Funding Opportunities by Sustainable Strategies DC @s2fundingopportunities - Tumblr Blog

Funding Available to Support Parks and Outdoor Recreation Development

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) National Park Service (NPS) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) grant program is offering funding to support projects that expand access to outdoor recreation opportunities in communities. Competitive applications will create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and strengthen connections between people and the outdoors.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

Land acquisition for parks and other outdoors recreation areas

Site development for new outdoor recreation spaces

Renovation of existing outdoor recreation facilities, including projects such as sports fields, playgrounds, walking trails, community gardens, and other recreation amenities.

ORLP-assisted sites must be maintained and accessible exclusively for public outdoor recreation use in perpetuity.

Eligible applicants include communities with populations of 25,000 or more. Federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native organizations, and Native Hawaiian community organizations are eligible regardless of population. A 50% match is required.

Full applications for NPS ORLP grants are due by November 1, 2026. Please note that local governments and other eligible subrecipients must coordinate with and apply through their State or Territorial Lead Agency, which submits ORLP applications to NPS. State deadlines may vary.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with an NPS ORLP grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Support Law Enforcement

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is offering grant funding to support law enforcement agencies across the nation. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is offering several grant programs to expand support and strengthen capacity of local law enforcement, including:

COPS Hiring Program (up to $6,250,000): To provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers/deputies in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. The maximum federal share per officer/deputy position is $125,000 over the three-year period. Eligible applicants include established and operational local, state, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have primary law enforcement authority for the jurisdiction served. A 25% match is required.

COPS Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program (up to $250,000): To fund the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement officers and their families through the implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, stress reduction, clinical support, and other promising practices for wellness programs. Eligible applicants include local, state, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies that have primary law enforcement authority for their jurisdiction. No match is required.

COPS School Violence Prevention Program (up to $500,000): To improve security at schools and on school grounds in the recipient’s jurisdiction through evidence-based school safety programs. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, funding civilian personnel to serve as coordinators with local law enforcement, training for local law enforcement officers, and purchase and installation of equipment and technology that improves school security. Eligible applicants include states, units of local government, Tribes, and their public agencies, including school districts, school boards, and law enforcement agencies. No match is required.

COPS Hiring Program grants are due by July 23, 2026.

COPS Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program grants are due by July 30, 2026.

COPS School Violence Prevention Program grants are due by August 4, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a DOJ COPS application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Promote Strategies that End Homelessness

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program Competition and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program is offering up to $25 million to support community-wide commitments to end homelessness. The new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which was updated after the prior December 2025 NOFO was challenged in a lawsuit by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, does not include the mandatory cap of 30% of funding for permanent supportive housing. However, it does reduce emphasis on Housing First approaches and sets aside $1.3 billion for transitional housing and supportive services programs.

In prior years, 90%+ of the funding for Continuums of Care was automatically renewed, and more than 80% went to permanent supportive housing programs. Under the new NOFO, 40% of the package will be newly competitive, using a points system that incentivizes programs that promote self-sufficiency. The NOFO includes $104 million for programs that address domestic violence and sexual assault. The NOFO also includes the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, which funds community-wide approaches to preventing and ending youth homelessness.

Eligible applicants include cities or township governments, federally recognized Native American tribes, state governments, public and Native housing authorities, special district governments, county governments, nonprofits, and public and state institutions of higher education. A 25% match is required.

Applications for the HUD Continuum of Care Program and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program are due by August 26, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a HUD Continuum of Care Program and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Support Historic Preservation and Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary

The National Park Service (NPS) is offering several grant opportunities to celebrate America’s premier cultural resources, foster the economic development of rural communities through the rehabilitation of historic properties, and honor the 250th anniversary of the United States:

Save America’s Treasures Grants (up to $750,000) will support preservation and/or conservation for nationally historic properties and collections. Competitive projects should substantially mitigate or eliminate the threat, danger, or damage to a historic collection or property. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits, units of State or local government, tribes, educational institutions, and other federal agencies. A 1:1 match is required. Applicants may apply for preservation or collections projects:

Eligible activities for Preservation grants include, but are not limited to, the rehabilitation of properties, easement or covenant costs for the property, production of a project sign, and other preservation activities. Eligible historic properties must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places for national significance or listed as a National Historic Landmark. Sites listed for state or local significance or not eligible.

