Open · R26AS00034 · CFDA 15.591 · Discretionary
WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects
Federal grant opportunity posted by Bureau of Reclamation, cataloged on Grants.gov.
- $1K-$120M
- Award range
- Open
- Status
- 381d
- Days left
- 10
- Expected awards
The verdict
WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects is an open discretionary opportunity from Bureau of Reclamation, offering $1,000 -- $120,000,000 across 10 expected awards. Applications close in 381 days.
- $1K-$120M
- award range
- Open
- 381 days left
- 10
- expected awards
- 15.591
- CFDA program
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects - is cataloged under number R26AS00034 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 15.591, posted by Bureau of Reclamation. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on May 14, 2026 and last updated on May 18, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.
Award economics. The award range on file is $1,000 -- $120,000,000. The agency has projected $120.0 million in total estimated funding for this announcement. It expects to issue 10 awards. If the agency funds the expected 10 awards from the $120.0 million estimated pool, the average award works out to roughly $12.0 million. 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. Applications close on August 26, 2027 - roughly 381 days from today. 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. Before acting on the deadline or award figures above, verify them directly on the official Grants.gov listing, amendments can change dates and amounts after this page was last refreshed.
Award Range
$1,000 -- $120,000,000
Close Date
August 26, 2027
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 Daylight Time (MDT).The second and final application submission period due date is August 26, 2027, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). Applications received after August 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) and before August 26, 2027, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), will be considered for the second application submission period.
Posted
May 14, 2026
Est. Total Funding
$120,000,000
Expected Awards
10
Instrument
Grant
Cost Sharing
Required
Description
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.
Eligibility
Grants.gov lists this opportunity under eligibility category code 25. These codes correspond to applicant types (state/local government, tribal organization, nonprofit, educational institution, individual, small business, etc.) defined in Grants.gov's own eligibility reference. See the current Grants.gov eligibility categories or check the official listing below for this opportunity's exact eligibility statement.
Official Listing on Grants.gov
View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.
Agency Contact
Alisha James
Key Dates
Frequently Asked Questions
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Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
| Publisher | PlainGrants |
| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |