Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects (Small Storage Program) (Select States) - FY 2025
| Agency: | U.S. Department of Interior |
|---|---|
| CFDA: | 15.074 |
| Federal FON: | R25AS00270 |
| Office: | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Multipart Grant: | No |
| Next Due: | 04/17/2026 (Application) |
|---|---|
| Solicitation Date: | 07/17/2025 |
| Match Required: | Yes |
| Match Type: | Cash/In-Kind |
| Actual Funds: | $43,500,000 (Estimated) |
| Award Range: | $30,000,000 (Max) |
| Number of Awards: | 7 (Estimated) |
Summary:
The purpose of this program is to enhance water storage opportunities for future generations by supporting stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water. Funding will support the planning, design, and/or construction of small surface water and groundwater storage projects that enhance and increase the reliability of municipal and irrigation water supplies, provide opportunities to enhance groundwater management, and provide water quality improvements and ecosystem benefits.
Projects must:
- Have water storage capacity between 200 and 30,000 acre-feet
- Increase yield to identified beneficiaries
- Increase surface water or groundwater storage, or convey water to or from surface water or groundwater storage
- Submit a small storage feasibility study to the funding agency for review by February 13, 2026
The small storage feasibility study must be found by the funding agency to meet the requirements of the Temporary Reclamation Manual Release 127 (TRMR-127), which is attached as the TRMR file.
Priority will be given to projects that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Provide a more reliable water supply for states, Indian tribes, and local governments
- Increase water management flexibility and reduce impacts on environmental resources from projects operated by federal and state agencies
- Are regional in nature
- Have multiple stakeholders
- Provide multiple benefits, including water supply reliability, ecosystem benefits, groundwater management and enhancements, and water quality improvements
Eligible costs may include those in the following budget categories:
- Personnel
- Fringe benefits
- Travel
- Equipment
- Supplies
- Contractual
- Construction
- Other direct costs
- Indirect costs
An optional webinar is scheduled for this program. Refer to the Application section for details.
Eligibility is limited to applicants located in the 17 western United States as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended, which include Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; or in Alaska or Hawaii.
Last Updated: August 19, 2025
Eligibility Notes:
Eligible applicants are:
- State, regional, or local water authorities
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments, such as water conservation or conservancy districts, wastewater districts, and rural water districts
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Native American tribal organizations
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, other than institutions of higher education
- Joint powers authorities organized pursuant to state law
Applicants must be located in the 17 western United States as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended, which include Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; or in Alaska or Hawaii.
Applicants must have submitted a small storage feasibility study to the funding agency for review by February 13, 2026. The small storage feasibility study must be found by the funding agency to meet the requirements of the Temporary Reclamation Manual Release 127 (TRMR-127), which is attached as the TRMR file.
Previous award recipients include:
- Washington County Water Conservancy District (UT)
- Imperial Irrigation District (CA)
- Groundwater Banking Joint Powers Authority (CA)
- Del Puerto Water District (CA)
- San Benito County Water District (CA)
Refer to the Award file for additional information about previous award recipients.
Eligible Applicants:
Local GovernmentNative American Tribe
Non Profits
State Government
Tribal Organizations/Institutions
Application Notes:
Applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. MT on April 17, 2026.
Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.
Applications must include:
- SF 424
- SF 424A
- SF LLL (if applicable)
- Project abstract summary
- Project narrative (125 pages max)
- Letters of commitment from third-party cost share sources (if applicable)
- Letters of support from interested stakeholders supporting the proposed project (encouraged, if applicable)
The project narrative must use a font size no smaller than 11-point and must have margins of at least one inch on all sides.
The following are required in order to submit an application:
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
- SAM (System for Award Management) registration
Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.
An optional webinar will be held for this program as follows:
August 21, 2025
Noon MT
Registration: events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com
Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Water supply reliability (35 points)
- Water management flexibility (16 points)
- Benefits to rural communities (12 points)
- Stakeholder support (12 points)
- Economic benefits (25 points)
Refer to the NOFA and Guide files and the Budget folder for additional application information.
| Match Required: | Yes |
|---|---|
| Match Type: | Cash/In-Kind |
| Actual Funds: | $43,500,000 (Estimated) |
| Award Range: | $30,000,000 (Max) |
|---|---|
| Number of Awards: | 7 (Estimated) |
Match Notes:
Applicants must provide at least 75 percent of the total project costs via nonfederal cash or in-kind contributions.
Other sources of federal funding received by the applicant for the project may not be counted toward the required nonfederal cost share. The exception to this requirement is when the federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that federal funds made available for a program can be applied to matching or cost share requirements of other federal programs.
Funding Notes:
An estimated $43.5 million is available through this program to support an expected seven grants or cooperative agreements of up to $30 million each.
Award announcements are expected to be issued in April 2026.
The project period is expected to begin on October 1, 2026, and end on October 31, 2029.
For FY 2024, a total of $35 million was distributed via six awards ranging from $1.3 million to $9.1 million through this program. For FY 2023, a total of $20 million was distributed via four awards ranging from $1 million to $9.5 million. Refer to the Award file for details.
Contacts:
Applicant and Project Eligibility Contact:
Austin Olah
(303) 445-3240
aolah@usbr.gov
Application and Submission Contact:
Program Staff
bor-sha-fafoa@usbr.gov
Agency Address
Bureau of Reclamation
1849 C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240-0001
Contact Notes:
Questions should be directed to the appropriate program contact. Emailed questions must contain "R25AS00270" in the subject line.
Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.
The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.
Files:
Award File: US17661_Award_FY2025.pdf (265.1 Kb)NOFA File: US17661_NOFA_FY2025.pdf (212.5 Kb)
Guide File: US17661_Guide_FY2025.pdf (319.5 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17661_TRMR_FY2025.pdf (269.0 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17661_Budget_FY2025.zip (377.7 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17661_FAQ_FY2025.pdf (211.8 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17661_Postponement_FY2025.pdf (2.0 Mb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17661_Webinar_FY2025.pdf (103.2 Kb)
File Notes:
The NOFA file contains the revised solicitation for this program. The Guide file contains detailed application instructions. The TRMR file contains the funding agency's Temporary Reclamation Manual Release 127 (TRMR-127), which establishes the requirements and review process for feasibility studies conducted under this program. The Budget folder contains detailed budget instructions and the required budget form for the application. The FAQ file contains a list of answers to frequently asked questions regarding the funding agency's programs. The Postponement file contains information regarding the previous pausing of this program. The Webinar file contains information regarding a webinar scheduled for this program. The Award file contains information on previous award recipients.
August 19, 2025
Information regarding the scheduling of a webinar for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.
July 21, 2025
A revised solicitation for this program has been released and attached as the NOFA file. All sections have been updated accordingly.
February 4, 2025
This program has been paused and is not currently accepting applications for FY 2025. eCivis Grants Network will be updated if new information becomes available. Refer to the Postponement file for additional information.
September 5, 2024
Full solicitation information for this program has been released and attached as the NOFA file. All sections have been updated accordingly.
Grant Keywords
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Community DevelopmentEnvironment/Natural Resources
Water Supply/Quality