Updated November 8, 2026. Requirements and sources were reviewed as of this update. This article covers the grant ABC announced on November 14, 2023. It has been rewritten to rely on ABC’s official announcements; an earlier version included a quotation and program details that do not appear in ABC’s release, and those have been removed.
The 2023 grant at a glance
On November 14, 2023, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced that it had been awarded a $3.7 million grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to help curb underage drinking and educate licensees about alcoholic beverage laws. According to ABC’s announcement:
- The grant would run through the end of September 2024.
- It would support 26 local law enforcement agencies with up to $40,000 each for compliance check operations at licensed businesses and delivery services, and for enforcement during holiday periods when people are more likely to be drinking.
- ABC programs funded by the grant included Minor Decoy and Shoulder Tap operations, fake identification enforcement, compliance checks involving alcohol delivery services, designated special events where alcohol is served, underage retail theft, Informed Merchants Preventing Alcohol-Related Crime Tendency (IMPACT) inspections, Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs (LEAD) trainings, and Target Responsibility for Alcohol-Connected Emergencies (TRACE) investigations.
“ABC is grateful for the partnership and support from OTS and NHTSA,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough in the release. “The resources provided to us through this grant will help reduce youth access to alcohol and increase safety in communities throughout California.” The grant funds come through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Why traffic safety money funds alcohol programs
It can seem surprising that a traffic safety office pays for minor decoy operations and licensee training. The connection is impaired driving. OTS works to reduce deaths and injuries on California roads, and alcohol is a major factor in serious crashes, including crashes involving drivers under 21. ABC’s grant announcement for local agencies made the link explicit by asking applicants for their OTS crash rankings on alcohol-involved fatalities and injuries and on young drivers who had been drinking. ABC described these programs as increasing safety on public roadways by addressing alcohol-related harm in the community. Reducing youth access to alcohol, and preventing service to obviously intoxicated adults, are ways to prevent crashes before anyone gets behind the wheel.
Agencies selected for local funding
ABC’s release listed the 26 local agencies selected for grant funding: the police departments of Corona, Costa Mesa, Davis, Emeryville, Escondido, Folsom, Gardena, Hermosa Beach, Hollister, Lakeport, Milpitas, National City, Oxnard, Pasadena, Pomona, Redlands, Rio Dell, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Sanger, Santa Maria, Soledad, Turlock, and Westminster, along with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office’s Lake Elsinore Station and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
Some agencies announced their awards locally. The City of Corona, for example, announced on October 31, 2023, that its police department had been selected to receive $30,500 to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors and alcohol-related crime through enforcement, education, and prevention programs.
How agencies were chosen
ABC first invited local agencies to apply in an August 7, 2023, grant announcement. ABC said it anticipated awarding grants of up to $40,000 to 25 agencies, supporting the Minor Decoy, Shoulder Tap, IMPACT, and LEAD programs, as well as holiday enforcement. Applicants were asked to submit a letter of interest, a budget estimate, and a printout of their OTS crash ranking showing alcohol-involved fatalities and injuries and drivers under 21 who had been drinking. ABC said selections would be based on crash rankings, goals relative to funding priorities, the ability to carry out the grant, and spreading funds across the state. The final award list included 26 agencies.
What each program means for licensees
Minor Decoy operations
A person under 21, supervised by law enforcement, attempts to buy alcohol at a licensed business. As the City of Corona described, if a clerk furnishes alcohol to the minor decoy, the clerk can be cited or arrested and face fines and community service, and the business may face ABC discipline.
Shoulder Tap operations
A minor decoy asks adults outside stores to buy alcohol for them. These operations target adults who furnish alcohol to minors.
Fake ID enforcement
Operations focused on people under 21 who use false identification. For licensees, the takeaway is to inspect IDs carefully. Our guide to common ID-checking mistakes and the FLAG method covers inspection.
Delivery service compliance checks
Checks to make sure alcohol delivered to customers is not handed to people under 21. Businesses that deliver alcohol, directly or through third-party services, should make sure ID is checked at the door.
Special event monitoring
Attention to designated special events where alcohol is served, where crowds and temporary staff can make compliance harder. Our guide to RBS rules for festivals and one-day events explains requirements for temporary crews.
Underage retail theft
Efforts addressing young people stealing alcohol from stores. Store layout, staff attention, and secure displays all matter.
IMPACT inspections
In an April 2025 spotlight, ABC described IMPACT as inspections of licensed premises to identify non-compliance, with licensees given an opportunity to correct violations before ABC initiates enforcement action. ABC said licensees who are unsure whether they are in compliance can schedule an IMPACT visit through their local ABC office.
LEAD training
ABC’s free LEAD program gives retail licensees and their employees practical information on selling alcohol safely, responsibly, and legally. ABC notes that LEAD does not meet the state’s Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) requirement for on-premises servers.
TRACE investigations
TRACE investigations trace the source of alcohol in emergencies involving people under 21 that result in great bodily injury or death, and certain incidents involving adults. Our guide to ABC’s TRACE program explains how it works.
