California Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a $12.5 million investment in community emergency preparedness, bringing the total state investment through the Ready California program to $100 million since 2019, aimed at strengthening disaster readiness for the state's most vulnerable communities. This funding, distributed through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), supports local nonprofits, tribal governments, and community groups in preparing residents for various disasters like wildfires, earthquakes, and floods.
Ready California, also known as Listos California, focuses on educating and empowering residents, particularly those with low incomes, disabilities, language barriers, older adults, and those in high-risk areas. The program builds networks of trusted community messengers and creates culturally competent educational resources to ensure preparedness is accessible to all Californians, regardless of their abilities, location, or language.
Governor Newsom emphasized the program's importance, stating, “Through Ready California, we are investing in trusted community partners who meet people where they are — delivering life-saving resources to our most vulnerable residents. Despite Donald Trump’s cuts and inaction, California will never waver in our support for the health and well-being of our communities.” In May, $12.5 million was awarded to 31 community groups, enhancing coordination and providing in-language resources.
Since its inception in 2019, Ready California has invested over $150 million in more than 680 community-based organizations, tribes, and volunteer teams, reaching over 16 million Californians through face-to-face outreach. The program has also trained over 3,000 community and emergency services leaders across all 58 counties, significantly strengthening statewide resilience.
Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs highlighted the program's targeted approach. “Wildfires, extreme weather, floods, earthquakes – these are some of the disasters people across the state face every year,” said 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 marks the sixth year of local funding, with efforts including contacting nearly 6 million Californians via phone banking to encourage signing up for local emergency alerts.
Community partners like Nuestra Comunidad in Sonoma County, the San Diego County Community Emergency Response Team, and the Community Health Partnership of Santa Clara County have leveraged these grants to provide culturally relevant training, deliver emergency information, and build preparedness networks. The Neighborhood Block Party Initiative has also distributed 4,000 kits in 15 languages across 51 counties, fostering neighborhood-level readiness.