Grants / Department of the Interior / Bureau of Reclamation

R25AS00279: Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects

Closed Closed June 2, 2026 Opportunity R25AS00279 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: WaterSMART Enhancing Water Resources Projects (R26AS00017). Status: Closes September 8, 2027 (305 days left). It is in our archive of Bureau of Reclamation notices from 2026.

• Award ceiling$125,000
• Award floor$1,000
• Total funding$4.0 million
• Expected awards50
• 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)

Eligible Applicants - Applicants eligible to receive an award under this funding opportunity are described below. Category A Applicants: States, Tribes, irrigation districts, and water districts;State, regional, or local authorities, the members of which include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority; andOther organizations with water or power delivery authority. Category A applicants must be located in the Western United States or Territories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended and supplemented; specifically: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Category B Applicants: Nonprofit conservation organizations that are acting in partnership with, and with the agreement of an entity described in Category A. Category B applicants should include with their application a letter from the Category A partner stating that the Category A partner:Is acting in partnership with the applicant;Agrees to the submittal and content of the application; andIntends to participate in the project in some way, for example, by providing input, feedback, or other support for the project. All Category B applicants must be located in the United States, or the specific Territories identified above. Note: Partners do not necessarily need to contribute cost share funding. Ineligible Applicants: Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:Federal Governmental entitiesIndividuals Institutes of higher education

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) awards averaged $626,058; this notice allows up to $125,000 per award.
• Most of the program's money (75% 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

Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and other entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply and hydropower reliability. The WaterSMART Program demonstrably advances Trump administration priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14154 (January 20, 2025): Unleashing American Energy (E.O. 14154) and Secretarial Order 3418, and aligns with other priorities and requirements, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14332 (August 7, 2025): Improving Oversight in Federal Grantmaking (E.O. 14332). The goal of the WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects NOFO is to invite eligible entities to apply for funding to implement projects that conserve water and enhance water supply reliability in water delivery systems. It encourages the implementation of small-scale projects identified through prior planning efforts, such as canal lining, water delivery automation, flow measurement, and other projects that increase water efficiency.

Category: Natural Resources.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, R26AS00017, which is open now.

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