Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention (10.904)
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention (Assistance Listing 10.904) is run by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $1.1 billion in 261 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $4.1 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $612,500. Half of the 261 awards fell between $206,550 and $1.6 million, and they ranged from $2,330 to $135 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$1.1 billion
- Grant awards261
- Typical award$612,500
- Awarded in FY 2025$104 million
- Size rank249 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants (cooperative agreements or contracts), advisory services and counseling
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $123 million in fiscal 2021 to $104 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 249th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 79% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 37 states and territories.
What the program funds
To provide technical and financial assistance in carrying out works of improvement to protect, develop, and utilize the land and water resources in watersheds. The assistance is provided to State and local agencies and tribal governments, to prevent damage caused by erosion, floodwater, and sediment; further the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water; and advance the conservation and utilization of the land.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Any State agency, county or groups of counties, municipality, town or township, soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood control district, Indian tribe or tribal organization, or any other nonprofit agency with authority under State law to levy taxes, condemnation authority, and to carry out maintenance, and operate watershed works of improvement may apply for assistance. This program is available in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Mariana Islands and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Technical assistance is provided in planning, designing, and installing watershed works of improvement. Financial assistance is provided for sharing costs of implementing measures for watershed protection, flood prevention, agricultural water management, sedimentation control, public water based fish, wildlife, recreation; municipal and industrial water supply. Authorized watershed area must not exceed 250,000 acres. Capacity of a single structure is limited to 25,000 acre-feet of total capacity and 12,500 acre-feet of floodwater detention.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing. Matching Requirements: Percent: Other Technical and financial assistance under which program funds provide certain prescribed services and costs and a percentage of other costs on the basis of a contract vary according to purpose of the works of improvement. For example, for construction costs under the Act, program funds provide 100 percent for flood prevention; up to 50 percent of agricultural water management, public recreation and fish and wildlife purposes; and none of the costs for certain other nonagricultural water management purposes. All of the applicants' installation costs are eligible for program loans. Reimbursable advances are available for preservation of sites and future municipal water supply. Sponsors are required to obtain all land and water rights and permits prior to installation of project measures, and for operation and maintenance.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Deadlines do not apply
Award range and average, in the agency's words
(per State) $0 to $2,164,000; $650,000.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention (10.904) awarded$1.1 billion across 261 grant awards, an average of $4.1 million per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 84% of the money, nonprofits 13% and tribes 2.5%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 240 | $892 million | 84% |
| Nonprofits | 14 | $138 million | 13% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 4 | $26.0 million | 2.5% |
| Colleges and universities | 2 | $1.7 million | 0.2% |
| Small businesses | 1 | $51,479 | 0% |
By state
29 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 7 | $181 million |
| Mississippi | 7 | $176 million |
| Georgia | 7 | $113 million |
| California | 7 | $92.1 million |
| Oregon | 22 | $84.9 million |
| Utah | 32 | $66.6 million |
| Massachusetts | 54 | $64.1 million |
| New York | 2 | $46.3 million |
| Rhode Island | 4 | $32.4 million |
| Missouri | 1 | $31.5 million |
| South Carolina | 7 | $30.6 million |
| Alabama | 6 | $24.8 million |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1 | $17.3 million |
| North Carolina | 3 | $16.0 million |
| Colorado | 3 | $10.8 million |
| Virginia | 1 | $10.5 million |
| Nebraska | 17 | $10.0 million |
| West Virginia | 11 | $9.8 million |
| Louisiana | 11 | $9.6 million |
| Oklahoma | 11 | $6.7 million |
| Arizona | 9 | $5.1 million |
| Iowa | 8 | $3.1 million |
| Wyoming | 6 | $2.8 million |
| Montana | 1 | $1.7 million |
| North Dakota | 3 | $1.5 million |
| Idaho | 3 | $1.5 million |
| Kansas | 3 | $1.3 million |
| Hawaii | 1 | $1.2 million |
| Texas | 2 | $1.1 million |
| Washington | 1 | $970,683 |
| Nevada | 2 | $900,484 |
| Maine | 2 | $561,431 |
| Indiana | 1 | $488,000 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $310,000 |
| New Mexico | 1 | $205,532 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $76,694 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $25,000 |