Funding Wizard

The SAFER program supports permanent and sustainable drinking water solutions that ensure all Californians have access to safe, affordable, and reliable drinking water.

The primary purpose of the SAFER program is to bring true environmental justice to California and address the continuing disproportionate environmental burdens in the state by creating a fund that will assist in providing safe drinking water in every California community, for every Californian.  SAFER funds will help water systems provide a safe, accessible, and affordable supply of drinking water to communities in both the near and long terms by accelerating implementation of short- and long-term drinking water solutions, moving water systems to more efficient modes of operation, providing short-term operation and maintenance support as a bridge until long-term sustainable solutions are in place, and providing long-term operation and maintenance support when necessary.

The program was established from the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water (SADW) Fund through Senate Bill 200 (SB200) in 2019. The Fund will provide $130 million per year that will be used to ensure that one million Californians who currently lack safe drinking water receive safe & affordable drinking water as quickly as possible. The SAFER program also aims to reach sustainable operations for all of the state’s drinking water systems and is a critical element for achieving the goals of safe, accessible, and affordable water for all Californians.

Projects and/or services that are eligible for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Funds must address: 1) existing or potential water quality compliance issues;  2) Technical, Managerial, or Financial capacity deficiencies that prevent a system from sustainably providing safe and affordable drinking water; and 3) improvements to public water systems, community water systems, state small water systems and domestic wells that are in violation or considered at-risk.

On hot summer days, energy demand increases because thousands of customers are using their air conditioning units. PG&E may remotely activate SmartAC devices on those days in order to help maintain adequate power supplies and avoid power interruptions.

If you're a SmartRate™ participant, on SmartRate™ event days, your SmartAC™ device(s) are activated under the SmartRate™ program guidelines. SmartAC is free and automated. It can also help make event days more successful by helping to prevent power interruptions.

Event season: SmartAC™ events occur between May 1 and October 31.

Event length: SmartAC events Days can be as short as an hour or two and no more than six hours in a day.

Participants must have standard central air conditioners and/or heat pumps.

SmartAC technology and activation

SmartAC™ technology will be installed free of charge by a certified technician and maintained at no cost to the customer as long as you are a participant in the SmartAC program.

The SmartAC authorized contractor is Franklin Energy. A Franklin Energy technician may contact you:

To help you complete your enrollment

• To get your permission to activate the SmartAC device
• To install the SmartAC device, which may involve replacement with updated technology
• To help solve a tech issue you may have contacted the program about
• To visit your home and carry out the free AC check-up
• To leave a Welcome Kit door-hanger with your AC checkup results and program details

SmartAC™ switch technology will be installed on or near the outside compressor component of participant's air conditioning (AC) unit. Participants must have standard central air conditioners and/or heat pumps.

PG&E may remotely activate SmartAC™ device(s) in anticipation of a state or local energy emergency to help maintain adequate power supplies and avoid widespread power interruptions.

During a SmartAC™ event (or SmartDay™ event for SmartRate™ participants), your device will be remotely activated and your air conditioner will run slightly less than it normally would.

Residential participants with SmartAC™ switch technology may experience no more than 50 percent reduction in the air conditioner's average run time.

During a SmartAC™ event, if your thermostat calls for the air conditioner to make cool air, your AC will ignore that signal for approximately 15 out of 30 minutes. At all other times, the AC will respond normally, and make cool air.

Opt out policy

With the exception of extreme energy emergencies, where rotating outages may occur, participants may call a SmartAC™ representative at 1-866-908-4916 and opt-out of an event for the day, without penalty. The AC will be returned to its previous operational setting.

OhmConnect's free service helps residential consumers use energy when it's cleanest and rewards you for saving energy when it's dirty.

Whenever you can successfully save energy during an OhmHour or AutoOhm, you'll earn Watts. (Not sure what an OhmHour or AutoOhm is? Start here.) And Watts are worth money or rewards in the OhmConnect Rewards Marketplace! When you have Watts in your OhmConnect account, you can do any of the following:

1. Improve your home’s energy efficiency with smart home technology. Smart home tech like smart thermostats and smart plugs not only earn you more Watts during upcoming OhmHours and AutoOhms but they’ll ensure your home is operating as efficiently as possible (saving you money on your electricity bills). Watts you earn can be put towards serious discounts on these items.
2. Enter to win prizes. Every week, there’s a new, big-ticket prize up for grabs for one lucky OhmConnect customer who ‘buys’ a ballot using their Watts. Peloton bikes, gift cards, ENERGY STAR appliances, cash prizes and more are up for grabs!
3. Take your chances and play The Wheel! Try your luck on The Wheel for your chance to win OhmConnect swag, smart home technology like thermostats or a smart plug, entries to our epic biweekly prizes, cash and more!
4. Withdraw as gift cards to your favorite store.
5. Donate your Watts to the Sierra Club.
6. Withdraw as cash! Watts can be cashed out via PayPal.

Receive a PG&E rebate with qualifying smart thermostats

Save up to $390 on cooling and heating costs and increase comfort by replacing your manual or programmable thermostat with a new ENERGY STAR® smart thermostat. For a limited time, receive a rebate of up to $120 when you purchase an eligible model and sign up for a Time-of-Use rate plan.

Product eligibility

• If you have already purchased your product, visit PG&E Marketplace to check if your product is qualified.
• To shop and compare qualified models, visit PG&E Marketplace.

Customer eligibility

• Installation address must have an electric and/or gas account with PG&E.
• Residence must have a central heating and/or air-conditioning (HVAC) system.
• For $70 Time-of-Use rebate, customers already on a Time-of-Use rate may qualify as long as all other eligibility requirements are met. In these cases, their rate will not be changed.