What happened next
The 2023 grant was part of a recurring cycle. On November 15, 2024, ABC announced a $3.73 million grant from OTS running through the end of September 2025, again supporting local agencies with up to $40,000 each. Licensees should expect enforcement and education programs like these to continue, and should check ABC’s news releases for the current year’s details.
Preparing your business
Grant-funded operations are a reason to review the basics, not to panic. A business that checks IDs consistently and refuses sales to minors and obviously intoxicated people has little to fear from a compliance check. Practical steps:
- Use a consistent ID rule. ABC’s Model House Policies suggest asking for ID from anyone who appears 30 or younger.
- Train every employee. On-premises servers and managers must hold RBS certification, as ABC’s RBS page explains. Off-sale staff can take LEAD.
- Prepare for holidays. Grant-funded enforcement often increases during holiday periods. Remind staff before those periods.
- Check delivery procedures. Confirm that anyone delivering alcohol checks ID and refuses delivery to minors or intoxicated people.
- Request an IMPACT visit. ABC’s IMPACT spotlight encourages licensees unsure about compliance to schedule a visit with their local ABC office.
A readiness drill for your team
One practical way to prepare is to run a short internal drill before busy seasons. Ask a manager to walk through a typical sale with each employee and confirm they:
- Ask for identification from anyone who appears to be under the age set in your house policy.
- Take the ID in hand rather than glancing at it in the customer’s wallet.
- Read the date of birth and compare it to an age chart or point-of-sale prompt.
- Check the photo and description against the person in front of them.
- Look for signs of tampering or a card that does not appear genuine.
- Refuse the sale politely if the customer is under 21 or the ID is not acceptable.
- Watch for signs that an adult is buying for someone else.
Drills like this take only a few minutes, build confidence, and show managers where more coaching is needed. Recording the date of each drill also adds to the business’s training records.
Delivery, pickup, and online orders
The 2023 grant specifically included compliance checks involving alcohol delivery services. That reflects how many alcohol sales now happen outside the traditional counter. Businesses that deliver or offer curbside pickup should decide who checks identification, when it is checked, and what happens if the recipient cannot show valid ID or appears intoxicated. Drivers should never leave alcohol at a door without checking ID, and orders should be returned rather than handed to someone under 21. Clear written procedures, and training for everyone involved in delivery, help prevent violations in a part of the business managers may not see directly.
Understanding the stakes
ABC’s disciplinary guidelines set a standard 15-day suspension for a licensee’s first sale to a minor, 25 days for a second within 36 months, and revocation for a third within 36 months. Those penalties apply whether the buyer is a decoy or not.
Making the most of free resources
Grant-funded programs are not only about enforcement. LEAD training is free for retail licensees and employees, IMPACT visits give businesses a chance to correct problems before enforcement action, and ABC’s model policies offer a template for written procedures. Businesses that use these resources build stronger compliance habits and show regulators that they take responsible sales seriously. Managers can schedule LEAD sessions for new staff and keep certificates with other training records, so proof of training is easy to find whenever it is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Who funds these grants? According to ABC, the funds come from OTS through NHTSA.
Will my business be notified before a decoy operation? Not necessarily. Prepare as though any customer could be part of a compliance check.
Can I ask ABC to inspect my business? ABC says licensees can schedule an IMPACT visit through their local ABC office.
Do grant-funded operations target particular businesses? ABC’s announcements describe statewide programs carried out by ABC and selected local agencies. Any licensed business could be part of a compliance check, so the best preparation is consistent ID checking every day.
Are these grants announced every year? ABC has announced OTS-funded grants in multiple years, including 2023 and 2024. Check ABC’s news releases for the current cycle and the list of participating agencies.
The bottom line
ABC’s 2023 grant funded a wide range of programs aimed at keeping alcohol away from young people and improving compliance. For licensees, the message is consistent: check IDs, train staff, and treat every sale as one that might be checked.
Be ready for any compliance check
Consistent ID checks and responsible service start with training. ServeTrain’s RBS course helps California servers and managers prepare for ABC’s certification exam. Before enrolling, register or log in to your RBS Portal account with ABC and confirm your chosen course appears in the portal’s training provider search.
Sources
- California ABC, ABC Awarded Grant to Reduce Underage Drinking and Alcohol-Related Harm (2023)
- City of Corona, Corona Police Department Receives Grant to Fight Alcohol-Related Harm (Oct. 31, 2023)
- California ABC, ABC Announces Grants for Local Law Enforcement (Nov. 14, 2023)
- California ABC, 2025 Spotlight on the IMPACT Program (Apr. 18, 2025)
- California ABC, LEAD Training
- California ABC, ABC Awarded Grant to Reduce Underage Drinking and Alcohol-Related Harm (Nov. 15, 2024)
- California ABC, Model House Policies
- California ABC, Responsible Beverage Service Training Program
- California ABC, Penalty Guidelines
This article is general information, not legal advice.
