About
Collective Resilience is excited to be collaborating with the Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network in pilot testing its first mini-grants program! The program will distribute $9000 in funding for neighborhood groups and community spaces, for projects related to disaster preparedness and community resilience.
Applications are due on August 10, 2026.
Grants Overview
Program Goals
- To provide incentives for neighborhood groups and sites to organize projects and events which both prepare for disasters and strengthen community ties
- To support disaster preparedness in neighborhoods which are first and worst hit by the climate crisis
- To pilot test this program, for replication and scaling
Program Priorities
We encourage all groups to apply, and all project ideas are welcome! We will prioritize applications which:
- Serve 30 more more individuals
- Directly serve underserved neighborhoods and high-risk populations
- Serve new or emerging neighborhood groups (which can include funding for experienced groups mentoring these new groups)
- Benefit BOTH disaster preparedness and community building
- Center sustainability practices (or at least, are not polluting)
- Spend the funds by December 31, 2026
Grant Types
Seed Grants (up to $500):
- For new or emerging neighborhood groups
- Supports neighborhood groups just getting organized, building relationshiops, and launching their first preparedness events or projects.
Cultivation Grants (up to $1000):
- For established neighborhood groups with an existing track record, wanting to expand or strengthen their preparedness efforts OR
- community facilities in the process of developing their sites as resilience hubs
Project Ideas
For New or Emerging Groups
- Host one (or more) neighborhood potluck or block party with disaster preparedness themes
- Host a potluck and buy emergency supplies, to start an emergency cache
For Experienced Groups
- Mentor a new group and host an event with them
- Provide stipends for individuals in your neighborhood to attend CERT classes
- Organize an extreme weather tabletop exercise
- Re-up your emergency supplies, and host a community gathering to introduce them to neighbors
- Start a new project in your neighborhood, like planting trees or helping out at the nearby community garden
For Community Sites
- Community gardens could host a garden work day and skill share about growing food
- Community centers could work with nearby neighborhood groups to a visioning session or disaster preparedness workshop
- Sites could buy supplies for extreme heat and pilot test becoming a cooling center or hydration station
- Sites could purchase a mobile solar generator, and/or host a disaster preparedness workshop for neighbors
Resources
6 Critical Steps for Neighborhood Groups
Check out the City of Berkeley’s Six Critical Steps for Neighborhood Groups.
Selected Recommendations for Resilience Hubs
Here are some ideas for how community sites can respond to extreme heat and other extreme weather events.
Listos California
Listos California offers multiple resources about disaster preparedness, in multiple languages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an underserved community?
An underserved community refers to groups of people or geographic populations that face systemic barriers and lack adequate access to essential services, resources, or opportunities. These communities are frequently hindered by economic, social, or geographic factors that prevent them from fully participating in civic, economic, and social life, such as redlining.
Who is funding this grants program?
The Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network received a grant to fund it.
Who is deciding who receives the grants?
A grants committee comprised of BDPNN Board members, Collective Resilience staff an community members will be deciding the funding.
What is a resilience hub?
What is a resilience hub? There is no official definition for resilience hubs, but they can be defined as: “a trusted, community-serving facility augmented to support residents and coordinate resources before, during, or after a crisis. Operating as neighborhood centers year-round, these spaces shift power to locals while enhancing emergency preparedness, promoting social cohesion, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” These facilities are often located in places people already know and trust, such as community centers, libraries, schools, faith-based organizations, and nonprofit buildings.