Eligible activities for Collections grants include, but are not limited to, conservation of collections, audits or financial requests, and required training or reporting. Nationally significant collections must possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the intellectual heritage of the U.S. and be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to, or that outstandingly represent, U.S. culture and history.

Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants (up to $750,000) will support subgrant programs that foster the economic development of rural communities through the rehabilitation of historic properties. The intent of this program is to provide funds that can be regranted to projects that have been selected through a locally administered competitive process. Eligible subgrant properties must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places or determined eligible for listing at the National, State, or local level of significance and located within rural communities with populations less than 50,000. Eligible costs for this program include architectural/engineering services and physical preservation projects. Eligible applicants include State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, Certified Local Governments, and non-profits. No match is required.

Semiquincentennial Grants (up to $750,000) will support the physical preservation of a broad variety of cultural resources associated with the founding of America as a nation (pre-1815) in commemoration of the country’s 250th anniversary. This includes the physical preservation of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, including buildings, sites, structures, objects or historic districts. Eligible applicants include local governments, nonprofits, public and nonprofit institutions of higher education, and tribes. No match is required, however match may be considered as a competitive factor.

Applications for Save America’s Treasures grants are due by June 16, 2026.

Applications for Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants are due by June 23, 2026.

Applications for Semiquincentennial grants are due by June 30, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with an NPS application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Strengthen Fire and Emergency Response Services

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), and Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) programs are offering a combined $648 million to support fire departments and first responders nationwide. Together, these three programs fund equipment and protective gear purchases, firefighter staffing and retention, community fire prevention efforts, and firefighter health and safety research. Award amounts vary by program and community size.

AFG provides $291.6 million directly to fire departments and EMS agencies for personal protective equipment, emergency response vehicles, and health and wellness initiatives.

SAFER provides $324 million to help fire departments increase or maintain the number of trained frontline firefighters available in their communities, including funding for recruitment and retention programs and compliance with NFPA staffing standards.

FP&S offers $32.4 million to fire departments, nonprofits, and research-oriented institutions for community fire prevention programs targeting high-risk populations and clinical research focused on firefighter health and well-being.

Eligible applicants vary by program but include fire departments, volunteer firefighter organizations, non-affiliated EMS organizations, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions. A non-federal cash match of 5% to 15% may be required depending on the size of the community served.

Applications for FY 2025 AFG, SAFER, and FP&S grants are due by June 22, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with an FEMA AFG, SAFER, or FP&S application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Connect Rural Communities to Education and Healthcare

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program is offering grants of up to $750,000 to expand access to education and health care services in rural communities. DLT grants support the acquisition of telecommunications equipment, audio and video technology, and other advanced tools that connect rural students, teachers, and medical professionals to resources that are otherwise unavailable or limited in their communities. Eligible applicants can apply for two types of project activities:

Distance learning projects to equip schools and educational hubs with interactive technology to deliver expanded coursework, dual-credit programs, and professional development to rural students and teachers.

Telemedicine projects to link rural residents and local providers to medical specialists at distant sites and support services ranging from primary care consultations to behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment.

Broadband facility installation is also an eligible cost, up to 20% of the grant amount, where it directly enables distance learning or telemedicine delivery. Eligible applicants include states, local governments, federally recognized tribes, institutions of higher education, hospitals, and nonprofit entities. Projects must serve rural areas with populations of 20,000 or fewer, and applicants must provide a cash or in-kind match of at least 15% of the grant amount requested.

Applications for USDA DLT grants are due by June 30, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Support Community Driven Solutions in Coal Communities

Just Transition Fund (JTF) Local Economy Lab program is offering up to $300,000 to help coal-impacted communities seed, grow, and scale transformative economic projects. Competitive proposals will support bold ideas with the potential to transform local economies, demonstrate alignment with a growing sector that has a strong local fit, showcase meaningful engagement with community stakeholders, leverage public/private investment, and demonstrate potential for replicability. JTF will support projects that drive economic diversification in three categories:

Workforce Development grants will support workforce programs that train local workers for jobs in growing sectors, including programs that partner with local employers, offer wraparound support, and create youth career pathways.

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Support grants will support projects that provide direct support for individual entrepreneurs and businesses and build the competitive industry sectors that generate lasting jobs.

Place-based Infrastructure grants will support projects that strengthen broadband infrastructure, make a place more attractive to live and visit, and make site-specific investments on former coal sites.

Projects may only be submitted under one of the three categories. If your project fits more than one RFP, apply to the RFP that best reflects your project’s primary goal. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments located in or serving counties that are experiencing economic distress as a result of coal plant and/or mine closures.

Applications for the Local Economy Lab Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship & Business Support grants are due by June 12, 2026. An RFP for the Place-based Infrastructure grants is expected to open in early June.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a JTF Local Economy Lab grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Support Economic Development in Coal-Impacted Communities

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) program is offering grants of up to $2 million to strengthen the economies of Appalachia’s coal communities. Funding will support projects that advance economic diversification, enhance job training and re-employment opportunities, create jobs in existing or new industries, and/or attract new sources of investment in communities affected by job losses in coal and coal-related industries.

Applicants may apply for a planning (up to $100,000) or implementation (up to $2 million, with the exception of $2.5 million for broadband projects) grant. All applications must address one or more POWER strategic investment goals:

Fostering Entrepreneurial Activities that increase access to capital; create, support, and grow entrepreneurial ecosystems; develop and deploy entrepreneurship education programs, and; invest in a region’s natural and cultural assets.

Developing Industry Clusters in Communities that support small manufacturing companies for product and market diversification, and expand and bolster entrepreneurial talent that supports the creation of strategic industry clusters.

Building a Competitive Workforce through workforce training that supports opportunities for upward mobility, increases labor participation rates, and demonstrates demand for a particular skillset.

Increasing Access to Broadband: Build broadband capacity, deployment, and service.

Eligible applicants include local development districts, Indian tribes or a consortium of Indian tribes, states, counties, units of local government, special purpose units or political subdivisions of a state or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, consortiums of political subdivisions, institutions of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education, and public or private nonprofit organizations. Match levels vary based on the project service area. All projects must serve and benefit a portion of the Appalachian Region (click here for a map of eligible areas.)

Applicants must contact the state program manager in each state affected by the project before submitting their letter of intent.

A letter of intent for the ARC POWER grant program is due by May 22, 2026. Applications for ARC POWER grants are due by July 8, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with an ARC POWER application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Improve Railroad Infrastructure and Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program is offering funding with no predetermined award maximum for projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail. Competitive projects will reduce train accidents, highway-rail grade crossing incidents, and trespass incidents, and/or restore and modernize core assets to improve the state of good repair, enhance system resiliency, and increase safety.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

Deployment of railroad safety technology, including positive train control (PTC) and rail integrity inspection systems

A capital project that addresses congestion or safety challenges affecting rail service

A rail line relocation or improvement project

Improvements to short-line or regional railroad infrastructure

Research, development, and testing to advance and facilitate innovative rail projects, including projects using electromagnetic guideways in an enclosure in a very low-pressure environment

Eligible applicants include states, a group of states, interstate compacts, public agencies, political subdivisions of a state, any rail carrier or rail equipment manufacturer in partnership with at least one of the previously listed entities, Amtrak or other rail carriers that provide intercity rail transportation, associations representing one or more Class II or Class III railroads, federally recognized Native Tribes, Transportation Research Boards, University transportation centers engaged in rail-related research, or non-profit labor organizations representing a class or craft of employees of rail carriers or rail carrier contractors. A 20% match is required.

Applications for the DOT CRISI program are due by June 22, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a DOT CRISI grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Address Rail Grade Crossing Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program is offering grant funding to support highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and mobility of people and goods. There is no maximum request for grant funding. A $1 million minimum request is required for all non-Planning projects.

The RCE program seeks to improve American rail infrastructure, enhance rail safety, improve the health and safety of communities, eliminate highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossings that are frequently blocked by trains, and reduce the impacts that freight movement and railroad operations may have on communities. Eligible projects include:

Grade separation or closure, including through the use of a bridge, embankment, tunnel, or combination thereof;

Track relocation;

Improvement or installation of protective devices, signals, signs, or other measures;

A group of related projects described above to collectively improve the mobility of people and goods;

Planning, environmental review, and design of a proposed project

Eligible applicants include states, political subdivisions of states, federally recognized Native Tribes, units of local government or groups of local governments, public port authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, and groups of entities described above. A 20% match is required.

Applications for the DOT RCE grants program are due by June 8, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a DOT RCE application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Support Civic Engagement Projects

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University’s Love Your Block Grant Program is offering up to $270,000 over two years to support initiatives that bring civic leaders and residents together to strengthen neighborhoods. The program is meant to cultivate strong social networks and meaningful engagement between city hall and residents to drive broad, long-lasting changes in municipal practices and policies while fostering improvements at the neighborhood level. Over the two years of the grant period, selected cities will receive funding for implementation and mini-grant projects, as well as training, peer-to-peer learning, and other technical assistance from the Bloomberg Center team.

Projects should focus on addressing a need or challenge in a specific neighborhood that aligns with broader city strategies. All projects must involve a mini-grant competition that awards $1,500-$5,000 in seed funding to residents and community partners to lead volunteer-driven neighborhood projects that reflect local priorities, build community pride, and strengthen neighborhood spaces and relationships.

Eligible applicants include all U.S. cities with a population of at least 50,000 that have a mayoral tenure through at least October 2028 and can demonstrate strong local community and neighborhood support. Cities that participated in 2021-2023 to 2024-2026 cohorts of the Love Your Block programs are not eligible to apply. No match is required.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a Love Your Block grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available for Arts Integration Projects

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) program is offering up to $100,000 to support arts and culture projects that expand public access to the arts and foster artistic excellence. GAP is the NEA’s largest grant opportunity for organizations and supports projects that enable Americans throughout the nation to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and benefit from arts education at all stages of life.

Funding is available for all phases of a project, from planning and research to implementation and evaluation, and can support a single initiative or a series of related activities. Projects should align with one or more Administration priorities:

Spotlight America’s rich artistic and cultural traditions as they may intersect with activities celebrating the 2028 Olympic Games (LA 2028).

Originate from, or are in collaboration with:

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes

Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to support economic development

Hispanic Serving Institutions (definition of HSI)

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Make America healthy again, including support for arts and health programs, including creative arts therapies, that advance the well-being of people and communities, with a special interest in supporting:

Military service members, veterans, their families, and caregivers

Patients in treatment facilities for pediatric cancer care and other childhood diseases

Opioid use prevention, treatment, and recovery

Learning for people with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities

Care of older adults experiencing cognitive or neurodegenerative declines

Advance or sustain the creative work or careers of people with disabilities through employment, industry training, technical assistance, and organizational capacity building.

Disaster relief and emergency response and preparedness for artists and arts organizations.

Empower houses of worship to serve communities through the arts.

Foster artificial intelligence (AI) competency for adults, youth, and educators in ways that are consistent with valuing human artistry.

Foster skilled trade jobs at the intersection of arts and non-arts sectors and industries.

Make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful.

Applicable artistic disciplines include:

Artist Communities

Arts Education

Dance

Design

Film and Media Arts

Folk and Traditional Arts

Literary Arts

Local Arts Agencies

Museums

Music

Musical Theater

Opera

Our Town

Presenting and Multidisciplinary Works

Theater

Visual Arts

Eligible applicants include U.S. Based 501(c) nonprofit organizations, units of state or local government, and federally recognized tribal communities. A 1:1 local match is required. All applicants must have a five-year history of arts programming prior to applying.

Part 1 applications for Grants for Arts Projects are due by July 9, 2026, with full applications due by July 14, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a NEA Grants for Arts Project application, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available for Pre-Disaster Mitigation

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program is offering grants of up to $20 million to support pre-disaster mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses, protect life and property from future disaster damages, and increase community resilience to natural hazards.

Eligible projects must fall within one of the following categories:

Capability- and Capacity-Building activities that directly support infrastructure resilience, such as the adoption, enforcement and implementation of resistant building codes. Eligible projects include building code adoption/enforcement and related technical training and project scoping activities for specific infrastructure.

Hazard Mitigation Projects that are designed to increase resilience and public safety; reduce injuries and loss of life; and reduce damage and destruction to property, critical services, facilities, and infrastructure from a multitude of natural hazards, including drought, wildfire, earthquakes, and the effects of natural weather disasters.

Management Costs, including financial assistance to reimburse eligible and reasonable indirect costs, direct administrative costs, and other administrative expenses associated with a specific mitigation measure or project.

The funding caps (federal share) for the BRIC program are as follows:

State/Territory Maximum Allocation and Activity Caps: Up to $2 million per State to be used for capacity- and capacity building activities and/or hazard mitigation projects

Tribal Set-Aside Cap: The combined cost for capability- and capacity-building activities under the Tribal Set-Aside must not exceed $2 million.

National Competition Cap: $20 million per subapplication. An unlimited number of subapplications can be submitted to the National Competition by a State.

Eligible applicants include states, the District of Columbia, territories, and Tribal Nations. Eligible sub-applicants include communities, local governments, cities, townships, counties, special district governments, and Tribal Nations. Generally, a 25% match is required, however, only a 10% match is required for projects located in “small impoverished communities” that have a population of 3,000 or less, and where residents have an average per capita annual income not exceeding 80% of the national per capita income.

Applications for the FEMA BRIC grant program are due by July 23, 2026.

Please note that the listed deadlines is for States, and sub-applications to States will be due prior to the federal program deadline.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a FEMA BRIC grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Improve Roadway Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program is offering grants of up to $25 million to support transportation infrastructure projects that help prevent fatal and serious injuries on public roadways. The program will support planning, infrastructure, and behavioral and operational initiatives that prevent fatalities and serious injuries on roads and streets involving all roadway users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, motorists, and commercial vehicle operators. The SS4A program offers two types of grants:

Planning and Demonstration Grants ($100,000 - $5 million) to develop, complete, or supplement a comprehensive Safety Action Plan as well as carry out demonstration activities that inform an action plan.

Implementation Grants ($2.5 million - $25 million) to fund projects and strategies identified in a comprehensive Safety Action Plan that addresses roadway problems. Applicants may also request supplemental planning funding to complete any missing components of an existing action plan. Applicants must have an established Action Plan to apply for implementation funding.

Eligible applicants include metropolitan planning organizations, political subdivisions of a state or territory, federally recognized Tribal governments, and multijurisidctional groups of entities described of the aforementioned three types of eligible entities. A 20% match is required.

Applications for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program are due by May 26, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a USDOT SS4A grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Upgrade Natural Gas Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure and Safety Modernization (NGDISM) grant program is offering funding of up to ~$10 million to support the repair, rehabilitation, or replacement of high-risk, leak-prone natural gas distribution infrastructure, or the acquisition of equipment required to reduce incidents and fatalities and avoid economic losses.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

Construction projects that involve repairing, rehabilitating, or replacing leak-prone natural gas pipeline distribution infrastructure. This includes projects related to mainlines, service lines, and related components

Acquisition of equipment to reduce incidents and fatalities, or to avoid economic losses. This includes projects involving the acquisition of leak detection and line locating equipment.

Note that installing or extending new natural gas capabilities is not an eligible use of funds.

Eligible applicants include county governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, special district governments, city or township governments, 501(c)3 nonprofits, and municipality or community owned utilities. No match is required.

