Governor Newsom announces $12.5 million in community emergency preparedness to help Californians get “Ready” for the next disaster 

In May, $12.5 million was awarded to 31 community groups across California. This investment strengthens coordination across the network of campaign partners and supports the delivery of in-language resources. In addition to grant funding, California also invested further support for outreach and implementation efforts to reach all Californians.

Since inception in 2019, Ready California has invested over $150 million to more than 680 community-based organizations, tribes, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) programs, volunteers, and service teams, reaching over 16 million Californians engaged through face-to-face outreach. Ready California continues to serve all 58 counties with over 3,000 community and emergency services leaders trained to lead preparedness efforts, strengthening statewide resilience.

“Wildfires, extreme weather, floods, earthquakes – these are some of the disasters people across the state face every year,” said Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs. “We know these emergencies won’t affect everyone equally. But our Ready California campaign allows us to build readiness and protect lives by investing in the communities where it’s needed most.”

This is the sixth year California has provided local funding through Ready California. The program, supported by the Legislature, is designed to enhance disaster preparedness through a statewide network of community-based organizations, Tribal Governments, CERTs, and other partners to support the state’s most vulnerable populations when disaster strikes. Since 2019, Ready California has contacted nearly 6 million Californians through phone banking efforts to encourage Californians to sign up for local emergency alerts.

Ready California: stories from the field

• Nuestra Comunidad in Sonoma County is strengthening community resilience by empowering residents and youth to serve as preparedness ambassadors and share critical emergency information. Through focus groups with Spanish-speaking residents, the organization has improved outreach strategies to ensure information is accessible and culturally relevant. In partnership with KBBF, a bilingual radio station, they have rapidly delivered emergency information during disasters, while in-person workshops continue to equip families with practical skills to stay informed, connected, and prepared.

• San Diego County Community Emergency Response Team: Since becoming a grantee in 2022, the San Diego County CERT Program has strengthened disaster preparedness in rural communities through consistent, in-person outreach. Led by Program Coordinator Teresa Greenhalgh, the team delivers critical training in areas with limited connectivity, building trust through ongoing relationships. Through strong partnerships and interactive activities like go-bag drills and preparedness workshops, the program has expanded its reach and impact. Collaboration with tribal communities has further deepened engagement, growing from event outreach to dedicated trainings and regional sessions.

• Community Health Partnership of Santa Clara County strengthened disaster preparedness and resilience through community-led outreach to underserved populations across Santa Clara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties. By partnering with the Mexican Consulate, local governments, public health departments, and community-based organizations, the group expanded its reach and built a tri-county coalition to share resources, coordinate outreach, and connect communities to broader support networks. Innovative approaches, including verbal and video-based communications tailored for communities speaking Mexican Indigenous languages, have helped ensure critical preparedness information was accessible, culturally relevant, and effective.

• Tzu Chi USA (Los Angeles County), in partnership with Listos California, was recognized by Mayor Thomas Wong and Council Member Jose Sanchez for their joint efforts to serve the community. Leaders praised the collaboration between Listos CA and Tzu Chi’s medical outreach team, which connected residents to vital health and preparedness services. The effort had a strong impact on new immigrant communities, with volunteers providing Mandarin and Cantonese interpretation and multilingual materials. The partnership highlights the power of community-driven outreach to reach and support diverse populations.

• The Neighborhood Block Party Initiative is helping communities across California build preparedness at the neighborhood level by making it easy to host local events that spark conversations around emergency readiness. Available in 15 languages, the kits increase access to emergency preparedness materials for communities historically underserved by language and resource barriers. To date, California has delivered 4,000 kits across 51 of California’s 58 counties, reaching 88% of the state. Neighborhood Block Party Kits are available here.

What they are saying

Alma Bowen, Founder & Executive Director, Nuestra Comunidad: “This support has strengthened our capacity, expanded our reach, and helped position our organization as a trusted leader in community preparedness, response, and recovery. This funding has been instrumental in helping Nuestra Comunidad expand culturally responsive education and training for underserved communities.”

Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians: “Our tribe is grateful to Cal OES for being selected as a grant recipient. This will help our tribe conduct the critical planning and necessary training in order to strengthen our emergency response system and keep our community safe in the event of a disaster.”

Simona Gallegos, Director of Emergency Programs, Sacramento District Council St. Vincent de Paul: “This funding allows us to build upon the disaster readiness work we’ve led in Sacramento, Amador, Placer, and El Dorado counties since 2024, while expanding our reach into Alpine County for the first time. Our firsthand experience in long-term disaster recovery across Northern California fuels our passion for equipping seniors, people with disabilities, the unhoused, and those in high-risk rural and non-English speaking communities with the tools to stay resilient both before and after a crisis. As we face an increased risk of climate-driven disasters and significant cuts to federal funding, this investment is critical to bridging the resource gap and ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors can safeguard their lives and livelihoods.” 

Zachary Brooks-Miller, CORE’s Vice President of Programs and Partnerships: “We are delighted to continue our journey alongside Ready California. Over the last five years, CORE has reached nearly a million people in 12 counties across the state, equipping our neighbors with the proven tools and education needed to keep them prepared and safe for the next natural disaster. Experience has taught us that in California, natural disasters aren’t a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’, and proactive preparation is the best way to save lives.”

Dr. Jennie Porter, Chief Executive Officer, Lily of the Valley Church: “This funding from Ready California will strengthen Lily of the Valley Church’s ability to provide disaster preparedness education, outreach, and emergency resources to the families we serve. It will help Lily of the Valley Church expand our efforts to educate, prepare, and support families in our community before disasters occur. We plan to use this support to expand culturally responsive community training and preparedness efforts that help residents stay informed, connected, and ready during emergencies. This work is especially important right now as communities across California continue to face increasing natural disasters, awareness and preparation, and the need for trusted local support.”