Grants / Department of the Interior / Bureau of Reclamation

R23AS00465: WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024

Closed Closed September 30, 2024 Opportunity R23AS00465 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects (R26AS00079). Status: Closes August 26, 2027 (292 days left). It is in our archive of Bureau of Reclamation notices from 2023.

• Award ceiling$30.0 million
• Cost sharingRequired
• Funding typeCooperative Agreement, Grant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Sponsors of seawater or brackish water desalination projects eligible to receive financial assistance to fund activities under this NOFO include state or local sponsors, which may include but is not limited to:States, Indian Tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, water districts, wastewater districts; and any state, regional, or other organization with water or power delivery authority. All applicants MUST be located in one of the following States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. See section C.1 Eligible Applicants requirement in the Full Announcement.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past WaterSMART Water Recycling awards averaged $10.5 million; this notice allows up to $30.0 million per award.
• Most of the program's money (90% over five years) went to state and local governments.
• The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.

What the grant funds

The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of eligible seawater and brackish water desalination projects to request cost-shared funding for planning, design, and/or construction of those projects. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is issued under the authority of the Water Desalination Act of 1996, Public Law (P.L.) 104-298, as amended by section 4009(a) of Title II, Subtitle J of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, P.L. 114-322.The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water. The WIIN Act was enacted in December 2016 to address water resources infrastructure that is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 4009(a) of Subtitle J of WIIN includes amendments to the Water Desalination Act of 1996 that authorize Reclamation to provide funding for construction of desalination projects. Desalination is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Desalination projects develop and supplement municipal and irrigation water supplies through the treatment of ocean or brackish water, thereby providing a local supply, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply portfolio. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water and increase water management flexibility, making water supplies more reliable. Desalination Construction Projects also provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. WaterSMART Desalination Construction Projects will advance the Biden- Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. Established by E.O.

Category: Natural Resources.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, R26AS00079, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.