Water Conservation Field Services Program: Financial Assistance for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024

Background
The U.S. Department of the Interior's WaterSMART Program provides Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of DOI priorities. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.

Drought conditions across the Western United States impact a wide range of communities and sectors, including agriculture, cities, tribes, the environment, recreation, hydropower producers, and others. Reclamation established the Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) in 1996 to encourage beneficiaries of Federal water projects to conserve water, and to assist agricultural and urban water districts in preparing and implementing water conservation plans in accordance with the Reclamation Reform Act (RRA) of 1982. The WCFSP provides support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and aligned with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. This NOFO provides funding for the planning, prioritizing, demonstrating technology/projects, and design of projects that conserve and use water more efficiently; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western U.S.

Grant Details
The objective of this NOFO is to invite states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, cities and towns, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located within the Lower Colorado Basin Region to leverage their money and resources by cost-sharing water conservation planning activities with Reclamation to make more efficient use of existing water supplies.

The NOFO is issued under the authority of Section 9504(a) of the Secure Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. The President’s FY 2023 budget request includes $1,659,000 for the WCFSP within the Lower Colorado Basin Region. Reclamation will determine the final amount of funding available for award under this NOFO once final FY 2023 appropriations have been made. Information about FY 2024 funding will be provided when appropriations information is released. The amount of funding available for awards under this NOFO will depend on the demand for funding under this and other components of the LCB WCFSP.

Eligibility Requirements
States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the Lower Colorado Basin Region as described by Sections 9502 and 9504(a) of Public Law 111-11 are eligible applicants.

Applicants must be capable of cost-sharing 50 percent or more of the total project costs through cash or in-kind contributions from third-party partners. Cost-share contributions must meet applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 CFR Part 200.

Period of Performance
Proposals should address one of four task component areas: Water Management and Conservation Planning; System Optimization Review; Designing Water Management Improvements; Demonstrating Conservation Project Technologies.

Generally, applicants should propose activities/projects that can be completed within two years from the estimated project start date.

Grant Value
Up to $100,000 per entity per fiscal year is available with six to twelve awards per application submittal period depending on submittals and authorized budget.

Place of Performance
The NOFO provides funding for activities within Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Basin Region (LCB), within Hawaii as well as American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands.