Application Notes:

Applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. PT on February 3, 2025.

Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov. Emailed or faxed submissions will not be accepted.

Applications must include:

• SF 424
• SF 424A
• SF 424B
• Technical proposal (15 pages max):
  • Title page
  • Table of contents
  • Executive summary
  • Project location
  • Project description
  • Evaluation criteria
• Project budget
• Environmental and cultural resources compliance
• Required permits or approvals
• Overlap or duplication of effort statement
• Conflict of interest disclosure statement
• Uniform audit reporting statement (if applicable)
• SF LLL (if applicable)
• Letters of support (if applicable)

All pages of the application must be consecutively numbered, including tables, appendices, and exhibits. The font used should be easy to read and at least 11-point. The technical proposal must be formatted on single-sided, single-spaced, standard-sized pages. Oversized pages, cover letters, organizational literature, and/or brochures may not be submitted.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
• SAM (System for Award Management) registration
• SPOC (state Single Point of Contact) notification

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam. Applicants in states participating in the SPOC program must contact the relevant SPOC listed in the SPOC file before applying.

Applications will be evaluated according to criteria specific to project type. Refer to pages 33-44 of the NOFA file for additional information.

Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.

Match Notes:

Applicants must provide at least 50 percent of the total project costs via nonfederal cash or in-kind contributions or donations. Contributions may be provided by the applicant or by third-party partners. Contributions from sources outside the applicant's organizations should be secured and available to the applicant prior to award.

The program's matching requirement may be waived for insular areas, as detailed on pages 15-16 of the NOFA file.

In general, the cost or value of donations and in-kind contributions that have been or will be relied on to satisfy a cost-sharing or matching requirement for another federal financial assistance agreement, a federal procurement contract, or any other award of federal funds may not be used to satisfy the matching requirement. The exception to this requirement is where the federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost-sharing requirements of other federal programs, such as awards to tribal organizations.

Costs incurred prior to January 1, 2025, may not be used to satisfy the matching requirement.

Funding Notes:

Approximately $500,000 is available to support up to five grants or cooperative agreements of up to $100,000 through this program. No entity will be awarded more than $100,000 per fiscal year.

Award notifications are anticipated to be provided in April 2025.

Awards are anticipated to be provided in September 2025.

The project completion date is anticipated to occur in December 2027.

In general, projects should be completed within two years. Projects expected to span more than two years must provide an explanation for the need.

To qualify as a demonstration project, the applicant must not have conducted any portion of the proposed project or used the technology in the past or plan to conduct a large portion/phase of the project as a demonstration project.

For designing water management improvement projects, funds may not be used for land/title acquisition and environmental/cultural resources compliance work.

Funds may not be used for:

• Education activities
• Projects for the development of planning studies, including the development of appraisal investigations, feasibility studies, special studies, drought contingency plans, basin studies, or studies authorized under the Title XVI Water Recycling and Reuse Program or under the Rural Water Program
• On-the-ground construction activities, other than for demonstration projects
• Projects that are considered normal operations, maintenance, and replacement (OM&R), as listed on page 20 of the NOFA file
• Lobbying
• Ground-disturbing activities, including grading, clearing, or other preliminary activities, undertaken prior to the completion of environmental compliance and issuance of authorization to proceed by the funding agency