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OpenOpportunity R26AS00034

WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects

Bureau of Reclamation · Department of the Interior

At a glance

WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects is an open federal grant opportunity from the Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior). Applications are due August 26, 2027. Individual awards are listed as $1K – $120M, with about 10 awards expected and $120M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing or matching is required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 15.591 (WaterSMART Desalination Construction Program).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Posted
May 14, 2026
Close date
Aug 26, 2027
Archive date
Sep 30, 2029
Award floor
$1,000
Award ceiling
$120,000,000
Est. total funding
$120,000,000
Expected awards
10
Cost sharing
Required
Funding instrument
Grant, Cooperative Agreement
Opportunity category
Discretionary

Who can apply

  • Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

Applicants eligible to receive funding under this NOFO include States, departments of a State, subdivisions of a State, or public agencies organized pursuant to a State law, such as: States, Tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, and water districts, or wastewater districtsAll applicants must be located in one of the following States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Ineligible Applicants - Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:Federal Governmental entitiesForeign entitiesIndividualsInstitutes of higher education

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

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 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). The WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects NOFO invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for the planning, design, and/or construction of facilities to desalinate seawater or brackish surface water or groundwater. By providing growing communities with new sources of local water supply, desalination projects diversify the water supply portfolio, increase water management flexibility during times of shortage, and make the water supply more reliable.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

Reported obligations under ALN 15.591

Historical data · not a prediction
FY24$2.63M
FY25$7.59M
FY26$44.1M est.
Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 15.591. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Bureau of Reclamation
bor-sha-fafoa@usbr.gov
tbd

Quick answers

When is the deadline for “WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects”?

According to the official notice, applications are due August 26, 2027. The notice adds: “This NOFO will have two application submission periods with a final closing date of August 26, 2027. The due dates for each closing period are:The first application submission period due date is August 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylig” Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.

Who is eligible to apply for “WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects”?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through “WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $1k – $120m, total estimated program funding is $120,000,000 and the agency expects to make about 10 awards.

How do I apply for “WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity R26AS00034), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.