Drought Resiliency Project Grants for Fiscal Year 2016 | R16 FOA DO 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for R16 FOA DO 006

The Drought Resiliency Project Grants for Fiscal Year 2016 funding opportunity (FOA number R16 FOA DO 006) was a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, under CFDA 15.514 (Natural Resources). Its core purpose was to help eligible water-management entities move from planning to on-the-ground action by partnering with Reclamation through cost sharing. In practical terms, the program was designed to stretch local, state, tribal, and district dollars by matching or leveraging them with federal support for projects that reduce drought-related risk and improve long-term water reliability.

The FOA focused on implementation-oriented drought resiliency projects that could measurably increase the reliability of water supplies and improve day-to-day water management. Projects were expected to strengthen how water is stored, delivered, conserved, accounted for, or allocated during dry periods, with an emphasis on approaches that make systems more resilient to recurring drought and climate-driven hydrologic variability. Another key objective was to support the creation or improvement of systems that facilitate voluntary water transactions, including the sale, transfer, or exchange of water. That element signaled interest in practical tools and infrastructure that help communities shift water to where it is needed most during shortages, while keeping participation voluntary and consistent with local water governance.

Environmental co-benefits were also built into the program goals. The FOA specifically called for projects that provide benefits for fish, wildlife, and the environment as part of mitigating drought impacts. This reflects an intent to support drought responses that do not solely focus on human water deliveries, but also reduce stress on ecosystems and species that are often hit hardest when flows drop and temperatures rise.

This grant opportunity was explicitly tied to broader federal climate and adaptation priorities at the time. It was framed as supporting implementation of the President's June 2013 Climate Action Plan and Reclamation's Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. In other words, the program was not only about emergency response to drought conditions, but about longer-term adaptation investments that help water systems function under a changing climate and more frequent extremes.

Eligibility was limited to applicants with water or power delivery authority, as outlined under P.L. 111-11, Section 9502. The FOA identified eligible applicants as states, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations that have the authority to deliver water or power. Geographic eligibility was also specific: applicants had to be located in the western United States or certain U.S. territories covered under the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902 (as amended and supplemented). The eligible states and territories listed were Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.

From a funding and timing standpoint, the FOA anticipated making about 10 awards, with an award ceiling of $300,000 per grant. The opportunity was posted on February 10, 2016, and the original application closing date was April 11, 2016. Overall, this was a relatively targeted, competitive funding opportunity meant to catalyze near-term, implementable improvements in drought resilience through shared investment, better management tools, and projects that balance water-supply reliability with environmental needs.

• The Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Drought Resiliency Project Grants for Fiscal Year 2016" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.514.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-02-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-04-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for R16 FOA DO 006

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