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The Bureau of Reclamation has released a grant funding opportunity, the “Cooperative Watershed Management Program” to help communities establish a new watershed group, expand an existing group and complete restoration planning efforts. Reclamation is working to encourage diverse stakeholders to find local solutions to address their water management needs.
Reclamation has indicated that membership in a watershed group may include, but is not limited to, private property owners, non-profit organizations, federal, state, or local agencies, and tribes. The watershed group is a self-sustaining, non-regulatory, consensus-based group that is composed of a diverse array of stakeholders.
The Cooperative Watershed Management Program has made up to $100,000 in federal funding available, with no more $50,000 available in each year of the two-year grant. A non-federal cost share is not required. The Cooperative Watershed Management Program is part of the WaterSMART Program.
“This program brings local stakeholders together to collaborate on improving water reliability and management in their community. The intention of this is to facilitate locally driven and consensus-based solutions to complex water issues,” said Robin Graber, Reclamation’s program manager.
Eligible applicants for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program grant opportunity must be located in the western United States or a U.S. Territory including Hawaii and Alaska. States, tribes, local and special districts, local government entities, interstate organizations and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply to establish a new group. For application to expand a watershed management group, eligible applicants would include an existing watershed group or a participant in an existing watershed group.
Through WaterSMART, Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.
The Cooperative Watershed Management Program funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F010. The application deadline for 2019 funding is Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019.
