27 Apr
2026
California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
Grant Amount: Maximum Grant: $400,000
Information
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation is accepting applications for the CalMoneySmart grant program.
The purpose of this program is to advance financial empowerment for unbanked and underbanked Californians by investing in nonprofit organizations that deliver free, high-quality financial education and related services.
Grant funds may only be used for the following financial education and empowerment services for the targeted at-risk unbanked and underbanked populations:
- 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.
- Providing individualized, free financial coaching to unbanked and underbanked consumers.
- 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:
- Promote and enhance the economic security of consumers.
- 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 Amount
The maximum grant is $200,000 per year for up to two years.
Match
A match is not required.