Federal grant programs / Department of the Interior

Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects (15.074)

Also known as Small Storage Program

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$54.3 million
• Grant awards6
• Typical award$8.7 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$6.5 million
• Size rank1,014 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceGrant

Key findings

• It is the 1014th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 6 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 2 states and territories.

What the program funds

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58, established the Small Water Storage and Groundwater Grant Program to enhance water storage opportunities. It provides up to the lesser of 25 percent, or $30 million, for the cost of planning, design, and construction of small water storage projects that, when implemented, will increase water supply reliability, improve operational flexibility, and enhance resiliency of water and related infrastructure throughout the 17 western states, Alaska, and Hawaii.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

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

Eligible recipients of the Small Storage Program funding are identified under the 1902 Act and include State, regional, or local authorities; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; or other entities such as a water conservation or conservancy district, wastewater district, rural water district, located in the 17 western United States (Reclamation State) as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended or Alaska or Hawaii.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Reclamation’s Small Storage Program provides cost-shared funding on a competitive basis for the planning, design, and construction of small surface water and groundwater storage projects.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Federal funding for Small Storage Program construction projects is generally limited to 25% of the total project or $30 million, whichever is less. The eligible maximum amount will vary by project. The sponsor must pay all operation, maintenance, and replacement (OM&R) costs of the project.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by April 17, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m., MDT.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Range for award is $2,000,000 to $17,000,000 Reclamation can award up to 25 percent of the total eligible cost of planning, design, and/or construction that will be conducted, up to a maximum of $30 million per project.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: Program did not have a funding opportunity in FY25.Fiscal Year2026: Program anticipates funding up to ten water storage projects that will increase water supply reliability, improve operational flexibility, and enhance resiliency of water and related infrastructure throughout the 17 western states, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Almost all of the money went to state and local governments.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.