Key rebate terms

• Smart thermostat must be new and replace an existing manual or programmable thermostat.
• Smart thermostat must be installed and connected to Wi-Fi.
• PG&E does not provide service support for the installed smart thermostat. Please contact the retailer or manufacturer for warranty information. See do-it-yourself installation information below.
• Rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Eligibility and amounts are subject to change at any time.
• For a full list of requirements, review terms and conditions for residential customers.
• Customers who elect to change to a Time-of-Use rate plan do not need to change their rate through the website. Once a customer selects the appropriate rebate in the erebate process, they will be placed on TOU-C which has Peak (higher price) hours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day and Off-Peak (lower price) hours before 4 p.m. and after 9 p.m. every day. Learn more about Time-of-Use rate plans.

After, purchasing, installing, and ensuring your smart thermostat meets the above requirements, apply for an online rebate, and ensure to include the required attachments described below in "Apply for your rebate online".

Whether you want to reduce energy usage, improve the comfort and health of your home or business, or just want to “go green,” you can find the solution you need. GoGreen Financing serves three broad property types:

• Residential
• Affordable Multifamily
• Business

The California Public Utilities Commission authorized the California investor-owned utilities (PG&E®, SDG&E®, SCE® and SoCalGas®) to collaborate with certain state agencies in the development of energy efficiency financing programs and to assist in building awareness about them. Consumers are encouraged to explore lending options for the financing of energy improvements that can make homes and businesses more efficient and comfortable.

The LIWP Farmworker Housing Component provides no-cost rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy efficiency upgrades to low-income farmworker households to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs for participants. The Farmworker Housing Component is part of CSD's Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP) and is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by saving energy and generating clean renewable energy. 

Farmworkers are one of the most vulnerable populations in the state because of seasonal employment and low wages. Farmworker families pay a larger share of their annual income on home energy, and often cut back on other critical needs to pay their energy bills. This new LIWP Farmworker Housing Component will increase the energy efficiency of homes owned or rented by farmworker families; reduce energy bills; provide access to solar energy; and provide health and safety improvements to homes. All services will be provided at no cost to eligible low-income farmworker households. LIWP, part of California Climate Investments, is an energy efficiency and renewable energy generation program administered by CSD that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides important co-benefits to households and communities including energy cost savings and job creation and training opportunities.

CSD selected La Cooperativa Campesina de California as the Administrator for the Farmworker Housing Component though a competitive procurement and a funding award of approximately $10.7 million. La Cooperativa, a nonprofit corporation, was established in 1995 with the mission to improve the lives of California's farmworkers, their families, and rural communities through advocacy and service. La Cooperativa previously served as a Regional Administrator for LIWP's Single-Family Energy Efficiency and Solar PV Program in a region that included Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties. While this program was not focused solely on farmworker housing, many farmworker households were able to benefit from accessing services under the program. La Cooperativa and a team of partner organizations that includes MAROMA Energy Services and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Agencies will lead efforts across twelve counties with the highest farmworker populations to enroll eligible farmworker households and install energy saving and solar measures in single-family dwellings and buildings of 2-4 units.

These energy efficiency measures may include:
Insulation, Central Heating and Cooling System Upgrades, Washers, Dryers, Refrigerators and Freezers, Lighting Upgrades, Water Heater Replacement, Window Replacement, Rooftop Solar PV systems

Community Air Protection funds allow for immediate actions to improve the air quality of the most impacted communities across the state, while the other aspects of AB 617 are developed and implemented. Partnering with communities is essential to the success of these incentives, and both the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and air districts are looking to local community members and groups to help identify funding priorities

The Affordable Multifamily Financing program targets multifamily properties where at least 50% of the units are income restricted.

Like all of the programs highlighted on GoGreen Financing, the Affordable Multifamily Financing program is designed to encourage growth in private market lending and features a credit enhancement to help financing entities mitigate risk. It is designed to leverage and complement existing state and utility efforts to encourage affordable multifamily properties to install energy efficiency retrofits.

Property must receive electric and/or gas service from any of the following investor-owned utilities (IOU):

• Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E®)
• San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E®)
• Southern California Edison (SCE®)
• Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®)

The Low-Income Weatherization Program's (LIWP's) Farmworker Housing Component installs no-cost energy efficiency improvements and/or solar PV systems for qualified farmworker households. Funded by the State of California to help households save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the program lowers energy costs for families and makes other improvements to improve the livability of housing. 

Launched in 2019, the LIWP Farmworker Housing Component provides services in the 12 counties in California that have the highest farmworker populations, including: 

​​​FRESNO COUNTY - IMPERIAL COUNTY​​ - KERN COUNTY - MADERA COUNTY - MERCED COUNTY - MONTEREY COUNTY - SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY - STANISLAUS COUNTY - RIVERSIDE COUNTY - SANTA BARBARA COUNTY - TULARE COUNTY - VENTURA COUN​​​​TY 

The program provides application assistance, partnership development and capacity building activities for eligible California Climate Investments applicants and is administered by the Strategic Growth Council to create more equitable opportunities by helping under-resourced applicants access funding.

The California Climate Investments Technical Assistance Program supports communities in applying to the California Climate Investments (CCI) funding programs. Created in 2016, the program aims to level the playing field for applicants that may lack the capacity to successfully access these funds, particularly those in that live in the state’s most disadvantaged communities. The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) works alongside a number of State agencies that implement CCI programs to provide application assistance, partnership development and capacity building activities to eligible applicants, enabling them to positively impact their communities. 

Each California Climate Investments program has its own set of goals and intended outcomes, meaning specific technical expertise is often required. In order to provide assistance that is tailored to each program, the SGC has divided resources amongst many of the agencies that administer programs. In many cases, technical assistance is provided through a partnership between state agencies and outside organizations with expertise in each program’s focus. A description of each of the participating CCI programs is listed below.