The Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Program (SAFER)
🏛 State Water Resources Control Board (California)
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Jul 10, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for petroleum underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators who need financial assistance for cleanup costs. Eligible applicants include small businesses and individuals who own or operate petroleum USTs in California. The fund reimburses expenses related to cleanup of leaking USTs and helps meet federal and state financial responsibility requirements. Applicants must demonstrate a leak or release from their petroleum UST that requires remediation.
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Program description
In 2019, Senate Bill 200 (SB200) established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water (SADW) Fund to address funding gaps and provide solutions to water systems, especially those serving DACs, to address both their short- and long-term drinking water needs. The SADW Fund is one of several funds that are part of the larger SAFER Program. Complementary funding sources administered by the State Water Board’s Division of Financial Assistance for drinking water projects include: General Fund allocations, the Cleanup and Abatement Account, Proposition 68 Drinking Water, Proposition 1 and Proposition 68 Groundwater, and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which offers repayable, low-interest financing and loans with partial or complete principal forgiveness. Up to $130 million per year will be available from the SADW Fund for ten years (starting with Fiscal Year 2020-21) for local assistance and state operations. The amount available from complementary funding sources varies each year. The priority uses of the SADW Fund include: 1) addressing any emergency or urgent funding needs, where other emergency funds are not available and a critical water shortage or outage could occur without support from the Fund; 2) addressing community water systems (CWSs) and school water systems out of compliance with primary health standards, focusing on small Disadvantaged Communities (DACs); 3) accelerating consolidations for systems out of compliance, at-risk systems, as well as state smalls and domestic wells, focusing on small DACs; 4) providing interim solutions and initiating planning efforts for long-term solutions for state smalls and domestic wells with source water above a primary maximum contaminant level (MCL). Anticipated expenditures of the SADW Fund will be consistent with the priorities and will be used in conjunction with other available complementary funding available in the larger SAFER Program to address funding gaps. Priorities for the complementary funding sources part of the larger SAFER Program generally align with the priorities of the SADW Fund.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Proof of UST ownership or operation
- Documentation of unauthorized release or leak
- Itemized list of cleanup expenses with receipts
- Site assessment or remediation reports
- Evidence of regulatory involvement or orders
Program contact
- 📧 DFA-OSWS@waterboards.ca.gov
- 📞 1-916-327-9978
Funding track record
Past applications & awards under this program (California Grants Portal) — how competitive it is.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Applications | Awarded | Award rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 28 | 28 | 100% |
| 2022-2023 | 21 | 21 | 100% |
| 2023-2024 | 31 | 31 | 100% |
| 2024-2025 | 37 | 37 | 100% |
| 2020-2021 | 18 | 18 | 100% |
| 2025-2026 | 17 | 17 | 100% |
Source: California Grants Portal
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Petroleum UST owners and operators, including small businesses and individuals in California. You must own or operate a petroleum UST with an unauthorized release.
What expenses are covered?
The fund reimburses expenses associated with cleanup of leaking petroleum USTs. Costs must be directly related to remediation of the unauthorized release.
Is there a cost-sharing requirement?
No. The fund provides reimbursement without requiring matching funds from the applicant.
How much money can I receive?
Awards vary based on cleanup needs. The total fund is $1,000,000 with individual awards typically up to $1,000,000 depending on project scope.
When are applications accepted?
This is a rolling program. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis rather than on fixed deadlines.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Document all cleanup expenses carefully with receipts and invoices to support your reimbursement claim.
- Contact the State Water Resources Control Board early to discuss your UST release and determine eligibility before investing heavily in cleanup.
- Focus your application on demonstrating the direct connection between your cleanup expenses and the unauthorized UST release.
- Keep records of regulatory correspondence, site assessments, and remediation reports to establish the legitimacy of your claim.
- Submit complete documentation promptly, as funds are distributed on a rolling basis and may be limited.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting incomplete documentation or missing receipts that link expenses directly to UST cleanup activities. Applying without first confirming that your situation qualifies (unauthorized release from petroleum UST). Requesting reimbursement for general business losses rather than specific remediation costs.
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