WaterSMART Applied Science Grants: $6M for Water Management Tools

The Bureau of Reclamation is offering $6 million through the WaterSMART Applied Science Grants program to fund the development of water management tools, hydrologic models, forecasting technologies, and water data systems. This program supports projects that help water managers across the Western United States make better decisions about water supply reliability, drought management, and reservoir operations.

With growing demands on limited water supplies and increasing drought frequency across the West, accurate data and effective modeling tools are essential for water managers to optimize operations and plan for the future. The Applied Science Grants program provides funding to develop and improve the tools and information that make this possible.

Two Application Periods

Unlike many federal grants, this program offers two separate application deadlines. You can apply to either or both periods:

• First Period: Applications due July 8, 2026. Award notifications expected November 2026, with projects starting July 2027 and completing by July 2029.
• Second Period: Applications due April 13, 2027. Award notifications expected August 2027, with projects starting April 2028 and completing by April 2030.

Reclamation anticipates making up to $3 million available per application period, subject to annual appropriations.

Who Can Apply?

Eligibility is divided into two categories, and applicants must be located in or serve the Western United States:

Category A: Direct Applicants

• States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, and water districts
• State, regional, or local authorities whose members include organizations with water or power delivery authority
• Other organizations with water or power delivery authority

Category B: Research Partners

• Universities and nonprofit research institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
• Federally-funded research and development centers

Category B applicants must partner with a Category A entity and include a letter of partnership from the Category A partner confirming their agreement to participate in the project. Category B applicants may receive up to 3 awards, provided each project partners with a different Category A entity.

Ineligible Applicants

• Federal government entities
• Individuals
• Commercial and industrial organizations
• Private entities

Eligible Western States and Territories

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 Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

What Does the Grant Fund?

The program funds four categories of eligible projects. All projects must use known, available ("mature") technologies and may not include the development of new or novel methods.

Modeling

Development or enhancement of existing hydrologic models to improve water resource management. Eligible activities include:

• Improving spatial and temporal resolution of models
• Model calibration and validation
• Making models more interactive and agile for answering specific management questions
• Enhancements to hydrologic models, reservoir operations models, or water management models
• Training on how to use new tools and software

Forecasting

Development, improvement, or adaptation of forecasting tools and technologies to enhance water supply and reservoir management. Eligible activities include:

• Forecasting tools to better predict drought or flood severity
• Tools supporting forecast informed reservoir operations (FIRO)
• Water allocation strategy tools and water marketing systems
• Leveraging existing data sets and forecast products

Applicants must demonstrate how the forecast or data will be used to enhance management of water supplies and reservoir operations.

Enhancing Water Supply Forecasting with Snow Measurement Data

Enhancements of water supply forecasts using snow monitoring technologies. Eligible activities include:

• Integrating aerial LiDAR snow survey data into snowpack volume estimation and water supply forecasting
• Integration of snow survey data into hydrological or statistical forecast models

Note: Conducting new snow measurements (such as aerial LiDAR surveys) is not eligible under this program. New snow data collection is funded separately under Reclamation's Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program.

Data

Improving access to and use of water resources data or developing new types of data for water management decisions. Eligible activities include:

• Data acquisition from remote sensing imagery, unmanned aerial systems, and other sources
• Developing hydrologic databases and decision support tools
• Improved data delivery and system compatibility with existing federal or state databases
• Collection of water quality and temperature data, or paleo reconstructions of naturalized flows

What's NOT Eligible

• Research and development of new or novel methods and technologies
• Planning studies, feasibility studies, appraisal investigations, or water marketing strategies
• Tools and technologies for water reuse, water recycling, or desalination
• Normal operations, maintenance, and replacement (OM&R)
• Construction projects to improve water management
• Projects funded under other federal grants
• Collecting new aerial LiDAR snow measurements

Cost Sharing Requirements

This program requires a 50% non-federal cost share. For every dollar of federal funding requested, applicants must provide at least one dollar of non-federal match. For example, a project requesting $400,000 in federal funding must have at least $400,000 in non-federal contributions, for a total project cost of $800,000.

Eligible cost share sources include:

• Cash contributions from the applicant or partners
• In-kind contributions (staff time, equipment, materials) at fair market value
• Third-party contributions from non-federal sources (e.g., state grants, loans)

Other federal funds cannot be used as cost share, with limited exceptions for tribal organizations. Projects that contribute more than the minimum 50% cost share by at least 5 percentage points may receive up to 5 bonus points under the Cost Share Priority criterion.

How Applications Are Scored

Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale across six criteria:

A. Water Management Challenge (20 points)

Describe the water management problem the project addresses. Include details on the severity of the problem with quantitative data, and explain the consequences if the problem remains unaddressed. Issues may include water supply shortfalls, competing demands, drought complications, water quality issues, or other management challenges.

