Funding Wizard

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Projects (AERP) NOFO provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems in support of the Department’s priorities. Through AERP, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with states, Tribes, and other entities as they study, design and construct aquatic ecosystem restoration projects that are collaboratively developed, have widespread regional benefits, and result in the improvement of the health of fisheries, wildlife, and aquatic habitat through restoration and improved fish passage.Restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems offers wide-ranging benefits for people and wildlife. Functioning aquatic ecosystems provide habitat for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, and store excess carbon, mitigate the impacts of drought and flood events, and support multiple water uses.The Bureau of Reclamation’s Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Projects funding opportunity provides support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and is aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resilience Partnership.

The United States Department of the Interior (Department), Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program (Program) aims to improve the skill of water supply forecasts via enhancing snow monitoring through the deployment of emerging technologies to complement existing monitoring techniques and networks. This new program was authorized in December 2020 by P.L. 116-260, Sec. 1111, Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act. The program was authorized for FY 2022 - FY 2026. Reservoir operations and related water management decisions rely on estimates of current and future water availability. These estimates depend on technologies to observe basin conditions such as snowpack. In many Western basins, snowpack and subsequent snow melt runoff constitutes a significant portion of the annual water supply. Accordingly, monitoring snowpack is of great interest to water managers and water users alike. Traditionally, basin snowpack information is based on a sparse network of observing stations across large watersheds. These networks provide high quality information at station locations but extrapolating that information to an entire watershed is a challenge. This challenge, in large part, motivates the Program. As such, the NOFO invites proposals from eligible applicants that are invested in and capable of demonstrating emerging or deploying existing snow monitoring technologies and/or use of snow monitoring data to enhance water supply forecast skill. Considering this and the Act’s emphasis on partner agency coordination, strong applications will have partnerships with water management and forecasting entities to facilitate transfer of knowledge, foster use of data in forecasts, and evaluate utility of information for informing water management decisions. This supports Department of the Interior priority of addressing the drought crisis by providing water managers the best available information to inform the management of this scarce and critical resource. In Phase I, applicants submit technical proposals in the required format and length as specified in Section D.2.1. Application Format and Length as well as with the required content further detailed in Section D.2.2. Application Content. Submission to Phase I is required for Phase II consideration. Reclamation’s application review committee (ARC) will select a set of highly qualified applications from Phase I to move to Phase II of the application process. Submission to Phase I is required for Phase II consideration. If the selected applicants are not present for Phase II, their proposals are automatically disqualified from proceeding further and will be ineligible for an award. Phase II will entail a 30-minute virtual (web meeting) project/proposal “pitch” presentation to a review panel, followed by 20 minutes of question and answer with the review panel. Those selected to advance to Phase II will be notified of the presentation requirements and logistics with a minimum 4 week's notice.

WaterSMART’s Environmental Water Resources Projects provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and is aligned with other priorities such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Environmental Water Resources Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership.

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. 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. Drought conditions across the Western United States (West) impact a wide range of communities and sectors, including agriculture, cities, Tribes, the environment, recreation, hydropower producers, and others. The West is experiencing its worst drought this century—historic in both duration and severity—threatening to kill crops, spark wildfires, and harm public health. As of July, the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that more than 93% of the land in nine of the Western states is in drought conditions, and nearly 60% of the area is experiencing extreme or exceptional drought. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation provides financial assistance to water managers for projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently and accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the West. Water recycling and desalination are essential tools for stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Water recycling projects develop and supplement urban and irrigation water supplies through water reuse—thereby improving efficiency, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water which increases water management flexibility and makes our water supply more reliable. Desalination projects develop and supplement municipal and irrigation water supplies through the treatment of ocean or brackish water, thereby providing a local supply, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply portfolio. The water recycling and desalination programs also provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and align with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Feasibility studies, planning activities, preliminary design and environmental compliance activities funded under this NOFO support the development of water recycling and desalination projects that will supplement existing fresh water supplies in urban and agricultural areas in the Western United States

The Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) 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 DOI priorities. 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 reliability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. The Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) provides 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 Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (E.O. 13985). Drought conditions across the Western United States impact a wide range of communities and sectors, including agriculture, cities, Tribes, the environment, recreation, hydropower producers, and others. Reclamation established the Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) in 1996 to encourage recipients of water from Federal water projects to conserve water and to assist agricultural and urban water districts in preparing and implementing water conservation plans in accordance with the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982. Through the WCFSP, Reclamation makes cost-shared financial assistance available for developing water conservation plans, designing water management improvements, identifying water management improvements through System Optimization Reviews (SORs), and improving the understanding of water conservation techniques through demonstration activities. This Water Conservation Field Services Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides funding for projects that result in water management planning. These planning projects support planning for water managers to plan, prioritize, and design projects that conserve and use water more efficiently; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western United States. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, please see www.usbr.gov/watersmart/.

TAP is administered in accordance with the Reclamation Act of 1902, as amended and supplemented. Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Division D - Energy and Water Development Appropriations, Title II, Sec. 201, Public Law (P. L.) 108-7 (43 USC 373d) authorizes Reclamation to enter into financial assistance agreements with Indian tribes and tribal organizations to increase opportunities to develop, manage, and protect tribal water and related resources.

Grants.gov NOFO Description

The objective of this NOFO is to invite states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, cities and towns, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located within the LCB to leverage their money and resources by cost-sharing water conservation planning activities with Reclamation to make more efficient use of existing water supplies. This NOFO is issued under the authority of Section 9504(a) of the Secure Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law [P.L.] 111-11 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 10364). Please see the related documents tab for the Full Funding Opportunity Document with additional information

The U.S. Department of the Interior (Department), through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) administers the Small Surface and Groundwater Storage Program (Small Storage Program) to promote Federal assistance to enhance water storage opportunities for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water. Congress enacted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Public Law 117-58 on November 15, 2021. Title IX – Western Water Infrastructure was enacted to address water storage infrastructure that is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 40903 authorizes Reclamation to provide funding for small surface water storage and groundwater storage projects. Surface water and groundwater storage are essential tools in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Water storage projects enhance and make more reliable municipal and irrigation water supplies as well as provide opportunities to enhance groundwater management abilities and to provide water quality improvements and ecosystem benefits. These projects will provide Western communities with new sources of water and increase water management flexibility, making water supply more reliable. Water storage projects help water managers increase resilience to climate change and are directly aligned with Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Hone and Abroad , see www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/execut…. Water storage projects are an important part of Reclamation and the Department of the Interior’s priorities. The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of small surface water and groundwater storage projects (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects.

The United States Department of the Interior (Department), Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) works with Reclamation researchers and partners to develop innovative, cost-effective, and technologically efficient ways to desalinate or treat water. DWPR aligns with Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” by investing in development and application of advanced water treatment technologies that expand access to otherwise unusable water resources, thereby increasing water supply flexibility under the risks of long-term climate change and shorter-term drought. Investing in such technologies leads to development of climate-resilient, cost-effective, and low-impact solutions that bolster the ability of Reclamation, its customers, and stakeholders to cope with stresses of climate change. DWPR funding plays a critical role in iterating an idea from the lab to a real-world demonstration, which yields products that serve the water treatment community and attract commercialization interest. Through DWPR, research sponsors partner with Reclamation to address a broad range of desalting and water purification needs. Reclamation is interested in research where the benefits are widespread and where private-sector entities are not able to make the full investment and assume all the risks. Reclamation is also interested in research that has a national significance—where the issues are of large-scale concern and the benefits accrue to a large sector of the public. DWPR program activities further support multiple related initiatives related to the Water Subcabinet such as the National Water Reuse Action Plan and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Security Grand Challenge. For further information on the DWPR Program, see https://www.usbr.gov/research/dwpr.