WaterSMART Drought Response Program

About this grant

Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (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 NOFO 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 th Grant Number: R26AS00016. Expected awards: 20.

Eligibility requirements

All of the following criteria must be met:

• Applicants eligible to receive an award under this funding opportunity are described below. Category A Applicants States, Tribes, irrigation districts, and water districts; State, regional, or local authorities, the members of which include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority; and Other organizations with water or power delivery authority. Category A applicants must be

What the funding covers

• Award Range: $25K to $1.5M
• Expected Number of Awards: 20
• Total Program Funding: $13.5M

How to apply

1. 1Check eligibility: Confirm your organization type (e.g., nonprofit, state government), project alignment, and deadlines from the opportunity synopsis.
2. 2Register: Create a Grants.gov account via Login.gov, complete SAM.gov and UEI registration, and authorize organization representatives (takes 2-4 weeks).
3. 3Prepare application: Select "Apply" to open Workspace, download forms (e.g., SF-424), complete offline/online with validation checks, and upload supporting docs like budgets and narratives.
4. 4Submit and track: Check package for errors, sign/submit via Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and monitor status with your tracking number
5. 5Applications must be submitted through grants.gov
6. 6Grant Number: R26AS00016
7. 7Posted: 2026-03-05

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