Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief (15.514)
Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief (Assistance Listing 15.514) is run by the Bureau of Reclamation, part of the Department of the Interior. It awarded $467 million in 157 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $3.0 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $1.5 million. Half of the 157 awards fell between $400,000 and $2.0 million, and they ranged from $623 to $65.0 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$467 million
- Grant awards157
- Typical award$1.5 million
- Awarded in FY 2025$296 million
- Size rank386 of 1824
- Type of assistanceCooperative agreements (discretionary grants), project grants (contracts)
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $12.3 million in fiscal 2021 to $296 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 386th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 67% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 18 states and territories.
What the program funds
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 Drought Response Program invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for projects designed to improve drought resilience by developing effective water management strategies and drought contingency plans. Funding under the Drought Response Program supports a range of initiatives including infrastructure improvements for increased water storage and distribution capabilities, water source diversification, decision-making tools for water management, and comprehensive planning to prepare for and respond to drought conditions.
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
Drought contingency planning: States, Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located within Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Utah, Washington, America Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drought Resiliency Projects: States, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or local authorities whose members include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority, as well as Nonprofit conservation organizations if they are acting in partnership with and with the agreement of an entity described above. Applicants must be located in the Western United States or United States Territories, including 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 Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico.
What the money can and cannot pay for
For all recipients, funding under the Drought Response Program will be provided to: (1) develop and update Drought Contingency Plans and (2) implement projects that will build long-term resiliency to drought.?For further information, please contact a program coordinator listed at https://www.usbr.gov/drought/. Each Notice of Funding Opportunity offered through the Drought Response Program includes specific information about ineligible activities.;
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. The Federal share of the cost of a project or activity carried out under this Program shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of the project or activity. Note: this cost-sharing requirement may not be applicable to American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands. Please review individual funding opportunities for specific information. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Application deadlines are listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunities and vary from year to year. Contact a program coordinator at https://www.usbr.gov/drought/ for specific deadlines.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range: $173,000-$10,000,000 Average: $2.4 million
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Reclamation provided funding to a water conservancy district to construct a water treatment plant with the capacity to treat up to 5 million gallons per day from local springs in a state that has experienced moderate to extreme drought conditions in seven of the past ten years. During these drought periods, the district has become increasingly reliant on groundwater to meet demand. Currently, the springs are not utilized for culinary water supply; therefore, developing this water source will enhance the district’s resilience to drought-driven water shortages, particularly in years of reduced surface water availability. This project will augment existing groundwater capacity, providing a reliable source of water in drought years, while also offering greater operational flexibility for aquifer recovery during wetter years. The project is a priority in the district's drought contingency plan, ensuring its alignment with long-term water management goals and preparedness strategies. Reclamation provided funding to a county to construct three new groundwater wells and two observation wells to modernize a regional, multi-agency project, a key infrastructure protecting the aquifers from seawater intrusion. These aquifers supply drinking water to over 4 million residents and support regional water supply reliability. The county currently relies on three aging injection wells that will be decommissioned to prevent groundwater cross-contamination.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief (15.514) awarded$467 million across 157 grant awards, an average of $3.0 million per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 83% of the money, nonprofits 6.9% and tribes 4.3%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 115 | $388 million | 83% |
| Nonprofits | 17 | $32.4 million | 6.9% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 8 | $19.9 million | 4.3% |
| Other | 14 | $14.6 million | 3.1% |
| Small businesses | 2 | $9.7 million | 2.1% |
| Colleges and universities | 1 | $2.0 million | 0.4% |
By state
14 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 77 | $164 million |
| Utah | 20 | $116 million |
| New Mexico | 9 | $86.5 million |
| Texas | 6 | $23.2 million |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $16.2 million |
| Arizona | 9 | $13.2 million |
| South Dakota | 2 | $12.7 million |
| Colorado | 7 | $9.1 million |
| Washington | 5 | $7.6 million |
| Nevada | 5 | $5.6 million |
| Idaho | 4 | $5.4 million |
| Oregon | 3 | $2.6 million |
| Wyoming | 1 | $1.5 million |
| Virginia | 1 | $1.5 million |
| North Dakota | 1 | $689,000 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $200,000 |
| Montana | 1 | $182,869 |
| Kansas | 1 | $86,796 |