Applied Science Grants (15.557)
Applied Science Grants (Assistance Listing 15.557) is run by the Bureau of Reclamation, part of the Department of the Interior. It awarded $19.1 million in 86 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $221,564 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $199,993. Half of the 86 awards fell between $134,280 and $300,141, and they ranged from $24,000 to $400,000.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$19.1 million
- Grant awards86
- Typical award$199,993
- Awarded in FY 2025$1.5 million
- Size rank1332 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants (cooperative agreements)
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $1.7 million in fiscal 2021 to $1.5 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 1332nd largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 52% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 19 states and territories.
What the program funds
The objective of the Applied Science Grants is to provide funding to non-Federal entities for the development of tools and information to support water management. Eligible projects include the development of modeling and forecasting tools, hydrologic data platforms, new data sets, and cloud seeding.
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
See above.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Through Applied Science Grants, Reclamation provides cost-shared financial assistance on a competitive basis for projects to develop tools and information for: (1) assessing water availability and quality, (2) assessing risks to water supplies from drought and other water management challenges (e.g., invasive species, sedimentation, managing to meet competing water demands, meeting endangered species requirements, etc.), and (3) assessing and evaluating watershed management practices. Each Notice of Funding Opportunity offered under this listing 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
Deadlines are identified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity and vary from year to year. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range: $55,000 - $400,000 Average: $160,000
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Reclamation provided funding to an irrigation district to expand data monitoring and collection to improve water management for irrigation drains and assist in avoiding water shortages within a river basin.Fiscal Year2026: Reclamation provided funding to a tribe to collect river flows, temperature, and water quality data and develop databases, GIS maps, and models to guide forest management decisions and promote healthy watersheds.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Applied Science Grants (15.557) awarded$19.1 million across 86 grant awards, an average of $221,564 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at Arlington | Texas | 3 | $712,006 |
| Southern Nevada Water Authority | Nevada | 3 | $701,025 |
| Washington State University | Washington | 2 | $688,033 |
| Henry's Fork Foundation, Inc | Idaho | 2 | $673,211 |
| Mojave Water Agency Public Facilities Corporation | California | 2 | $603,704 |
| Western States Water Council | Utah | 2 | $600,000 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (See), Inc. | California | 2 | $599,681 |
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | New Mexico | 3 | $580,663 |
| Southwest Research Institute | Texas | 2 | $400,000 |
| Reclamation District 108 | California | 1 | $400,000 |
| University of California, Davis | California | 1 | $400,000 |
| Four Corners Community Foundation | Montana | 1 | $400,000 |
| Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency | California | 1 | $400,000 |
| Monterey County Water Resources | California | 1 | $400,000 |
| Snoqualmie Indian Tribe | Washington | 1 | $400,000 |
| Texas A&m University-Corpus Christi | Texas | 1 | $399,986 |
| World Wildlife Fund, Inc. | District of Columbia | 1 | $398,999 |
| Western Municipal Water District of Riverside County | California | 2 | $392,750 |
| Water District 63, State of Idaho | Idaho | 1 | $391,981 |
| The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California | California | 1 | $390,000 |
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 49% of the money, colleges and universities 23% and nonprofits 22%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 42 | $9.3 million | 49% |
| Colleges and universities | 19 | $4.4 million | 23% |
| Nonprofits | 19 | $4.2 million | 22% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 3 | $564,200 | 3.0% |
| Other | 3 | $496,786 | 2.6% |
By state
6 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 28 | $6.9 million |
| Texas | 12 | $2.2 million |
| Utah | 7 | $1.5 million |
| Idaho | 4 | $1.4 million |
| Nevada | 5 | $1.2 million |
| Washington | 4 | $1.2 million |
| New Mexico | 5 | $952,757 |
| Montana | 4 | $762,698 |
| Colorado | 3 | $570,840 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $500,000 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | $484,448 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $398,999 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $351,345 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $167,181 |
| Arizona | 1 | $132,102 |
| Wyoming | 1 | $109,200 |
| Oregon | 2 | $100,000 |
| Kansas | 1 | $97,822 |
| Virginia | 1 | $64,273 |