WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants
Agency: Bureau of Reclamation
Program Website: https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/weeg/index.html
About The Program
Through the WaterSMART Grants (formerly Challenge Grants) Reclamation provides 50/50 cost share funding to irrigation and water districts, Tribes, States and other entities with water or power delivery authority. Projects should seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy, protect endangered species, or facilitate water markets. Projects are selected through a competitive process and the focus is on projects that can be completed within 24 months that will help sustainable water supplies in the western United States.
WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants Overview
Q. What are WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants?
A. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program establishes a framework to provide Federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water, integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources, and coordinating the water conservation activities of various Department bureaus and offices. Through the Program, the Department is working to achieve a sustainable water management strategy to meet the Nation’s water needs. WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants contribute to the WaterSMART strategy by providing cost-shared assistance on a competitive basis for projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency, benefit endangered and threatened species, otherwise support water sustainability benefits, or carry out other activities to address climate-related impacts on water or prevent any water-related crisis or conflict.
Q. What types of projects will be considered for WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants?
A. Projects should seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency, protect endangered and threatened species, otherwise support water sustainability benefits, or carry out other activities to address climate-related impacts on water or prevent any water-related crisis or conflict.
Q. What are the objectives for the WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant?
A. The objective of the WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to invite States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency, benefit endangered and threatened species, otherwise support water sustainability benefits, or carry out other activities to address climate-related impacts on water or prevent any water-related crisis or conflict.
Q. Who is eligible to apply for WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant funding?
A. Under P.L. 111-11, Section 9502, an applicant eligible for funding under this FOA is a State, Indian tribe, irrigation district, water district, or other organization with water or power delivery authority.
Applicants must also be located in the western United States or Territories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended and supplemented; specifically: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
Q. What is the performance period for proposals that are funded by the WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants?
A. In general, projects funded under Funding Group I should be completed within 2 years of award; projects funded under Funding Group II should be completed within 3 years of award.
Applications for projects requiring more time will be considered for funding only under limited circumstances. For example, some renewable energy project installations may require additional time to secure necessary permits.
Contact Info
For additional on WaterSMART Grants, please contact Mr. Josh German at 303-445-2839 or send an email to jgerman@usbr.gov. If you would like to receive email of Water and Energy Efficiency Grants, please send an email to watersmart@usbr.gov with your name and email. Please put WEEG in the subject line.
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