Grant Deadlines:
CDPHE is now accepting applications for watershed implementation projects that restore waterbodies impaired by nonpoint sources of selenium, sediment, pathogens and/or nutrients AND/OR protect waterbodies from nonpoint sources of pollution. They are also accepting applications for projects that develop a new EPA Nine Element Watershed-Based Plan or update an existing EPA Nine Element Watershed-Based Plan. CDPHE is also excited to announce cycle three of the Colorado Environmental Justice Grants Program. This funding opportunity is a great source for matching funds for NPS projects in disproportionately impacted communities. More information on this grant is available on the department's Office of Environmental Justice webpage. Please visit the Nonpoint Source Funding Opportunities webpage for the 2025 RFA applications and reference materials. Applications must be submitted to cdphe_wqcd_nonpointsource+managers@state.co.us no later than December 4, 2024 by 5pm (MST). Please direct questions regarding the RFA to the Nonpoint Source Program at cdphe_wqcd_nonpointsource+managers@state.co.us no later than November 6, 2024 by 5pm (MST). Answers to those questions will be posted on the Nonpoint Source Funding Opportunities webpage on November 15, 2024.
The Southwestern Water Conservation District periodically offers financial assistance in the form of grants to “qualified entities” that are carrying out the statutory purpose of the District to protect, conserve, use and develop the water resources of the San Juan and Dolores River basins, as well as to safeguard all waters to which the state of Colorado is equitably entitled. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications starting on August 17, 2024, but no later than November 07, 2024, for any funding requests to be disbursed during the 2025 calendar year. Learn more HERE.
WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants (WEEG) funding opportunity provides funding for projects that result in quantifiable water savings, implement renewable energy components, and support broader sustainability benefits. These projects conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of renewable energy; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western United States. Applications are due November 13, 2024. Learn more HERE.
FY25 GUIDELINES FOR BROWNFIELD ASSESSMENT GRANTS - Community-wide Assessment Grants are for communities that are beginning to address their brownfield challenges, as well as for communities that have ongoing efforts to bring sites into productive reuse. This funding opportunity will provide funding for developing inventories of brownfield sites, prioritizing sites, conducting community involvement activities, conducting planning, conducting site assessments, developing site-specific cleanup plans, and developing reuse plans related to brownfield sites. A portion of the assessment grant funding must be used to conduct site assessments. Applications are due November 14th, 2024. Learn more HERE.
EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants — Rolling Applications until November 21st, 2024 —The deadline to request the free Technical Assistance (TA) to help develop Community Grant Program applications is August 16th, 2024. TA requests will not be accepted after that date. EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input.
Upper Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program’s second phase is known as "Bucket 2" and will utilize the remaining $450 million of Inflation Reduction Act funding dedicated to address water issues in the Upper Colorado River Basin. The Bucket 2 program is organized into two components. The "Bucket 2 Environmental Drought Mitigation" or "B2E" component of phase two provides funding to public entities and tribes for projects that provide general environmental benefits or ecosystem/habitat restoration benefits that address issues directly caused by drought. The Request for Applications under the title, "Upper Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation (B2E)" opened Monday, July 22 and will remain open until Friday, November 22. Learn more HERE.
Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water - Under this Notice of Funding Opportunity, EPA is seeking applications from organizations with a demonstrable history of providing effective, results-oriented technical assistance to public water systems. The agency’s priorities include maximizing funds to provide significant benefit to drinking water systems in communities of need; tackling the climate crisis; and advancing environmental justice and equity. The EPA believes this funding plays a significant role in ensuring continued access to resources to support infrastructure improvements that protect public health, safeguard the environment, and advance environmental justice at the public water system level. It is an EPA priority to ensure there are more communities with applications for federal funding to assist in providing quality water infrastructure and reliable water services. Technical assistance can help communities and is key to supporting this priority. For further details, please see the funding opportunity. Applications due November 25th, 2024.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $49 million in new technical assistance funding to help rural, small and Tribal communities address critical wastewater and water quality challenges. The new funding will be awarded to technical assistance providers who will help communities identify their water infrastructure needs and guide them toward appropriate funding options. EPA will be accepting applications until November 25th, 2024. Learn more HERE.