B. Project Benefits (25 points)

Demonstrate the extent to which the project will result in a tool or information that benefits partners and stakeholders and will be used beyond project completion. Address how the project supports water management objectives such as increasing water yield, ensuring supply reliability, improving deliveries, enhancing drought management, or improving forecast skill. Provide qualitative and quantitative support, including cost per acre-foot of water created or conserved where applicable.

C. Project Implementation (20 points)

Provide a detailed work plan with an estimated schedule, milestones, start and end dates, and costs for each task. Describe the methodology and approach, quality assurance practices, partner roles, and staff qualifications. The project must be completable within the 2-year timeframe.

D. Dissemination of Results (10 points)

Explain how project results will be shared with partners and water resource managers in the Western US. All funded projects must participate in at least one Reclamation-sponsored webinar. Describe additional plans for technology transfer and making tools available to others beyond the required webinar.

E. Presidential and Department of Interior Priorities (20 points)

Demonstrate how the project aligns with current administration priorities, including energy development, AI technology adoption, and water management in Reclamation States. Priority is given to projects in the Colorado River Basin and those incorporating artificial intelligence technologies.

F. Cost Share Priority (5 points)

Projects contributing non-federal cost share exceeding the minimum 50% by at least 5 percentage points may receive additional points. Calculate and state the percentage using: Non-Federal Funding / Total Project Cost.

Application Requirements

Key Dates

• NOFO Published: March 5, 2026
• First Application Deadline: July 8, 2026, 5:00 PM MDT
• Second Application Deadline: April 13, 2027, 5:00 PM MDT
• First Period Award Notification: November 2026
• First Period Project Start: July 2027
• First Period Project End: September 30, 2029

Mandatory Documents

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov and include:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
2. Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
3. Project Abstract Summary (OMB 4040-0019)
4. Project Narrative (maximum 20 pages)
5. Budget Narrative
6. Letters of support and cost share commitment letters
7. Letter of Partnership from Category A entity (required for Category B applicants)
8. DOI R&D Current and Pending Support form (for research projects)
9. DOI R&D Biographical Sketch (for research projects)

Project Narrative Requirements

The project narrative must not exceed 20 pages. If it exceeds 20 pages, only the first 20 will be evaluated. The full application including all attachments must not exceed 100 pages. Your narrative should include:

• Executive summary with applicant name, location, project description, and completion timeline
• Technical project description with methodology, models, data, and tools
• Applicant category (A or B) and eligibility justification
• Project location with a map in Shapefile, KMZ/KML, or PDF format
• Data management practices confirming GIS compatibility
• Responses to all six merit review criteria in order

Data Management Requirement

All spatially explicit data or tools developed under an award must be in industry standard formats compatible with Geographic Information System (GIS) platforms.

Cooperative Agreement and Reclamation Involvement

Awards are made through grants or cooperative agreements. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, Reclamation will have substantial involvement in the project, including collaboration on project management, close oversight of activities, and review and approval at key stages. All funded projects must participate in at least one Reclamation-sponsored webinar to present findings.

Related WaterSMART Programs

The Applied Science Grants program complements other WaterSMART funding opportunities. If your project involves infrastructure or construction rather than tools and data, consider the WaterSMART Drought Response Program, which offers up to $1.5 million for drought resilience infrastructure. If your project involves collecting new aerial LiDAR snow measurements, see the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program.

Getting Started with Your Application

1. Confirm your eligibility - Determine if your organization qualifies as Category A or Category B, and identify a Category A partner if needed
2. Choose your project type - Select from modeling, forecasting, snow measurement integration, or data projects
3. Contact the Program Coordinator - Reach out to Stephanie Hellekson at shellekson@usbr.gov (720-799-3158) to discuss your project and potential Reclamation technical assistance
4. Secure cost share commitments - Document non-federal funding sources totaling at least 50% of the total project cost
5. Gather letters of support - Include commitment letters identifying funding amounts, availability dates, and contingencies
6. Develop a detailed work plan - Create a schedule with milestones that fits within the 2-year project period
7. Verify SAM.gov registration - Ensure your organization has an active UEI and SAM.gov registration
8. Register on Grants.gov - Allow 30 days for Grants.gov registration if not already registered
9. Submit by July 8, 2026 - First period applications must be received by 5:00 PM MDT through Grants.gov

How Avila Can Help

Applying for the WaterSMART Applied Science Grants requires a detailed 20-page narrative addressing six scoring criteria, a comprehensive budget narrative, and supporting documentation including maps and data management plans. Avila's AI-powered platform helps organizations streamline the grant writing process by:

• Tracking grant opportunities like this Bureau of Reclamation program from federal databases
• Analyzing eligibility requirements and matching them to your organization's profile
• Generating draft narratives based on program requirements and your organizational data
• Ensuring compliance with page limits, formatting, and content requirements

With the first application deadline on July 8, 2026, now is the time to start developing your project concept and securing cost share commitments. Contact Avila today to learn how our platform can help you secure funding for water management tools in your community.