Water Quality Grants

Department of Fish and Wildlife

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks proposals for highest priority projects associated with the implementation of an NCCP. The intention of this Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) is to solicit proposals of the highest quality that are consistent with the goals of the NCCP Program. To help achieve this intention, the PSP provides guidance on Applicant eligibility, the grant process and deadlines, and application and submission procedures. Proposals must address the highest priority tasks associated with the implementation of an NCCP such as: Management Activities: Immediate management actions on newly acquired NCCP reserve lands. Restoration/Enhancement: Restoration or enhancement of habitats or species populations on NCCP reserve lands. Monitoring: Design and implementation of biological monitoring programs identified in an NCCP, including the establishment of sampling methods, monitoring plots, data collection, management, and analysis. Reserve Management Plans: Development and implementation of individual reserve management plans. Mapping: New or updated mapping in support of NCCP management or monitoring activities, such as vegetation community mapping. Targeted Studies for Adaptive Management: Studies to evaluate management actions for covered habitats or species, and whether such actions are meeting stated goals or require adjustments through adaptive management. Other: Other non-land acquisition priority tasks, identified by the applicant and implementing partners, which are needed to ensure effective implementation of the NCCP. This solicitation opens on June 1st, 2026, and closes at 8:00 pm (PDT) July 31st, 2026.

Environmental Protection Agency

Technical Assistance and Training for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems

Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications under the authority of the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 104(b)(8) to provide Technical Assistance and Training for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems. The program supports small, rural, and Tribal communities efforts to identify water challenges, develop plans, build technical, financial, and managerial capacity, comply with CWA requirements, and access water infrastructure funding.Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity under the Clean Water Act, EPA will achieve greater protection of public health and the environment through an increase in trained water sector personnel, access to funding and financing for wastewater treatment facilities, and Clean Water Act compliance. This action advances the Administration s priorities, including to Make America Healthy Again, by improving water quality and reducing exposure risks, and enabling responsible economic growth for small, rural, and tribal communities through improved wastewater infrastructure. In partnership with States, Tribes, and local governments and grounded in sound science and the law, EPA will deliver cleaner water, stronger infrastructure, and long-term environmental stewardship for all Americans.The proposed activities support the Agency s Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative s Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American. Priority Areas identified in this opportunity are:(1) Technical assistance and training for rural, small, and Tribal municipalities for planning, developing and acquisition of financing/funding for eligible projects and activities. Technical assistance and training for rural, small, and Tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater systems to help improve water quality and to achieve and maintain compliance.(2) Technical assistance and training focused specifically on Tribes for planning, developing and acquisition of financing/funding, to help improve water quality and achieve and maintain compliance, and/or to support emerging contaminants project development.(3) Information dissemination, technical assistance and training focused specifically on decentralized wastewater treatment systems to support planning, development and acquisition of financing.Eligible entities for this grant program include nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education that can provide technical assistance and training to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities, publicly owned wastewater treatment works, and decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Assisting systems with their technical, managerial, and financial capacity to achieve long-term compliance is a key priority for the Agency. Infrastructure construction projects such as repairing water or sewer lines, adding new equipment, or upgrading, retrofitting, or rehabilitating existing equipment are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

Department of Fish and Wildlife

The HCP Land Acquisition Grant program was designed to reduce conflicts between the conservation of listed species and competing land uses on specific parcels of land associated with approved and permitted HCPs. Under this program, the Service provides matching grants to states in support of land acquisition projects that will conserve species habitat in perpetuity through fee simple acquisition or the acquisition of permanent conservation easements. The Service considers the use of federal acquisition dollars by states for habitat protection associated with HCPs to be an important and effective mechanism to promote species recovery, prevent extinction, and preclude the need to list species under the ESA in the future. All land acquired through these grants complements, but does not replace, the mitigation, minimization, and/or monitoring commitments of the HCP. Thus, this work is additive to the conservation commitments entered into when HCPs are permitted and serves as a meaningful way to leverage non-federal investment in species recovery and connect conservation lands across the landscape.  Please Note: Applicants to the 2026 Nontraditional Section 6: HCP Land Acquisition grant program must submit a proposal through this State opportunity. CDFW will not forward proposals to USFWS that were not submitted through this solicitation. This is a federal grant program administered by the State. Federal conditions are subject to change. The timeline for the FY2026 US Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants Funding Opportunity is set by the US Fish and Wildlife Service; it is unknown when that funding opportunity will be released. Proposals must be reviewed and approved by CDFW Regional staff. Contact your CDFW Region to coordinate on proposals. CDFW Regions will submit proposals to nccp@wildlife.ca.gov. Resources for this solicitation are based on the FY2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants funding opportunity announcement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (F25AS00035) and FY2025 CDFW requirements.

