At a glance
The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program funds watershed group development, restoration planning, and watershed management project planning and design. Eligible applicants are existing watershed groups or entities sponsoring a new watershed group, and the group or project must be in specified states or territories in the western U.S. and Pacific and Caribbean territories listed in the notice. Awards are up to $300,000 in federal funds over three years, with no more than $100,000 per year, and Reclamation expects about 20 to 25 awards per application period. No non-federal cost share is required, but voluntary non-federal cost share may be considered. For existing watershed groups, the group must be legally incorporated as a nonprofit organization; federal government entities and individuals are not eligible.
What it funds
Official description from grants.gov
The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program funding opportunity invites eligible entities to apply for funding to develop local solutions to address their water management needs. This opportunity provides funding for watershed group development, restoration planning, and watershed management project planning and design. By providing this funding, Reclamation promotes water reliability and cooperation between stakeholders to reduce conflict, facilitate solutions to complex water issues, and stretch limited water supplies.The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management 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).
Who can apply
- Others
“located in one of the following states or territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico” — From the announcement