# WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/r26as00034-watersmart-desalination-construction-projects/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362395

> Bureau of Reclamation is offering grants of up to $120 million (at least $1,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expects to make about 10 awards worth $120 million in total. Applications close on August 26, 2027.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | R26AS00034 |
| Agency | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Status | Open |
| Deadline | August 26, 2027 |
| Award ceiling | $120 million |
| Award floor | $1,000 |
| Expected awards | 10 |
| Total funding | $120 million |
| Cost sharing | required |
| Assistance Listings | 15.591 |

## Who can apply

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

Applicants eligible to receive funding under this NOFO include States, departments of a State, subdivisions of a State, or public agencies organized pursuant to a State law, such as: States, Tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, and water districts, or wastewater districtsAll 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, and Wyoming. Ineligible Applicants - Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:Federal Governmental entitiesForeign entitiesIndividualsInstitutes of higher education

## 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 WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects NOFO invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for the planning, design, and/or construction of facilities to desalinate seawater or brackish surface water or groundwater. By providing growing communities with new sources of local water supply, desalination projects diversify the water supply portfolio, increase water management flexibility during times of shortage, and make the water supply more reliable.

## Questions people ask

### Who can apply for WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects?

Bureau of Reclamation accepts applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects?

Closes August 26, 2027 (299 days left). Confirm the date and time in the official notice on Grants.gov.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $120 million each. About $120 million in total across about 10 awards.