The COVID-19 pandemic pushed California toward a more digital state government, and the state is eager to continue its efforts to modernize public services, according to this year’s state budget. 

Approved this summer, the budget allocates funding for the California Department of Technology (CDT) to grant $25 million as a part of its Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), which “allows CDT to provide quick funding to state departments to invest in technology modernization efforts or to stabilize IT systems at risk of failure.”  

Departments can take part in a competitive, multi-stage application process for a TMF grant by proposing how they will use the fund to optimize government services over the course of one year. 

CDT will grant multiple rounds of investment throughout 2022. The first round of submissions are due by Nov. 12, according to an announcement posted on Wednesday.