Five California Nonprofits Receive $500,000 to Restore Habitats, Expand Environmental Education and Strengthen Local Food Systems

Final round of PG&E Corporation Foundation grants completes a five-year, $2.5 million investment in 25 community organizations

Link to the B-roll and soundbite from Sacramento Splash

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) is awarding five community-based organizations in Northern and Central California a total of $500,000 in grants for local initiatives dedicated to environmental stewardship.

The 2026 grant recipients represent the program's final group, completing the PG&E Foundation's five-year investment in projects that help strengthen local ecosystems and communities.

Since its launch in 2022, the Better Together Nature Positive Innovation Grant Program has invested $2.5 million in 25 organizations across Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) service area, advancing environmental stewardship and supporting community-led innovation.

The five organizations will each receive $100,000 through the Better Together Nature Positive Innovation Grant program for leading efforts to preserve California's unique biodiversity, focusing on land, air quality and water stewardship.

Funding for this initiative comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers.

"For 27 years, Sacramento Splash has helped kids connect with the natural world through hands-on science and environmental education. Thanks to PG&E's support, about 7,000 students will experience Project Agriculture, Water, Energy & Environment during the 2026–27 school year, learning where their food comes from and how everyday choices can help create a more sustainable future," said Mackenzie Wieser, Chief Executive Officer, Sacramento Splash.

"We extend our sincere gratitude to all the organizations, partners and community leaders who helped make this program a success. What inspires us most is seeing local organizations turn their deep understanding of their communities into meaningful action, creating lasting impact where it matters most," said Carla Peterman, President, PG&E Corporation, and Chair of The PG&E Corporation Foundation Board.

Grant recipients are based in each of PG&E's five regions: North Coast; North Valley and Sierra; Bay Area; South Bay and Central Coast; and Central Valley. Receiving grants are:

• Noyo Center: Kelp Forest Recovery (Fort Bragg) - Noyo Center restores Mendocino Coast kelp forests by removing invasive urchins and planting bull kelp. The project also supports red abalone recovery and environmental education. These efforts help create healthier, more resilient coastal ecosystems.
• Sacramento Splash (Sacramento) - Project Agriculture, Water, Energy & Environment gives students in grades 2-5 from underserved Sacramento County schools hands-on learning experiences at the Historic Nicolaus Dairy in Elk Grove, often providing their first opportunity to visit a working farm. Students explore agriculture and environmental stewardship by planting and harvesting crops, building compost, observing bees, and learning about water conservation. Grant funding will support educators, transportation for Title I schools, and educational materials, helping the program reach approximately 7,000 students from 231 classes during the 2026-27 school year.
• Friends of Sausal Creek (Oakland) - Friends of Sausal Creek will expand its paid youth stewardship program to provide year-round green job skills training for Oakland youth while helping restore the 2,600-acre Sausal Creek watershed. Participants will gain hands-on experience through habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and kayak-based estuary cleanups. In Jingletown, youth will also design and install a native planting plan and help create a community interpretive sign.
• Point Blue Conservation Science (Bolinas) - Point Blue Conservation Science's program gives K-12 students hands-on experience restoring natural habitats while learning about environmental stewardship. In San Benito County, students, community college interns, residents, and land stewards will work with local partners to plant native vegetation and restore streamside habitat along an important wildlife corridor. The project will improve water quality, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience while providing students with education, job training and career development opportunities in conservation.
• Black Urban Farmers Association (Stockton) – Black Urban Farmers Association (BUFA) has operated a pesticide-free urban farm in Stockton since 2015, providing fresh food and promoting regenerative farming. The project will help BUFA expand to a permanent one-acre site with more green space, education, and sustainable agriculture opportunities. Grant funding will support site planning, environmental reviews, infrastructure, and a community launch, strengthening long-term food security and environmental stewardship.

With the selection of the 2026 grantees, the application period has closed and the Better Together Nature Positive Innovation Grant Program is no longer accepting applications.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

About The PG&E Corporation Foundation

The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.

SOURCE PG&E Corporation