Funding Opportunities

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/individual-water-wastewater-grants

Applicants must own and occupy a dwelling located in a Colonia and have evidence of ownership, have a total taxable income (based on the latest federal income tax form from all individuals residing in the household) that is below the most recent poverty income guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and have no delinquencies on any federal debt.

These grants are only available in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. The Colonia must be located in a rural area i.e., unincorporated areas and any city or town with a population of 10,000 or less) and is identified as a community designated in writing by the state or county in which it is located; determined to be a Colonia on the basis of objective criteria including lack of: potable water supply, adequate sewage systems, decent, safe and sanitary housing, or have inadequate roads and drainage.

Grant funds may be used to pay the reasonable costs for individuals to: (1) Extend service lines from a system to a residence. (2) Connect service lines to a residence’s plumbing. (3) Pay reasonable charges or fees for connecting to a system. (4) Pay for necessary installation of plumbing and related fixtures within dwellings lacking such facilities. This is limited to one bath tub, sink, commode, kitchen sink, water heater, and outside spigot. (5) Construct and/or partition off a portion of the dwelling for a bathroom, not to exceed 4.6 square meters (48 square feet) in size. Pay reasonable costs for closing abandoned septic tanks and water wells when necessary to protect the health and safety of recipients of a grant.(6) Make improvements to individual’s residence when needed to allow the use of the water and/or waste disposal system.

This program provides funds to households in an area recognized as a Colonia before October 1, 1989. Grant funds may be used to connect service lines to a residence, pay utility hook-up fees, install plumbing and related fixtures, e.g., bathroom sink, bathtub or shower, commode, kitchen sink, water heater, outside spigot, or bathroom.

Grant information: https://rd.usda.gov/programs-services/revolving-funds-for-financing-water-and-wastewater-projects

Nonprofits that have legal authority to operate a revolving loan fund and financial, technical and managerial capacity to comply with relevant state/federal laws and regulations.

Rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less, Federally recognized tribal lands, Colonias.

To create a revolving loan fund for eligible utility districts operated by state and local governmental entities and nonprofits.

This program helps qualified nonprofits create revolving loan funds that can provide financing to extend and improve water and waste disposal systems in rural areas.

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/search-special-evaluation-assistance-rural-communities-and-households

Most state and local governmental entities, Nonprofits, Federally recognized tribes.

Areas to be served must be rural and financially distressed: Rural areas with a population of 2,500 or less. Have a median household income below the poverty line or less than 80 percent of the statewide non-metropolitan median household income based on latest Census data.

Funds may be used to pay predevelopment planning costs, including: (1) Feasibility studies to support applications for funding water or waste disposal projects (2) Preliminary design and engineering analysis (3) Technical assistance for the development of an application for financial assistance.
The predevelopment planning costs must be related to a proposed project that meets the following requirements: (1) Construct, enlarge, extend or improve rural water, sanitary sewage, solid waste disposal and storm wastewater disposal facilities (2) Construct or relocate public buildings, roads, bridges, fences or utilities, and to make other public improvements necessary for the successful operation or protection of facilities (3) Relocate private buildings, roads, bridges, fences, or utilities, and other private improvements necessary for the successful operation or protection of facilities.

This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/solid-waste-management-grants

Public bodies, Nonprofits, Federally recognized tribes, and Academic institutions (Applicants must have proven ability, background or experience to successfully complete a project similar to the one proposed, and legal authority and capacity to provide technical assistance or training).

Rural areas and towns with a population of 10,000 or less.

Funds may be used to: (1) Evaluate current landfill conditions to identify threats to water resources. (2) Provide technical assistance or training to enhance the operation and maintenance of active landfills. (3) Provide technical assistance or training to help communities reduce the amount of solid waste coming into a landfill. (4) Provide technical assistance or training to prepare for closure and future use of a landfill site.

This program reduces or eliminates pollution of water resources by providing funding for organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites.

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-technical-assistance-training-grants

Nonprofits that have the proven ability, background, experience and capacity to provide technical assistance or training on a national, regional or state basis. (Must be legally established and located in the US).

Rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less, tribal lands in rural areas.

Funds may be used to: (1) To identify and evaluate solutions to water problems related to source, storage, treatment, distribution, collection, treatment and disposal. (2) To provide technical assistance and training to improve management, operations and maintenance of water and waste disposal systems. (3) To prepare water and waste disposal loan and grant applications.

This program helps qualified, private nonprofits provide technical assistance and training to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste problems; helps applicants prepare applications for water and waste disposal loans/grants; and helps associations improve the operation and maintenance of water and waste facilities in eligible rural areas.

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-predevelopment-planning-grants

Most state and local governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and Federally recognized tribes.

Rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less, Federally recognized tribal lands, and Colonias.

Grants may be used to pay part of the costs of developing a complete application for USDA Rural Development Water & Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs.

This program assists low-income communities with initial planning and development of applications for USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs.

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-loan-grant-program

This program assists qualified applicants who are not otherwise able to obtain commercial credit on reasonable terms. Eligible applicants include: most state and local governmental entities, private nonprofits, and Federally-recognized tribes.

Rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less, Tribal lands in rural areas, Colonias.

Funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of: (1) Drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage and distribution, (2) Sewer collection, transmission, treatment and disposal, (3) Solid waste collection, disposal and closure, (4) Storm water collection, transmission and disposal.

This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.

Grant information: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-grants-alleviate-health-risks-tribal-lands-and-colonias

State and local governmental entities serving eligible areas, Nonprofit organizations, Utility districts serving Colonias, and Federally recognized tribes.

Federally recognized tribal lands, areas recognized as Colonias before October 1, 1989, and rural areas and towns with populations of 10,000 or less.

Construction of basic drinking water and waste disposal systems, including storm drainage.

This program provides low-income communities, which face significant health risks, access to safe, reliable drinking water and waste disposal facilities and services.

Grant information: https://water.usgs.gov/wausp/wudr/

State water resource agencies which collect water use data. Applicants must have submitted a FINAL “Workplan” document as outlined by the WUDR FY15 Guidance in order to be eligible to receive an FY21 award.

Entire USA

Proposals that address one or more of the priority topics will be given funding preference.

Water managers across the United States require more complete, timely, and accurate water-availability information to support policy and decision-making, specifically, data associated with water withdrawals and consumptive use. Recognizing the limitations of current water-use data, the SECURE Water Act authorized a program that supports activities related to data collection and methods research and development at the State level. The USGS Water-Use Data and Research program (WUDR) will provide financial assistance through cooperative agreements with State water resource agencies to improve the availability, quality, compatibility, and delivery of water-use data that is collected or estimated by States. The Act requires that these State water use and availability datasets be integrated with appropriate datasets that are developed and/or maintained by the USGS.

Grant information: https://water.usgs.gov/wrri/national-competitive-grants.php

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States is eligible to apply.

Entire USA

Proposals on one of the folowing research priorities: (1) Expand and enhance the use of hydrologic monitoring data monitoring to support advanced modeling tools to provide state-of-the-art flood and drought forecasts, drive emergency- and water-management decision support systems. (2) Research to help society deal with water scarcity or water availability challenges such as drought, snow pack, and/or changes in runoff regimes. (3) Development and evaluation of processes and governance mechanisms that advance the science of ecological flows. (4) Exploration and advancement of our understanding of harmful algae blooms (HABs). Proposals are sought that focus on innovations in monitoring the occurrence of HABs and algal toxins, research on factors that result in algal toxin production, and improvements in near-real time modeling and forecasting of toxin-producing blooms.

The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources supports an annual call for proposals to focus on water problems and issues that are of a regional or interstate nature or relate to a specific program priority identified by the Secretary of the Interior and the Institutes. The goals of the National Competitive Grants program are to promote collaboration between the USGS and university scientists in research on significant national and regional water resources issues; promote the dissemination and results of the research funded under this program; and to assist in the training of scientists in water resources.