Water Use and Data Research (15.981)
Water Use and Data Research (Assistance Listing 15.981) is run by the U.S. Geological Survey, part of the Department of the Interior. It awarded $1.5 million in 13 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $116,361 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $119,687. Half of the 13 awards fell between $94,702 and $125,000, and they ranged from $11,120 to $524,796.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$1.5 million
- Grant awards13
- Typical award$119,687
- Awarded in FY 2025$103,753
- Size rank1,789 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceCooperative agreements (discretionary grants)
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $581,361 in fiscal 2021 to $103,753 in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 1789th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 12 largest recipients received 108% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 12 states and territories.
What the program funds
External Funding from this program is no longer available. In pervious years, when external funding from this program was active, the goal as to support State water resource agencies in developing water use and availability datasets that are integrated with each appropriate dataset developed or maintained by the USGS or that integrate any water use or water availability dataset of the State water resource agency into each appropriate dataset developed or maintained by the USGS. The Water Use Data and Research program will allow State Water Resource agencies to improve the collection and reporting frequency of water use categories, including the inclusion of categories that have been discontinued in the past due to limited resources. Data collection, and improvement efforts, as well as research conducted will complement priorities and investigations carried by Federal, State, and Local Governments, and by private industry in water availability assessments for human and ecological uses.
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
Proposals will be accepted from state agencies that collect and maintain water use data and databases. Various elements of the data that are required for the Water Use Data and Research (WUDR) program are often available from different agencies within a state; however only one agency is eligible to submit a proposal for the program. We ask that State agencies collaborate in this instance, and States may submit a single proposal that covers the work of multiple state agencies. Coordination of agencies within a state is strongly encouraged to avoid proposals that overlap.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Funding will be used to support State Water Resource agencies in improving data collection techniques and methods, data delivery and management, and data integration with each appropriate dataset developed or maintained by the USGS. Funding for each State cannot exceed $250,000 cumulatively over the length of the program.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
The Water-Use Data and Research (WUDR) program offered one application round in FY2024. The round was open from December 13, 2023, to April 11, 2024.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Past Fiscal Year (2024): In FY2024, financial assistance ranged from $119,687 to $120,788, with an average of $120,237. Current Fiscal Year (2025): In FY2025, financial assistance was $0. Budget Fiscal Year (2026):In FY2026, financial assistance is expected to be $0.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Zero projects were supported in Fiscal Year 2025.Fiscal Year2026: Zero project are expected to be supported in Fiscal Year 2026.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Water Use and Data Research (15.981) awarded $1.5 million across 13 grant awards, an average of $116,361 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University | Colorado | 1 | $524,796 |
| Department of Natural Resources | Georgia | 2 | $250,000 |
| Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | Wisconsin | 1 | $125,000 |
| Department of Planning & Natural Resources | U.S. Virgin Islands | 1 | $120,788 |
| West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection | West Virginia | 1 | $119,687 |
| Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs | Alabama | 1 | $114,398 |
| State of Delaware, Dnrec | Delaware | 1 | $111,742 |
| Department of Water Resources Oregon | Oregon | 1 | $94,944 |
| Natural Resources & Conservation, Montana Dept of | Montana | 1 | $78,299 |
| North Dakota Department of Water Resources | North Dakota | 1 | $67,232 |
| University of Illinois | Illinois | 1 | $24,000 |
| Kansas Department of Agriculture | Kansas | 1 | $8,961 |
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 63% of the money, colleges and universities 36%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 10 | $959,906 | 63% |
| Colleges and universities | 2 | $548,796 | 36% |
| Other | 1 | $3,985 | 0.3% |
By state
No state received $1 million or 10 awards from this program, so it has no state pages.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 1 | $524,796 |
| Georgia | 2 | $250,000 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $125,000 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 1 | $120,788 |
| West Virginia | 1 | $119,687 |
| Alabama | 1 | $114,398 |
| Delaware | 1 | $111,742 |
| Oregon | 1 | $94,944 |
| Montana | 1 | $78,299 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $67,232 |
| Illinois | 1 | $24,000 |
| Kansas | 1 | $8,961 |