WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects
OpenBureau of Reclamation · Opportunity number R26AS00034
Closing date explanation: This NOFO will have two application submission periods with a final closing date of August 26, 2027. The due dates for each closing period are:The first application submission period due date is August 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).The second and final application submission period due date is August 26, 2027, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). Applications received after August 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) and before August 26, 2027, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), will be considered for the second application submission period.
Eligibility
Eligibility is described in the notice text. Read it carefully to confirm nonprofits can apply.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
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
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.
Funding
| Total program funding | $120,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Award floor | $1,000 |
| Award ceiling | $120,000,000 |
| Category | Natural Resources |
| Assistance listing | 15.591 |
Official sources
Last verified on Grants.gov Nov 5, 2026. Grantvello is not affiliated with Grants.gov or Bureau of Reclamation. The notice on Grants.gov is the binding text.