The Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program is now accepting applications for their FY 23 and FY24 Planning and Project Design Grants – Drought Contingency Planning (DCP).
The Details
This funding opportunity supports the development and update of drought contingency plans. Reclamation provides funding for planning that, when implemented, will increase water reliability, and improve water management through the use of expanded technologies and improved modeling capabilities.
- Applications are due by October 17, 2023, for FY23 funding and April 2, 2024 for FY24 funding.
- Applicants may request up to $400,000 for projects which can be completed within three years.
- Click here to access the funding opportunity on grants.gov and download the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (also searchable using the opportunity number R23AS00109).
- Learn more about DCP grants and WaterNow’s support by downloading our DCP Fact Sheet and visit our website for additional guidance!
Watch USBR's Webinar!
The Bureau of Reclamation hosted a webinar on August 24, to discuss eligible applicants and project types, and the evaluation criteria for the Planning and Project Design Grants and Drought Resiliency Projects funding opportunity. Click here to watch a recording of the live event.
Questions About the Grant?
If you are planning to apply or have questions regarding applicant and project eligibility, program requirements, or the evaluation criteria, you should schedule a time to talk with the USBR program coordinators by clicking here and selecting Drought Contingency Planning Inquiries.
Support from WaterNow Alliance*
Now, more than ever, our cities and utilities need all the financial support they can get to meet our region's water challenges. Through our WaterSMART Grant Application Support and Help Desk, WaterNow Alliance can support Colorado water providers with no-cost assistance to apply for these funds to bring critical support to your community. Our support services include:
- 1-on-1 calls to discuss grant opportunities and to strategize next steps
- Guidance on USBR grant submission processes
- Targeted research tasks related to your application
- Detailed review of your application (Please note that WaterNow is not able to write/draft WaterSMART applications)
- And more! We’ll work with you to determine what kind of support would be most useful to your utility or organization.
If you are interested in applying for these grants and learning more about how WaterNow can help support your application process, fill out this Google Form!
We Need Your Input: Take Our 5-Minute Survey!
We are committed to providing the best possible support to help Colorado water providers tackle regional water challenges. To understand how effective our WaterSMART Grant Application Support and Help Desk services are, please complete our short survey! You can access the survey here.
