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Grants / Natural resources

WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects

Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior

Deadline
August 26, 2027This NOFO will have two application submission periods with a final closing date of August 26, 2027. The due dates for…
Award size
$1,000 to $120 millionAbout 10 awards
Matching funds
RequiredYou must contribute some of the cost
Fit for small groups
Better for larger organizations

In plain language

This grant helps pay for projects that build facilities to desalinate seawater or brackish water. It is meant to help communities get more reliable water sources. The grant is for organizations in specific western states.

The money can pay for

  • Planning desalination projects
  • Designing desalination facilities
  • Building desalination facilities
  • Desalinating seawater or brackish water

Who can apply

States, tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, water districts, or wastewater districts in specific western states can apply.

Is it a fit for a small group?

Better for larger organizations. This grant is mainly for government entities, not small community nonprofits like food pantries or churches.

Before you apply

  • Matching funds are required
  • Only certain states are eligible
  • Only specific types of organizations can apply
  • Federal applicants need an active registration at SAM.gov and a Grants.gov account. Registration can take several weeks, so start early.

This summary was written by GrantGather with AI, based on the official listing. It can contain mistakes. Check the official listing on Grants.gov before you apply.

From the official listing

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 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). The WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects NOFO invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for the planning, design, and/or construction of facilities to desalinate seawater or brackish surface water or…

Read the full description

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 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). The WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects NOFO invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for the planning, design, and/or construction of facilities to desalinate seawater or brackish surface water or groundwater. By providing growing communities with new sources of local water supply, desalination projects diversify the water supply portfolio, increase water management flexibility during times of shortage, and make the water supply more reliable.

Opportunity number
R26AS00034
Posted
May 14, 2026
Total funding
$120 million
Eligible applicants
Others (see eligibility details)
Eligibility details
Applicants eligible to receive funding under this NOFO include States, departments of a State, subdivisions of a State, or public agencies organized pursuant to a State law, such as: States, Tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, and water districts, or wastewater districtsAll applicants must be located in one of the following States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Ineligible Applicants - Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:Federal Governmental entitiesForeign entitiesIndividualsInstitutes of higher education
Assistance listing
15.591 WaterSMART Desalination Construction Program
Agency contact
Bureau of Reclamation
bor-sha-fafoa@usbr.gov
tbd
Open the official listing on Grants.gov

Nonprofits are eligible here through the “Others” category. Read the eligibility details carefully.