WaterSMART Planning and Project Design Grants
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
To provide cost-shared funding for collaborative planning and design projects to support water management improvements. This includes funding to (1) conduct planning activities and develop a strategy to improve water supplies, including drought resiliency planning and water marketing; and (2) to develop site-specific designs for construction projects that improve water supplies and/or water management.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- County Government
- Municipality/Township Government
- Other Special District Government
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Nonprofit Organization
In accordance with various authorities, eligible applicants include States, Tribes, irrigation districts, or water districts; other entities with water or power delivery authority; and state, regional, or local authorities, the members of which include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority. Nonprofit conservation organizations are also eligible to apply if they are acting in partnership with and with the agreement of an entity described above. Applicants must also be located in the western U.S. or Territories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended and supplemented; specifically, in 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, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Beneficiaries
- Other
General public, entities with water or power delivery authority, state, county, and local governmental entities, Tribes, watershed groups, nonprofit conservation organizations and other entities located in eligible states and territories previously described in applicant eligibility.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
Proposals received in response to the funding opportunity are reviewed through a competitive, merit-based review process, and are rated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the funding opportunity. Reclamation will make awards to the highest rated proposals based on the amount of funding available each year.
See Reclamation’s WaterSMART website https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/ for schedule information.
Program details & compliance
Description
The objective of the Planning and Project Design program is to leverage money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation for initial, or early-stage planning activities to identify and prioritize potential projects that will improve water supplies, water management, drought resiliency, and/or watershed management, and to develop a strategy document for the implementation of those projects. The program also provides cost share funding for the final design of on-the-ground water supply, water management, drought resiliency, and multi-purpose watershed management construction projects.
Mission Categories
Primary: Community Water Supply
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Planning activities eligible for funding for the development of a water strategy include outreach and partnership building; technical analyses, scoping, and other planning activities described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Project design activities eligible for funding include developing project requirements and evaluating design alternatives; evaluating site alternatives and selecting the project site; preparing final design drawings and specifications for construction; evaluating economic conditions, preparing project cost estimates and developing a project implementation plan; conducting biological and cultural resource surveys; researching legal and institutional requirements such as land ownership and easements; and other design-related activities described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Restrictions
Activities that are not eligible for funding include the design of projects considered normal operations, maintenance, and replacement; pilot projects and studies to evaluate technical capability, economic feasibility, or viability for full-scale implementation or to test an unproven material or technology; and planning and design activities related to on-farm improvements.
Each Notice of Funding Opportunity offered under this listing provides specific information about ineligible project types and activities.
Required Documentation
Nonprofit conservation organizations may be required to submit documentation that supports their eligibility under this program.
Matching Requirements
The recipient of an award under this program must pay at least 50% of the total project cost with non-Federal funds. Some projects may qualify for an increased Federal share of 75%. Note: this cost-sharing requirement may not be applicable to American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands. Please review funding opportunity for specific information.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements