USDA opens rural water infrastructure grant applications

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden today announced that USDA is seeking applications to partner with organizations to ensure rural people have access to clean drinking water and modern wastewater systems.

USDA is making funding available under the Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects program. This program provides grants to qualified nonprofits to establish revolving funds for the purpose of providing loans up to $200,000 to eligible nonprofits, state and local governmental entities, and Indian tribes to help build and improve water and wastewater disposal systems in rural areas.

The funding may be used for pre-development costs of water and wastewater projects or small capital improvement projects that are not part of regular operations and maintenance.

Applications for must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2024.

USDA is particularly interested in applications that will advance Biden-Harris Administration priorities to:   

• Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.  
• Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects.    
• Help rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.

Additional information on these key priorities is available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

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