Colorado Ag Water Alliance (CAWA) is seeking proposals for their Drought Resiliency Program that focuses on developing effective strategies for agricultural water users and managers to adapt to reduced water supplies. CAWA seeks to support projects that are shovel-ready and need support for implementation and evaluation. CAWA does not fund general irrigation efficiency improvements as part of this program.Successful projects will test concepts and collect data that can demonstrate the ability to decrease water use and/or increase long-term resilience to reduced water supplies. CAWA will also consider the potential for a project to be replicated or scaled for larger impact as well as pursuing and securing public funding for implementation. Applications are due December 13th, 2024. Learn more HERE.
The North Front Range Water Quality Planning Association (NFRWQPA) is conducting a public notice and comment period to review the Regional EPA 9-Element Watershed Plans. A public hearing date of December 19, 2024, at 2:00 PM, is tentatively set for the final approval of the plans. Comments may be submitted using the Review and Comment Tracking Google forms provided for each separate watershed. All the Regional EPA 9-Element Watershed Plans and Review and Comment Tracking forms may be viewed here. If your organization is interested in a particular watershed, you may access the watershed plans below individually. Middle South Platte, Big & Little Thompson, Cache La Poudre, St. Vrain Creek. This Public Notice may also be viewed on the Association website here.
Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program - The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for lead reduction projects in disadvantaged communities in two National Priority Areas as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The EPA expects to make at least one award under each National Priority Area but may redistribute the awards differently based on the quality of applications received and other applicable considerations. Awards made under the funding opportunity are intended to promote public health and support the Justice40 initiative by addressing conditions that contribute to increased concentrations of lead in drinking water. Proposed projects must include at least one or more disadvantaged community. Applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which the proposed project:(i) is in and/or benefits a disadvantaged community(ies); (ii) benefits drinking water systems with at least one lead action level exceedance within the last three years or addresses lead levels in drinking water in schools/childcare facilities; and (iii) supports the Justice40 initiative. Please see the NOFO for further details. Applications are due December 30th, 2024. Learn more HERE.
WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects (SWEP) funding opportunity provides funding for small water efficiency improvements that have been identified through previous planning efforts. Projects eligible for funding include installation of flow measurement or automation in a specific part of a water delivery system, lining of a section of a canal to address seepage, outdoor landscaping, or other similar projects that are limited in scope. The total project cost for the purchase of materials and installation of materials cannot exceed $250,000. Applications are due January 14, 2025. Learn more HERE.
The Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) Community Grants Program supports community-led projects that focus on planting, maintaining, and managing trees to enhance urban and rural green spaces, improve environmental sustainability, and engage local residents. This grant prioritizes initiatives that promote species diversity, mitigate climate change, and create and advocate for healthy living environments. Applications are due January 15th, 2025. Learn more HERE.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $7.5 billion ofWater Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA)funding. The WIFIA program offers long-term loans to help communities implement critical water infrastructure projects, which protect public health, deliver environmental benefits, create over 60,000 good-paying jobs, protect waterways including drinking water sources, and support local economies, at a lower cost. The WIFIA program has funding available on an ongoing basis. Learn more HERE.
Grant Programs:
Community Navigator Program - The Watershed Center and Coalitions and Collaboratives, along with several other national and regional nonprofit organizations, are partnering with the US Forest Service on a community navigator initiative, which supports communities in accessing federal funding opportunities, creating partnerships, and building capacity for wildfire risk mitigation and climate resilience. To get in touch with a navigator, fill out a request form here.
Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap: EPA is offering free technical assistance for communities with failing decentralized (septic) wastewater systems, or communities with no existing wastewater systems at all. Do septic systems back up into homes or cause sewage to pool in yards? Does the town or county struggle to provide adequate sanitation services to its residents? Does the community struggle to rebuild damaged or non-functioning wastewater and septic systems? If any of these conditions apply, then your community may be eligible for assistance through this initiative. Communities – including homeowners and utilities – and all states, Tribes, and territories can request no-cost technical assistance. Technical assistance can help assess current wastewater infrastructure, recommend options, and support development of funding applications for the community. More information can be found HERE.
