WaterSMART Drought Response Program

The summary for the WaterSMART Drought Response Program grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Bureau of Reclamation, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and other entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply and hydropower reliability. The WaterSMART Drought Response Program NOFO invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for projects designed to improve drought resilience by developing effective water management strategies and drought contingency plans. Funding under the Drought Response Program supports a range of initiatives including infrastructure improvements for increased water storage and distribution capabilities, water source diversification, decision-making tools for water management, and comprehensive planning to prepare for and respond to drought conditions. WaterSMART Drought Response 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).

Federal Grant Title:	WaterSMART Drought Response Program
Federal Agency Name:	Bureau of Reclamation (DOI-BOR)
Grant Categories:	Natural Resources
Type of Opportunity:	Discretionary
Funding Opportunity Number:	R26AS00016
Type of Funding:	Cooperative Agreement
CFDA Numbers:	15.514
CFDA Descriptions:	Information not provided
Current Application Deadline:	May 4th, 2026
Original Application Deadline:	May 4th, 2026
Posted Date:	March 5th, 2026
Creation Date:	March 5th, 2026
Archive Date:	October 3rd, 2031
Total Program Funding:	$13,500,000
Maximum Federal Grant Award:	$1,500,000
Minimum Federal Grant Award:	$25,000
Expected Number of Awards:	20
Cost Sharing or Matching:	Yes
Last Updated:	March 5th, 2026

Applicants Eligible for this Grant: Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification.)
Additional Information on Eligibility: Applicants eligible to receive an award under this funding opportunity are described below. Category A Applicants States, Tribes, irrigation districts, and water districts; State, regional, or local authorities, the members of which include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority; and Other organizations with water or power delivery authority. Category A applicants must be located in the Western United States or Territories; specifically: 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 U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Category B Applicants: Nonprofit conservation organizations that are acting in partnership with, and with the agreement of an entity described in Category A. Category B applicants should include with their application a letter from the Category A partner stating that the Category A partner: Is acting in partnership with the applicant;Agrees to the submittal and content of the application; andIntends to participate in the project in some way, for example, by providing input, feedback, or other support for the project. Partners do not necessarily need to contribute cost share funding. All Category B applicants must be located in the United States or the specific Territories identified above. Ineligible Applicants - Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:Federal Governmental entitiesIndividuals Institutes of higher education PLEASE NOTE: Applicants in Puerto Rico and Alaska and Category B applicants are not eligible to apply for Drought Contingency Plans as applicant eligibility is defined in the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1999, as amended.
Grant Announcement Contact: Alisha James
[email protected]
[email protected]
Similar Government Grants: • WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects for Fiscal Year 2025; • WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects for Fiscal Year 2024; • WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects for Fiscal Year 2023; • WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year 2...; • WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects for Fiscal Year 2022; • Drought Assistance; • WaterSMART: Drought Resiliency Project Grants for Fiscal Year 2015; • WaterSMART: Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year 2015
More Grants from the Bureau of Reclamation: • WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program; • Native American Affairs: Fiscal Year 2025 Colorado River Basin Tribal Drought Resiliency P...; • WaterSMART Enhancing Water Resources Projects; • WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects; • Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects