Funding Wizard

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 objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of projects eligible under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects. A NOFO for congressionally authorized Title XVI projects is being released separately. 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 support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water. Through the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program (Title XVI), authorized by Public Law (P.L.) 102-575 in 1992, Reclamation provides financial and technical assistance to local water agencies for the planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse projects. Water recycling is a tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Title XVI 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. Title XVI water projects are an important part of the WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/. Eligible Projects Planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse facilities that are eligible for funding under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act, P.L. 114-322. In order to be eligible for funding, the Project must have a completed Feasibility Study that has been reviewed by Reclamation and found to meet all of the requirements of Reclamation Manual Release WTR 11-01 by the date that this NOFO is posted. If a feasibility study has been reviewed by Reclamation and found to meet the requirements of WTR 11-01, but the review findings have not yet been transmitted to Congress, Reclamation will transmit those findings to Congress either before project selections are made or concurrently with project selections. Eligibility does not entitle a project to any future Federal funding or create a new project authorization. All applicants should reivew the Full Notice of Funding Opportunity Document attached under the Related Documents tab above this statement. The Document provides full guidance and additional information on the application development process.

The objective of this FOA is to invite sponsors of congressionally authorized water reclamation and reuse projects (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects

The objective of this NOFO is to invite sponsors of congressionally authorized water reclamation and reuse projects (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects. A separate NOFO for projects eligible under section 4009(c) of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, P.L. 114-322, will be released. 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 support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water. Through the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program (Title XVI), authorized by Public Law (P.L.) 102-575 in 1992, Reclamation provides financial and technical assistance to local water agencies for the planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse projects. Water recycling is a tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Title XVI 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. Title XVI water projects are an important part of the WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/. All applicants should reivew the Full Notice of Funding Opportunity Document attached under the Related Documents tab above this statement. The Document provides full guidance and additional information on the application development process.

The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN), Public Law (P.L.) 114-322, was enacted in December of 2016 to address water resources infrastructure that is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 4009(a) of Subtitle J of WIIN includes amendments to the Water Desalination Act of 1996 that authorize Reclamation to provide funding for construction of desalination projects. Desalination is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. 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.. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water and increase water management flexibility, making our water supply more reliable. Desalination projects are an important part of the Department’s WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see www.usbr.gov/watersmart. The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of ocean and brackish water desalination projects (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects. Please see the related documents tab of the grants.gov page for this opportunity for the full Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement for additional information

Desalination is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. 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. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water and increase water management flexibility, making our water supply more reliable. Desalination projects are an important part of the Department’s WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see www.usbr.gov/watersmart. The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of projects eligible under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects. A NOFO for congressionally authorized Title XVI projects is being released separately. All applicants should reivew the Full Notice of Funding Opportunity Document attached under the Related Documents tab above this statement. The Document provides full guidance and additional information on the application development process.

The WaterSMART Applied Science Grants provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Applied Science projects 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 non-Federal entities to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on applied science projects (Project) to improve access to and use of hydrologic data as well as to develop and improve water management tools and improve modeling and forecasting capabilities. Results from these projects will be used by water managers to increase water supply reliability, provide flexibility in water operations, and improve water management. Project results must be readily applicable by water managers—resulting in tools and information that can be used to support: water supply reliability, water delivery management, water marketing activities, drought management activities, conjunctive use of ground and surface water, water rights administration, ability to meet endangered species requirements, watershed health, conservation and efficiency, and other water management objectives.

Through WaterSMART Applied Science Grants, Reclamation provides cost-shared financial assistance to States, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority, universities, nonprofit research institutions, and nonprofit organizations for projects to develop hydrologic information and water management tools and improve modeling and forecasting capabilities. Increased access to information and improved modeling and forecasting capabilities will help avoid water conflicts and improve our ability to meet a variety of water management objectives, including: support for water supply reliability, management of water deliveries, water marketing activities, drought management activities, conjunctive use of ground and surface water, water rights administration, ability to meet endangered species requirements, watershed health, conservation and efficiency, and other water management objectives.

Reclamation will provide funding for small-scale on-the-ground water efficiency projects which seek to implement work identified in an applicant’s water planning efforts. Example projects include, but are not limited to: Canal lining/piping Municipal metering Irrigation flow measurement Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Automation (SCADA) Landscape Irrigation measures High-Efficiency Indoor Appliances and Fixtures Upgrades to Commercial Cooling Systems to Improve Water Use Efficiency Other projects that are similar to those tasks listed above may be submitted for consideration and will be allowed to the extent that they are consistent with program authorization and goals.

Through WaterSMART Water Marketing Strategy Grants, Reclamation provides cost-shared financial assistance to States, Indian tribes, and local governments to develop water marketing strategies to establish or expand water markets or water marketing activities between willing participants, in compliance with state and Federal laws. Water Marketing Strategy Grants are a component of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Grants Program, which also includes Water and Energy Efficiency Grants and Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects. For further information on the WaterSMART Grants Program, please see www.usbr.gov/watersmart/index.html. The objective of this NOFO is to invite States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation to develop a water marketing strategy to increase water supply reliability. Applicants under this NOFO may request funding to develop a water marketing strategy (project) to establish or expand water markets or water marketing activities. A “water marketing strategy” is a framework for implementation of water marketing activities. Development of a water marketing strategy must include: (1) Outreach and partnership building; (2) Scoping and planning activities (e.g., hydrologic, economic, legal and other types of analysis); and (3) Development of a water marketing strategy document describing how water marketing activities will be implemented. For the purposes of this NOFO, “water marketing” refers to water rights transactions (e.g., the voluntary lease, sale, or exchange of water or water rights), or voluntary agreements governing water rights, water use, or water management (e.g., non-diversion agreements, dry-year options, and agreements governing groundwater recharge and storage), undertaken in accordance with State and Federal laws, between willing participants.