IRA Forest Landowner Support - Provides grant opportunities to entities and organizations delivering technical and financial assistance to private forest landowners - including Tribes, underserved landowners, and small-acreage landowners - to participate in emerging private markets for forest resilience and climate mitigation.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants — Rolling application window open — The USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants program supports eligible communities to prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Eligible applicants must show a decline in quantity or quality of water that occurred within two years of the date of the application or that a significant decline in quality or quantity of water is imminent.
Federal Technical Assistance Grants. As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, a total of $5 million in federal funding has been allocated for technical assistance grants that will enable eligible entities to work with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) contractors or to hire contractors to expand their capacity and expertise, in pursuit of federal funding opportunities that directly support the Colorado Water Plan objectives. The allowable uses of this grant funding are broad in scope, to allow for the wide range of federal opportunities available. Funding can be used for: preliminary project planning and design, preliminary permitting, development of estimated project costs, navigation of available federal opportunities, grant writing, and federal grant application submission. Rolling application deadline.
FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs are provided to eligible applicant states/tribes/territories that, in turn, provide sub-grants to local governments. The applicant selects and prioritizes applications developed and submitted to them by local jurisdictions to submit to FEMA for grant funds. Prospective sub-applicants should consult the official designated point of contact for their applicant state/tribe/territory for further information regarding specific program and application requirements.
The Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program (COSWAP) was created after the devastating 2020 fire season by the Colorado legislature through the bi-partisan supported SB21-258 in the summer of 2021. COSWAP is designed to quickly move $17.5 million state stimulus dollars to start on-the-ground work on fuels reduction projects and increase Colorado's capacity to conduct critical forest restoration and wildfire mitigation work that will increase community resilience and protect life, property and infrastructure.
City of Ft. Collins Nature in the City Planning Grants. Have an idea for a nature play area, outdoor gathering space, or pollinator restorations? The Dream it Up Project Planning grants can help you and your community plan out your dream project. Anyone from HOA's, faith-based organizations, affordable housing communities, and even schools are welcome and encouraged to apply. Get started!
Colorado Environmental Justice Grants Program - Community Solutions to Improve Environmental Health. This grant opportunity was created by the Environmental Justice Act to provide funding to communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change. The Environmental Justice Advisory Board oversees the EJ Grants Program and will serve as the selection committee for the grants. You can apply for this grant if you are part of a: non-profit organization, local government, federally-recognized Tribal government, university, other educational institution, for-profit corporation, or grassroots organization.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - Programs include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and the Watershed Operations PL-566 Program.
Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) - CDPHE’s SWAP program's main objective is to minimize potential contaminant threats to public drinking water supplies. To engage in this effort, public water systems and governmental entities can apply for a $5,000 protection planning grant through the SWAP program. The SWAP program also supports Wildland Fire Decision Support System work and post-wildfire recovery efforts. SWAP program staff assisted in the development of the Post Fire Playbook to assist local recovery groups in navigating the complexities surrounding post-wildfire recovery. For more information visit the SWAP page.
Water Quality Grants and Loans Unit - CDPHE’s Grants and Loans Unit offers small community grants and water quality improvement fund grants to protect public health and water quality. They also administer the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program to finance the design and construction of public drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. More information on eligible drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater projects is available on the water quality grants and loans page.
The Colorado River District’s Community Funding Partnership was created in 2021 to fund multi-purpose water projects on the Western Slope in five project categories: productive agriculture, infrastructure, healthy rivers, watershed health and water quality, and conservation and efficiency. Funding for the program was approved by Western Colorado voters as part of ballot question 7A in November 2020. These funds provide a catalyst for projects that are priorities for residents in the District to receive matching funds from state, federal and private sources. Click HERE for more information and to apply.
Colorado Water Conservation Board has compiled this database to serve as a tool for people and organizations across Colorado to navigate all available funding opportunities for water projects in a single place.
A list of state, federal and private funding available for a wide variety of wildfire mitigation projects including Watershed Health.
