The Bureau of Reclamation has released a grant funding opportunity for communities to establish a new watershed group, expand an existing group and complete restoration planning efforts. The Cooperative Watershed Management Program encourages diverse stakeholders to form local solutions to address their water management needs.
A watershed group is a self-sustaining, non-regulatory, consensus-based group that is composed of a diverse array of stakeholders. Membership in a watershed group may include, but is not limited to, private property owners, non-profit organizations, federal, state, or local agencies, and tribes.
"This program brings local stakeholders together to collaborate on improving water reliability and management in their community. The intention of this is to facilitate locally driven and consensus-based solutions to complex water issues,” said Reclamation’s Program Manager Robin Graber.
Eligible applicants for this grant opportunity must be located in the western United States or a U.S. Territory. Entities in Hawaii and Alaska are also eligible to apply. States, tribes, local and special districts, local government entities, interstate organizations and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply to establish a new group. To expand a watershed management group, an existing watershed group or a participant in an existing watershed group is eligible to apply.
Up to $100,000 in federal funding will be available, with no more $50,000 available in each year of the two-year grant. A non-federal cost share is not required.
The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F010. The application deadline for 2019 funding is Nov. 13, 2019.
The Cooperative Watershed Management Program is part of the WaterSMART Program. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. Visit www.usbr.gov/watersmart to learn more.