Applications for the DOT NGDISM grant program are due by May 22, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a USDOT NGDISM grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Improve Water Infrastructure and Supply in Western States

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) WaterSMART Programs are offering grant funding of up to $130 million to support projects that plan for and implement actions to increase water supply by modernizing existing infrastructure and avoiding potential water conflicts. Three WaterSMART programs are currently open:

WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects (up to $125,000): To implement projects that conserve water and enhance water supply reliability in water delivery systems that have been identified through previous planning efforts. Projects eligible for funding include installation of flow measurement or automation in a specific part of a water delivery system, lining of a section of a canal to address seepage, or other similar projects that are limited in scope. A 50% match is required. Applications are due on June 2, 2026.

WaterSMART Large-Scale Water Recycling Projects (up to $130 million): To support the planning, design, or construction of large-scale water recycling projects. These large-scale projects should maximize limited water supplies in the Western United States and reduce reliance on imported water by providing new, drought-resistant, local water supplies. A 75% match is required. Applications are due on May 13, 2026.

Drought Response Program (Up to $3 million): To support projects designed to improve drought resilience by developing effective water management strategies and drought contingency plans, such as infrastructure improvements for increased water storage and distribution capabilities, water source diversification, decision-making tools for water management, and comprehensive planning to prepare for and respond to drought conditions. A 50% match is required. Applications are due on July 28, 2026.

Eligible applicants for WaterSMART grants include states, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, state/regional/local authorities, other organizations with water or power delivery authority, and nonprofit conservation organizations that are acting in partnership with and with the agreement of an entity listed. Applicants must be located in the Western United States, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with a WaterSMART grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Funding Available to Support Museums

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is offering a series of grants of up to $750,000 to support a variety of museum growth and development projects. IMLS grant programs support lifelong learning, strengthen community engagement, and advance collection stewardship and access.

IMLS is offering the following grants to improve museum services:

Museums Empowered (up to $300,000) supports professional development and training projects that help museum staff integrate digital tools, strengthen evaluation practices, and build resilient culture across museums of all sizes and types. A 1:1 match is required.

Inspire! Grants for Small Museums (up to $75,000) supports small museums (less than $1 million annual budget) to build capacity through project-based work like educational programming, exhibits, community partnerships, and collections stewardship. Projects should help strengthen museums’ ability to serve a diverse public audience. No match is required for requests up to $25,000. A 1:1 match is required for requests over $25,000.

21st Century Museum Professionals Program (up to $500,000) supports projects that build career pathways, strengthen professional networks, and enhance workforce education and training practices in the museum field, including training the current workforce and recruiting future museum professionals. A 1:1 match is required.

Museums for America (up to $300,000) supports projects that serve the public through learning experiences, community engagement, and improved stewardship of collections. A 1:1 match is required.

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (up to $500,000) supports projects that strengthen African American museums and invest in institutional capacity, workforce development, and access to collections and programs that illuminate African American history and culture. No match is required for requests up to $100,000. A 1:1 match is required for requests over $100,000.

Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (up to $500,000) supports projects that build capacity for American latino history and culture museums, including projects that focus on workforce growth and improved service to their communities. No match is required.

National Leadership Grants for Museums (up to $750,000) supports larger scale, field advancing projects that develop replicable practices, tools, research, and collaborations to address critical needs across the museum sector. A 1:1 match is required.

Eligible applicants include states, local governments, federally recognized Tribal governments, and private nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status that operate museums that use a professional staff; are organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational, cultural heritage, or aesthetic purposes; own or use tangible objects, either animate or inanimate; cares for these objects; and exhibits these objects to the general public on a regular basis through facilities that it owns or operates. A museum located within a parent organization that is a State, local, or tribal government or multipurpose nonprofit may apply on its own behalf if the museum is able to independently fulfill all the eligibility requirements.

The above IMLS grant applications are due by March 13, 2026.

For more information about how Sustainable Strategies DC can help your community with an IMLS grant, please contact your S2 Client Manager or Nicole Marion at 202-261-6011.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Funding Opportunities by Sustainable Strategies DC