2021 Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Program

Under the Budget Act of 2021(Stats. 2021, ch. 69, § 112), financial assistance will be provided by DWR to deliver grants for interim and immediate drought relief to urban communities and for multibenefit projects. DWR is combining the funding into one Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Program. This Grant Solicitation makes approximately $190 million in drought relief funding available. A set-aside of at least $50 million will be made to support Underrepresented Communities and Native American Tribes (Tribes). An applicant must be an existing grantee of the Proposition 1 IRWM Disadvantaged Community Involvement (DACI) program to apply for the Underrepresented Community set-aside. Eligible applicants are public agencies and utilities, colleges and universities, mutual water companies, 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, regional water management groups as defined in Section 10539 of the Water Code, federally recognized California Native American Tribes, and non-federally recognized Native American Tribes on the contact list maintained by the California Native American Heritage Commission. For the purposes of this Grant Solicitation, “project” means all planning, design, engineering, acquisition of real property interests, construction and related activities undertaken to implement a discrete action to be funded. Eligible project types include hauled water, installation of temporary community water tanks, bottled water, water vending machines, emergency water interties, new wells or rehabilitation of existing wells, construction or installation of permanent connection to adjacent water systems, recycled water projects that support immediate relief to potable water supplies, fish and wildlife rescue, protection, and relocation, and drought resiliency planning (not applicable to Multibenefit Drought Funds). Costs incurred after award date are eligible for reimbursement. Eligible costs include technical assistance, site acquisitions, and costs directly related to the provision of each project. Ineligible costs not reimbursable by this Grant Solicitation are listed in the Guidelines and Proposal Solicitation Package (GL/PSP) and include, but are not limited to, meals not directly related to travel, payment of stipends, purchase of equipment or water supplies that are not an integral part of the project, establishment of a reserve fund, replacement of existing funding sources for ongoing programs, operation and maintenance costs, expenses incurred in preparation of the application for this solicitation or an application for another program, and any indirect costs. Proposed applications will be reviewed for eligibility, in accordance with the GL/PSP. Criteria and metrics defined in GL/PSP will be used to evaluate and recommend projects eligible for funding to DWR Director or designee. Awards will be posted on DWR’s website and may be announced to the public through e-mail listserv or other means. Following approval by the Director or designee, the selected grant recipient will receive an award letter officially notifying them of their selection, the grant amount, and associated conditions and requirements.