CA RISE — California Regional Initiative for Social Enterprise
Funds social enterprises in California building inclusive businesses and support for workers facing barriers.
CA RISE, short for the California Regional Initiative for Social Enterprise, sits under the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Launched in 2023, it is described as the state's first statewide capital and capacity-building investment in employment social enterprises. The program issued one-time grants of $100,000 to $500,000 to employment social enterprises, meaning for-profit or nonprofit organizations that generate revenue through goods or services produced by workers facing employment barriers. CalOSBA runs the program with Redefine Alliance, which adds cohort training, customized assistance, government program enrollment help, and peer consulting. The initial cohort has already been selected and no new RFP cycle is posted. CA RISE favors organizations that can tie commercial activity to a workforce mission and show that employment, training, and support services are central to the model. It is less a general operating grant than a state-backed growth and capacity route for enterprises working with people who face barriers to work.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: One-off.