Budget Trends and Highlights (2022-2025)

Position Growth

• Overall Trend: Positions increased from 86.2 in 2022-23 to 126.3 in 2024-25 (46.5% growth)
• Staffing Expansion: Net increase of 40.1 positions over three years
• Program Growth: Significant staffing increase in Administration of Natural Resources Agency
• Current Workforce: 126.3 positions dedicated to resource management and oversight

Budget Fluctuations

• Total Budget: Decreased from $332.0 million in 2022-23 to $119.1 million in 2024-25
• General Fund: Reduced from $261.2 million to $10.0 million
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Increased from -$0.3 million to $60.6 million
• Environmental Programs: Maintained stable funding for key environmental initiatives

Program Funding (2024-25)

• Administration: $119.1 million total across all programs
• Environmental Enhancement: $7.1 million (Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program Fund)
• Ocean Protection: $6.5 million (California Ocean Protection Trust Fund)
• Climate Initiatives: $60.6 million (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund)

Major Funding Codes and Sources

Program Codes

• 0320 - Administration of Natural Resources Agency: Core operations and oversight
• Environmental Programs: Grant administration and project management
• Conservation Initiatives: Resource protection and preservation
• Cultural and Historical Programs: Heritage preservation and education

Funding Source Codes

• 0001 - General Fund: Core state funding ($10.0 million)
• 0140 - California Environmental License Plate Fund: Environmental programs ($8.4 million)
• 0183 - Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program Fund: Environmental projects ($7.1 million)
• 3228 - Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Climate initiatives ($60.6 million)
• 6076 - California Ocean Protection Trust Fund: Ocean conservation ($6.5 million)
• 6088 - California Drought, Water, Parks Fund: Resource management ($2.1 million)

Major Projects and Initiatives

Environmental Protection and Conservation

1. Ocean Protection Council:

   • Marine ecosystem preservation
   • Coastal resilience projects
   • Scientific research coordination

2. Environmental Enhancement:

   • Habitat restoration
   • Environmental mitigation
   • Urban greening programs

3. River Parkways:

   • Watershed protection
   • Public access improvements
   • Riparian habitat restoration

Cultural and Historical Preservation

1. Cultural Endowment Program:

   • Historical site preservation
   • Cultural heritage protection
   • Educational programming

2. Grant Programs:

   • Environmental enhancement
   • Cultural preservation
   • Community engagement

Climate Change and Sustainability

1. Climate Resilience:

   • Adaptation strategies
   • Emissions reduction
   • Environmental justice initiatives

2. Water Resources:

   • Drought response
   • Water infrastructure
   • Conservation programs

Administrative Structure

The Natural Resources Agency oversees 27 departments, boards, commissions, and conservancies:

1. Executive Leadership:

   • Secretary's Office
   • Policy Development
   • Legislative Affairs
   • Communications

2. Major Departments:

   • Forestry and Fire Protection
   • Conservation
   • Fish and Wildlife
   • Parks and Recreation
   • Water Resources

3. Key Boards and Commissions:

   • State Lands Commission
   • Energy Commission
   • Coastal Commission
   • Wildlife Conservation Board
   • Delta Protection Commission

4. Conservancies:

   • California Tahoe Conservancy
   • State Coastal Conservancy
   • Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
   • Sierra Nevada Conservancy
   • Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy

Funding Allocation Process

1. Strategic Planning:

   • Resource assessment
   • Priority identification
   • Stakeholder engagement
   • Scientific review

2. Grant Administration:

   • Program guidelines
   • Application review
   • Project selection
   • Implementation oversight

3. Program Management:

   • Performance monitoring
   • Financial tracking
   • Compliance verification
   • Impact assessment

4. Interagency Coordination:

   • Cross-department collaboration
   • Resource sharing
   • Joint initiatives
   • Policy alignment

Sources: [1] California State Budget 2024-25 [2] Government Code Sections 12800, 12801, 12802.5 [3] Public Resources Code Sections 32300, 36000, 85000 [4] Education Code Sections 20053, 20080, 20092 [5] Natural Resources Agency Strategic Plan [6] Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program Guidelines [7] Ocean Protection Council Strategic Plan