Jim was here: February 11, 2026, 1:18 PM
Forcing a build while testing /par-statistics/
Elizabeth Betancourt1, Lorna Brisco2, Nikki Hatcher3
1 California Natural Resources Agency, 715 P Street, Sacramento CA 95814
2 California Department of General Services, 707 3rd Street, Sacramento CA 95605
3 California Department of Water Resources, 715 P Street, Sacramento CA 95814
Members of the Governor’s Innovation Fellows explored how to help Californians find and apply for state grants.
The opportunity
California has hundreds of grant programs across many state departments. Each program often has its own website, application process, eligibility rules, and timeline. Applying for grants can be confusing and take a lot of time, especially for small groups. These barriers can stop groups from applying for grants. A lack of funding can limit the high-priority work they do for Californians.
State departments also face challenges. Staff spend a lot of time:
- Answering basic questions
- Reviewing applications that are not eligible
- Working across disconnected systems
How we helped
We created user journey maps and wireframes for a central grants platform. This showed how the state could build a better tool for users. Our goal was to bridge the gap between the state and grant seekers. We imagined a platform where:
- Grant seekers enter data once as part of a profile
- Programs can load in grant eligibility requirements
- Projects and ideas get matched with potential grants
What we learned
The Fellows found:
- Top-level buy-in is critical. Leaders must drive transformation of processes.
- Too many systems create barriers. Navigating many websites and logins is a big challenge for grant seekers.
- Early guidance helps everyone. Clear eligibility information at the start can save time for both seekers and staff.
- Clear ownership matters. A statewide platform needs clear decision-making and long-term planning to succeed.
- Keep people in the process. Both grant seekers and staff want human interaction throughout the process.
Our approach
We used human-centered design, focusing on people and processes before technology. We interviewed grant seekers and staff to understand how grant funding work happens. We looked for ways to simplify the process without losing important details.
We made:
- User journey maps for grant seekers and staff
- Cross-agency process maps showing pain points and opportunities
- Prototypes of a proposed grants platform
- Standardized data fields
- Draft success measures
What’s next
We recommend doing more market research and making a proof-of-concept.
We propose piloting our ideas with the California Natural Resources Agency’s Climate Bond (Proposition 4) grants. We would use the lessons learned to expand the system statewide. This approach shows if there’s value in the new system. This lets the state:
- Test ideas
- Learn quickly
- Reduce risk before making long-term investments