Department of Fish and Wildlife

The Conservation Planning Assistance Grant program provides funding to States to support the development of new Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) and Conservation Benefit Agreements (CBAs; formerly referred to as Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances). Funding may also be used to support the renewal or amendment of existing HCPs or CBAs. The development of HCPs that include only candidate or at-risk species (i.e., no federally listed species covered by the HCP), such that the HCP would be in place if the species is listed, is also supported through this program.  Funding may be used to support development and planning activities such as document preparation, public outreach, baseline species surveys, habitat assessments, and inventories. The preparation of environmental compliance review documents, such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), is also an eligible use of grant funds. For CBAs, outreach, coordination, and administrative costs associated with the implementation of permitted agreements is also an eligible use of funds this year. Please Note: Applicants to the 2026 Nontraditional Section 6: Conservation Planning Assistance grant program must submit a proposal through this State opportunity. CDFW will not forward proposals to USFWS that were not submitted through this solicitation. This is a federal grant program administered by the State. Federal conditions are subject to change. The timeline for the FY2026 US Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Conservation Planning Assistance Grants Funding Opportunity is set by the US Fish and Wildlife Service; it is unknown when that funding opportunity will be released. Proposals must be reviewed and approved by CDFW Regional staff. Contact your CDFW Region to coordinate on proposals. CDFW Regions will submit proposals to nccp@wildlife.ca.gov. Resources for this solicitation are based on the FY2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Conservation Planning Assistance funding opportunity announcement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (F25AS00184) and FY2025 CDFW requirements.

National Rural Water Association

Water system operator training and capacity building for small rural systems

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery

The Tire Incentive Program (TIP) provides a reimbursement incentive payment to eligible businesses that: Use recycled crumb rubber in eligible products orSubstitute crumb rubber for virgin rubber, plastic, or other raw materials in products.

Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Technical assistance for rural water and wastewater system improvements

Environmental Conservation

2025 Clean Water Board Pollution Control Grants

Bureau of Reclamation

WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program

Bureau of Reclamation

The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program funding opportunity invites eligible entities to apply for funding to develop local solutions to address their water management needs. This opportunity provides funding for watershed group development, restoration planning, and watershed management project planning and design. By providing this funding, Reclamation promotes water reliability and cooperation between stakeholders to reduce conflict, facilitate solutions to complex water issues, and stretch limited water supplies.The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program demonstrably advances Trump administration priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14154 (January 20, 2025): Unleashing American Energy (E.O. 14154) and Secretarial Order 3418, and aligns with other priorities and requirements, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14332 (August 7, 2025): Improving Oversight in Federal Grantmaking (E.O. 14332).

State Water Resources Control Board

Eligible Applicants: Local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations qualified to do business in California, Public Utilities, Federally and non-federally recognized Native American tribes on the Native American Heritage Commission’s list, and Mutual water companies. Eligible Uses: Eligible projects include recycled water treatment; recycled water storage, distribution, and pumping; groundwater recharge; indirect potable reuse; surface water augmentation; and large scale recycled water projects. Ineligible Uses: Operation and maintenance costs.  Eligible Costs:  Construction Grant Funding - Construction costs only Construction Grant Funding - Large Scale Recycled Water Projects - Planning, Design, and Construction. Eligible Communities: All community types are eligible for funding.  This includes small and large communities, non-disadvantaged, disadvantaged, and severely disadvantaged communities. For more information, please review the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) Guidelines:  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/docs/wrfp_guidelines.pdf  

State Water Resources Control Board

Eligible Applicants: Local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations qualified to do business in California, Public Utilities, Federally and non-federally recognized Native American tribes on the Native American Heritage Commission’s list, and Mutual water companies. Eligible Uses: Eligible projects include recycled water treatment; recycled water storage, distribution, and pumping; groundwater recharge; indirect potable reuse; surface water augmentation; and large scale recycled water projects. Ineligible Uses: Operation and maintenance costs.  Eligible Costs:  Construction Grant Funding - Construction costs only Construction Grant Funding - Large Scale Recycled Water Projects - Planning, Design, and Construction. Eligible Communities: All community types are eligible for funding.  This includes small and large communities, non-disadvantaged, disadvantaged, and severely disadvantaged communities. For more information, please review the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) Guidelines:  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/docs/wrfp_guidelines.pdf  

State Water Resources Control Board

Eligible Applicants: Local public agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations qualified to do business in California, Public Utilities, Federally and non-federally recognized Native American tribes on the Native American Heritage Commission’s list, and Mutual water companies. Eligible Uses: Eligible projects include recycled water treatment; recycled water storage, distribution, and pumping; groundwater recharge; indirect potable reuse; surface water augmentation; and large scale recycled water projects. Ineligible Uses: Operation and maintenance costs.  Eligible Costs:  Construction Grant Funding - Construction costs only Construction Grant Funding - Large Scale Recycled Water Projects - Planning, Design, and Construction. Eligible Communities: All community types are eligible for funding.  This includes small and large communities, non-disadvantaged, disadvantaged, and severely disadvantaged communities. For more information, please review the Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) Guidelines:  https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/docs/wrfp_guidelines.pdf