WaterSMART Enhancing Water Resources Projects
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The Bureau of Reclamation is offering WaterSMART Enhancing Water Resources Projects grants to eligible entities to implement projects that improve water resource management for multiple uses. The program supports water conservation and efficiency, water infrastructure improvements, and river and watershed restoration, with collaborative projects that balance community interests and deliver significant watershed benefits prioritized. Applicants must follow detailed budget narrative guidance that aligns with 2 CFR Part 200, including allowable, allocable, and reasonable costs, cost-share information, and indirect cost treatment, and eligible applicants are limited to the listed Category A, B, and C entities in the western United States, Territories, or the specified watershed group categories. The opportunity is open until the two application deadlines of September 9, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. MDT and September 8, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. MDT, with a stated federal funding range of $50,000 to $3,000,000 and a grant contact of bor-sha-fafoa@usbr.gov.
Eligible Applicants
Applicants eligible to receive an award under this funding opportunity are described below.Category A Applicants States, 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; andOther organizations with water or power delivery authority.Category A applicants must 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 U.S. 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. All Category B applicants must be located in the United States, or the specific Territories identified above under Category A Applicants. Applicants applying under this category should include a letter of support or other documentation demonstrating that they are acting in partnership with and with the agreement of the Category A entity. Reclamation may request additional information to verify that the applicant meets this requirement. Category C Applicants:Watershed groups as defined in the Cooperative Watershed Management Act, Section 6001(6). All Category C applicants must be located in the United States, or the specific Territories identified above under Category A Applicants. To be eligible, the watershed group must: Be a grassroots, non-regulatory entity that addresses water availability and quality issues within the relevant watershed;Capable of promoting the sustainable use of water resources in the watershed;Make decisions on a consensus basis; andRepresent a diverse group of stakeholders representing different water use sectors, including hydroelectric producers; livestock grazing; timber production; land development; recreation or tourism; irrigated agriculture; the environment; municipal water supplies; private property owners; Federal, state and local governments; Tribes; and disadvantaged communities.Applications submitted by watershed groups will be ranked separately from all other applications.A watershed group is eligible to apply for 50-percent cost-shared funding without a Category A partner but must have a Category A partner to be eligible for 75-percent Federal funding. Watershed groups requesting 75-percent Federal funding should include a letter of support or other documentation demonstrating that they are acting in partnership with and with the agreement of the Category A entity. Reclamation may request additional information regarding whether an applicant meets the definition of a watershed group during the application review process. Ineligible ApplicantsThose not eligible to apply to include, but are not limited to, the following:Federal Governmental entitiesIndividuals Institutes of higher education