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CAGBN x Intuit
Green Grants

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Empowering Green Businesses to Thrive

Are you a Certified-Level Green Business or working toward certification? Do you have an energy efficiency or electrification project in mind but need funding to make it happen?

The California Green Business Network (CAGBN) and Intuit are once again partnering to award Green Grants, focused on electrification and energy efficiency, to support small, Certified-Level Green Businesses across California in completing impactful upgrades. This year, 55 businesses across various programs and sectors statewide will be awarded up to $1,000 each.

Applications are open November 12 through December 14, 2026 (11:59 PM PST) for sustainability-focused projects that promote long-term resilience, cost savings, and community impact.

What Projects Are Eligible?

Each business should choose one main project from the list below. You may select additional projects only if you’re fully committed to completing all of them within the grant amount and timeline. More isn’t always better, so focus on what you can realistically finish.

Equipment Replacements
Swap out older equipment for more efficient models, such as:

  • LED lighting, indoor or outdoor (in place of halogen, incandescent, T-12, T-8, high-pressure sodium, or metal halide). Lighting must replace existing, less efficient fixtures or bulbs. Adding new lighting where there wasn’t any before does not qualify.
  • LED exit signs
  • Electric landscaping equipment in place of gas-powered (mower, leaf blower, trimmer, or chainsaw)
  • ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerators
  • High-efficiency ice makers
  • Infrared heating units
  • Ductless mini-split heat pumps
  • ENERGY STAR or CEE-rated clothes dryers
  • Instantaneous, solar, or electric heat pump water heaters
  • 365-day programmable or smart thermostats
  • Low-flow pre-rinse spray nozzles (1.28 GPM max)
  • ENERGY STAR or CEE-rated clothes washers

Retrofits & Upgrades
Make what you already have more efficient, such as:

  • Insulation for exposed hot water pipes and refrigeration cold suction lines
  • Lighting controls (occupancy sensors, timers, or photocells)
  • Smart power strips
  • Strip curtains on grocery refrigerators and freezers
  • Electronically Commutated (EC) motors for refrigeration fans
  • Solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations (must be solar-powered to qualify)

Maintenance & Tune-Ups

  • Professional HVAC service (cleaning or replacing filters, cleaning condenser and evaporator coils, checking for and repairing leaks, and making sure economizers are working properly)

Who Can Apply?

Businesses must:

  • Be located in a program area with active coordinator support. Check greenbusinessca.org/contact to confirm coverage in your area before applying.
  • Be a Certified-Level Green Business in California or complete certification by April 30, 2027 → Start your certification now: www.greenbusinessca.org
  • Have 100 or fewer employees and $3.5M or less in annual revenue
  • Propose a main project (and any additional projects) achievable within the grant amount.
  • Agree to be featured in promotional content by CAGBN and/or Intuit

Important Notes on Scope & Payment

  • Grants are reimbursed after purchase and receipt submission
  • Prebates may be available upon request (case-by-case)
  • Stick to the project(s) outlined in your application, changes to project scope after approval may affect reimbursement
  • Measurable environmental benefits should be achievable, using before-and-after data

Materials/services needed to complete the project can be purchased on or after November 12, 2026. Receipts dated before then won’t be eligible for reimbursement. Keep in mind that starting before recipients are notified doesn’t guarantee funding. Certification and projects must be completed by April 30, 2027.

Note: Completing your project and certification tier is not the final step. A separate final report is required by May 31, 2027, this is a distinct requirement, not something that’s automatically satisfied by finishing your project.

Tell Your Story

Along with your project proposal, describe how this funding will benefit your business and the community you serve. Strong, clear storytelling increases your chances of being selected. Visit us on Instagram and Facebook to see stories and projects from previous years.

Support Is Available

Your local Green Business Program Coordinators are here to help with your grant application, Green Business Certification, project idea development, and metric reporting. As part of this program, coordinators will confirm your project details with you before your grant is officially accepted.

Important Dates (All times PST)
  • November 12, 2026: Applications open and earliest project start date
  • December 14, 2026 (11:59 PM): Application deadline
  • By December 23, 2026: Recipients notified
  • January 11, 2027: Grant acceptance deadline
  • January 14, 2027: Business info session
  • April 30, 2027 (11:59 PM): Certification & project completion deadline
  • May 31, 2027 (11:59 PM): Final report due (separate step, see note above)
September 25th Info Session

This is a limited-time opportunity!

Have questions? Contact Kori Nielsen

This Green Grant is a partnership between Intuit and the California Green Business Network. Funding is generously provided by Intuit. Intuit remains committed to supporting programs that help communities make sustainable choices. Intuit applies its unique approach to problem-solving and innovation to create new sustainability solutions for our small business customers, which make up half of the US and global economy.

Learn more about the California Green Business Network and Intuit’s Sustainability efforts.

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