Up to 2,000 small businesses will be honored as “CalSavers Champions” and receive $500 prizes, totaling $1 million, as part of the state’s requirement that employers offer retirement savings by Dec. 31, 2025.
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — CalSavers, the State of California’s automatic enrollment IRA program designed to ensure all Californians have access to workplace retirement savings, announced today that up to 2,000 small businesses will be named “CalSavers Champions” and receive a $500 prize as part of a $1 million initiative. To highlight employers stepping up ahead of the state requirement to offer retirement savings by Dec. 31, 2025, CalSavers has launched Rewarding Retirement Readiness, a first-of-its-kind campaign with $1 million in prizes available.
The campaign supports employers in the program’s final requirement wave, which covers more than 500,000 businesses. It is larger than the previous three waves combined and represents the most ambitious state retirement savings expansion in the country.
CalSavers was created to help close California’s retirement savings gap by giving workers whose employers do not sponsor a plan a straightforward way to save directly from their paycheck. Under state law, all employers with one or more employees are required to offer a retirement savings program, either by providing a qualified plan or by facilitating CalSavers. The deadline to meet this requirement is Dec. 31, 2025.
Employers that joined CalSavers and began facilitating by July 31 were entered into the first drawing. Employers that remain in the program but did not win in the first drawing will be automatically eligible for the second drawing, along with those that register and facilitate between Aug. 1 and Nov. 30, 2025. Registering earlier not only satisfies the requirement but also gives employees more time to save and provides businesses with added support during the process.
Among the first “CalSavers Champions” was Love Listen and Play, a family-focused business supporting children and families across California. Founder Abigail D. Ortega, LCSW, said being recognized as a “CalSavers Champion” is already helping her organization grow.
“Thank you so much for selecting Love Listen and Play as a CalSavers Champion,” Ortega said. “We are honored to be recognized and deeply appreciate the support. This $500 will help us continue creating a nurturing environment for children and families by purchasing furniture and therapeutic toys for our new space that is now serving more children and families throughout California.”
“Small businesses are the heart of California’s economy, and when they succeed, our communities succeed,” said California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA. “Through CalSavers, we’re making it simple for employers to give their workers something priceless, the chance to save for their future. Rewarding Retirement Readiness is about recognizing small businesses that step up for their employees while making sure every Californian has the tools to build financial security.”
Winners Spotlight
- ALL TIME ALERT SECURITY– Inglewood
- Cervecería Del Pueblo –Pasadena
- GenCare Health Services– Santa Clarita
“This award would allow us to provide an extra bonus to employees who participate in CalSavers, giving them a meaningful boost as they work hard to provide for their families while also saving for their futures.” - Leadership Council San Mateo County– San Mateo
“Leadership Council San Mateo County is committed to making our immersive, 10-month leadership programs accessible to all leaders who live or work in San Mateo County. The $500 contribution from CalSavers will be added to our Future Leaders Scholarship Fund, which helps ensure that cost is not a barrier for leaders who wish to participate in our programs.” - Love Listen and Play– Long Beach
“At Love Listen and Play, this $500 will help us continue creating a nurturing environment for children and families by purchasing furniture and therapeutic toys for our new space that is now serving more children and families throughout California.” - PB Break Inc.– Pismo Beach
“Thank you so much. We are a new business and are very appreciative of the $500.00 donation.” - Riverside Arts Academy– Riverside
“We are honored to be recognized and proud to support our employees by maintaining compliance with this important program. The $500 award will directly support our mission of providing access to high-quality music and arts education for youth in our community. Every contribution helps us continue to invest in resources that uplift and empower our students.” - Simply Organized– Danville
“As a small business owner, every bit of support makes a meaningful difference. This $500 incentive will help Simply Organized invest in continued training and resources for my team, allowing us to better serve our clients and strengthen our business operations. It’s an encouraging recognition of the hard work and dedication that goes into supporting both our employees and the families we work with every day. I’m grateful for programs like CalSavers that champion small businesses and help us create a positive impact in our community.” - What’s Up Wellness / Imagine Arts and Family Therapy– Grass Valley
“For our organization, $500 can be used for our current website promotions. We are really trying to spread the word about the amazing work we are doing in our community. We support the mental health of teenagers and we are wanting to bring in more support from the community to do so.” - Wicker Law Group– Escondido
“As a small business owner, I am especially grateful to receive this award.” - World Builders Incubator– Berkeley
“This joyfully unexpected $500 from Cal Savers will help WBI toward our goal of ensuring that all of the beta cohort writers have the opportunity for a public reading of their finished work, performed by professional actors and presented to agents, producers, and other audience members.”
How to join the next round
- Employers required to offer a retirement savings program by Dec. 31, 2025, can still take part.
- To be eligible for the second drawing, businesses must register with CalSavers and begin facilitating contributions between Aug. 1 and Nov. 30, 2025.
- Up to 1,000 businesses will be recognized as “CalSavers Champions” in the second drawing.
- Registration and facilitation take about 15 minutes to set up online, with no employer fees, no required contributions and no fiduciary responsibility.
Businesses can learn more, register, facilitate and read the official rules at www.calsavers.com.
Fiona Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer. She is the first woman of color, and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. Treasurer Ma serves as the state’s banker and is agent of sale for all state bonds and trustee of billions of dollars of state indebtedness. The State Treasurer’s Office also processes more than $3 trillion in banking transactions annually and manages a $150 billion investment portfolio. As State Treasurer, Ma is also chair of many boards, commissions, and authorities that provide financing for schools, housing, recycling and waste management, alternative energy, hospitals, and other projects that create jobs, improve California’s economy, and better the lives of residents.
