The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities.
Donor Name: Bureau of Reclamation
States: Selected States
County: All Counties
U.S. Territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/28/2022
Size of the Grant: $500,000 – $5,000,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply sustainability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. Water and Energy Efficiency Grants provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (E.O. 14008) and aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in Presidential E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Water and Energy Efficiency Grants also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership.
The objective of this NOFO is to invite eligible applicants to leverage their money and resources by cost-sharing with Reclamation on projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of renewable energy; mitigate conflict risk in areas with a high risk of future water conflict; enable farmers to make additional on-farm improvements in the future, including improvements that may be eligible for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funding; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western United States.
Funding Information
- Funding Group I – Up to $500,000 in Federal funds provided through this NOFO will be available for smaller on-the-ground projects that may take up to 2 years to complete.
- Funding Group II – Up to $2,000,000 in Federal funds provided through this NOFO will be available for larger on-the-ground projects that may take up to 3 years to complete.
- Funding Group III – Up to $5,000,000 in Federal funds provided through this NOFO will be available for larger on-the-ground projects that may take up to 3 years to complete.
Eligibility Criteria
Category A Applicants:
- States, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, and water districts;
- State, regional, or local authorities, the members of which include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority; and
- Other organizations with water or power delivery authority.
All Category A applicants must also be located in the Western United States or Territories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended and supplemented; specifically: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
Category B Applicants:
- Nonprofit conservation organizations that are acting in partnership with, and with the agreement of, an entity described in Category A. Category B applicants must include with their application a letter from the Category A partner, stating that they are acting in partnership with the applicant and agree to the submittal and content of the proposal.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
