROPOSALS RECEIVED
The following is a summary of the fourteen (14) eligible grant proposals from each of the organizations that submitted applications during the 2026-2027 Grant Cycle; the complete proposal packages can be found as attachments to this agenda item. Also enclosed are the following documents regarding historic grant funding for reference:
- 2026-27 Grant Applications Summary
- Grant Award Details by Year - Most Recent 10 Years
- Grant Awards by Organization - Most Recent 10 Years
- Grant Awards by Category - Since 2002
- Grant Award Requests vs. Funding - Since 2002
The grant applications fall into the following categories (please note that several applications request funding for projects that fall into more than one category):
Environmental Education: 7 applications requesting a total of $87,654 (47% of total)
Habitat Restoration: 4 applications requesting a total of $64,401 (34% of total)
Wildlife-Direct Care: 1.5 applications requesting a total of $19,910 (11% of total)
Wildlife Research: 1.5 applications requesting a total of $15,775 (8% of total).
1. North Bay Bear Collaborative - $15,000
Support black bear DNA laboratory analysis and outreach efforts in Napa County, as well as partial support for Principal Investigator (PI) staff time at Sonoma Ecology Center (fiscal sponsor for NBBC) to strengthen partnerships with Napa County organizations, expand community engagement, and increase local participation.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration
- Application is complete
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (a) and (i)
- Proposal meets Napa County WCC Selection Criteria #1 and #4
- Categories: Research, Environmental Education
- Received WCC funding in FY 2025-26
2. UCCE Napa County American Kestrel Nest Box Network - $10,550
Support for salary of a part-time technician to monitor 100 American Kestrel nest boxes throughout Napa County and continue to provide technical assistance to land managers on nest box installation and management through the 2027 field season.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration
- Application is complete
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (e) and (i)
- Proposal meets Napa County WCC Selection Criteria #1 and #4
- Categories: Research, Restoration
- Received WCC funding twice in FY 2023-24 and FY 2025-26
3. International Bird Rescue - $8,110
Support the cost of the rescue & rehabilitation of approximately 50 aquatic birds from Napa County, including for clinic and veterinary supplies, medicine, food, professional veterinary and rehabilitation staff costs, and utilities costs for stable and supportive rehabilitation habitats.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (b) and (c).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1 and #4.
- Category: Wildlife-Direct Care
- Applied for and received WCC grant funding six (6) times since 2019.
4. Napa Wildlife Rescue - $23,600
To support two critical areas of operations: wildlife rehabilitation and community education. The request includes $14,000 to support 60% of the annual salary for the Lead Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician/Education Coordinator (60% of the request ($14,000) would contribute to one-quarter of salary), with the remaining $9,600 of the request to offset salary of required seasonal Wildlife Care employee.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (a), (b) and (c).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1, #2, and #4.
- Category: Wildlife-Direct Care and Environmental Education
- Applied for and received WCC grant funding twenty (21) times since 1990.
5. Browns Valley Family Club - $19,345
Install irrigation system, plants, shade sails and educational and interpretive signage at a 5,000 square-foot native pollinator habitat restoration project at Browns Valley Elementary School. The restored garden would provide place-based learning and living laboratory for the School's K-8 educational curriculum.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (a) and (e).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1, #2, and #4.
- Category: Habitat Restoration, Environmental Education
- First time requesting WCC grant funding.
6. Napa County Resource Conservation District - $10,062
For purchase of tools and supplies to enable Napa RCD and, through the shared tool library, with partnering agencies and organizations to expand on-the-ground conservation outcomes, increase the acreage and effectiveness of restoration work and increase volunteer satisfaction on projects across the County that further RCD’s mission to protect and preserve Napa County’s land, water, soil and wildlife.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (e).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1 and #4.
- Category: Restoration
- Applied for and received WCC grant funding 21 times since 1999.
7. Abuelitos Foundation - $18,726
Support implementation of Conn Creek Land Lab, a pilot process-based restoration project in the upland watershed of Lake Hennessey, including 1) Construction of detention structures and other low-tech habitat restoration features; 2) ecological monitoring to measure habitat recovery and guide adaptive management; 3) Community field days that engage volunteers, neighboring landowners, and conservation practitioners in hands-on restoration while demonstrating practical approaches to improving wildlife habitat on working lands.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (e).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1 and #4.
- Category: Restoration
- First time applying for WCC funds.
8. Rewilding the Land - $32,300
Support the following objectives: 1) Create experiential conservation and restoration education program for students in grades 3-8, and 2) Restore native habitat on a section of prior vineyard land, and 3) Collaborate with community, local experts and volunteers to build a replicable model of environmental stewardship and climate resilience, providing ongoing experiences and education for community members.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (a) and (e).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1 and #2.
- Categories: Environmental Education, Restoration
- First time applying for WCC grant.
9. Sustainable St. Helena - $9,030
Support continued restoration of and environmental education at the St. Helena Community Forest, including purchase of native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowering plants, as well as materials for bird boxes, bat houses and raptor perches, and supplies for onsite environmental education.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (a) and (e).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1 (*pending letter of support from school rep for environmental education) and #2.
- Categories: Restoration, Environmental Education
- First time applying for WCC grant.
10. School Garden Doctor - $5,266
Support staffing and equipment to provide inclusive, accessible out-of-school time birding opportunities in multiple locations in Napa County. Specifically, two programs for youth (3rd - 5th grade; middle- and high schoolers) interested in making deep connections between outdoor experience with wildlife and environmental activism.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criterion (a).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #2 and #4.
- Category: Environmental Education
- Applied for and received WCC grant funding once before (2025-26).
11. Napa-Solano Audubon Society - $4,750
Support programming in Napa County, including wildlife education in schools, filed trips, monthly speaker seminars, citizen science projects, and education festivals and cleanup days.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criterion (a).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #2 and #4.
- Category: Environmental Education
- Applied for and received WCC grant funding sixteen (16) times since 1988.
12. American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation - $15,000
Support the Watershed Trainees (K through 3rd grade; $5,000) and Watershed Protectors (5th grade; $10,000) programs during the 2026-27 school year, including at education and habitat restoration at the American Canyon wetlands and other watershed locations in the County.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criterion (a) and (e).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #1, #2, and #4.
- Category: Environmental Education, Restoration
- Applied for and received WCC funding three (3) times since 2023.
13. Carolyn Parr Nature Center - $10,000
Develop children's nature education programming area, including: 1) Reading nook and shelving development for children's area; 2) Expansion of the children's book and media collection, including bilingual titles; 3) Development of curriculum-aligned early education materials for K-6 standards; 4) Development of on-site and off-site outreach programming and materials; 5) Fabrication and installation of kinetic, hands-on children's exhibits with rotating display infrastructure.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete.
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criterion (a).
- Proposal meets Selection Criteria #2 and #4
- Category: Environmental Education
- Applied for and received WCC grant funding twelve (12) times since 1981.
14. California White Shark Project - $6,000
Support research and education about white sharks, including $4,500 for three (3) research expeditions to the Farallon Islands and $1,500 to supplement existing funding for development of classroom lesson plans for grades 3-5 (meeting California’s NGSS standards) that will then be made available via free download to teachers across the U.S.
Staff Analysis: Eligible for award consideration.
- Application is complete
- Proposal meets CDFG Code §13103 criteria (a) and (i)
- Proposal meets Napa County WCC Selection Criteria #2 and #4
- Categories: Research, Environmental Education
- First time applying for WCC grant funding.