Township 9, a mixed-use project planned for the River District, is eligible for up to $1.35 million in Proposition 1C state bond funds after being recognized for its sustainable design plans, a state agency official said Thursday.

The 65-acre development, which will be built between the American River and Richards Boulevard east of Fifth Street, was named a Catalyst Project in the California Sustainable Strategies Pilot Program. The program was created to promote the goals of Senate Bill 375 promoting sustainable building strategies and less dependency on cars, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which awards the funding.

More than 10 state agencies partnered to create the program.

"When state departments work together, California is a leader in sustainability strategies," said Housing and Community Development Director Lynn Jacobs in a prepared statement. "This program will help spur innovation at the local level ... as well as create models for other communities to increase long-term prosperity.”

Township 9 was one of 13 Catalyst Projects named from throughout the state. Township 9 received a "gold" designation, along with two Bay Area projects and two Southern California projects.