WaterSMART Drought Response Program

Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement — WaterSMART Drought Response Program — is cataloged under number R26AS00016 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 15.514, posted by Bureau of Reclamation. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on March 5, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.

Award economics. The award range on file is $25,000 -- $1,500,000. The agency has projected $13.5 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 20 awards. If the agency funds the expected 20 awards from the $13.5 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $675,000. Cost sharing or matching funds are required, meaning applicants must contribute a portion of the project budget from non-federal sources — factor this into your financial plan before drafting the proposal. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.

Deadline and action path. This opportunity is open, but Grants.gov has not published a hard closing date — check the official listing for the current deadline and any posted amendments. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully — federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed — it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities.