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Bureau of Reclamation · Department of the Interior

Native American Affairs: Fiscal Year 2025 Colorado River Basin Tribal Drought Resiliency Program

Open

In short: Bureau of Reclamation expects to make 10 awards of $50,000 to $1 million. Open to tribal government.

Key facts

Deadline
Due Nov 20, 2026 · 41 days left
The funder says: “Applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m., MT, on the listed application due date.”
Award size
$50K – $1M
Total available
$6M · about 10 awards
Match ?
Not required · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply
Tribal government, and others named in the official notice
Where
Check the official notice for location limits

How this fits you

  • Only tribes or Native American / Native Hawaiian organizations can apply

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

About this grant

The objectives of this NAA/TAP funding opportunity are to provide funding for drought relief actions/projects that mitigate drought impacts for designated federally recognized tribes within the Colorado River Basin (see Eligibility section for list of tribes), and which advance Presidential and Department of the Interior Priorities within the Basin.Proposals should meet one or more of the following objectives:Mitigate drought impacts,Increase drought resiliency,Reduce reliance on declining water sources,Increase the efficiency of water deliveries,Mitigate the loss of tribal water or water related resources,Address drinking water shortages or,Advance Presidential or Department of the Interior Priorities in these areasReclamation Plans to make Fiscal Year 2025 funds available for proposals selected for this NOFO:Maximum award per tribe: $1,000,000No cost share is statutorily required; however, partnering and collaboration, including through cost sharing, is encouraged.The NAA/TAP 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).

Who can apply, from the official notice

To be considered for this program, applicants will meet all the following eligibility requirements: The tribe must be one of the following federally recognized tribes, as defined in 25 U. · S. · C. Section 5304, designated Colorado River Basin tribes: Ak-Chin Indian Community; Chemehuevi Indian Tribe; Cocopah Indian Tribe; Colorado River Indian Tribes; Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe; Fort Yuma - Quechan Tribe; Gila River Indian Community; Havasupai Tribe; Hopi Tribe; Hualapai Tribe; Jicarilla Apache Nation; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians; Las Vegas Paiute Tribe; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians; Navajo Nation; Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; Pascua Yaqui Tribe; Pueblo of Zuni; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community; San Carlos Apache Tribe; San Juan Southern Paiute; Southern Ute Indian Tribe; Tohono O'odham Nation; Tonto Apache Tribe; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; White Mountain Apache Tribe; Yavapai-Apache Nation; and Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, and · The proposed project must provide drought relief actions to mitigate adverse drought impacts in the Colorado River Basin. · Any applicant with an enacted Indian Water Rights Settlement, should identify the settlement in their application and might not be eligible for an award under this NOFO due to the uniqueness of each settlement. · Project activities not eligible for funding under this NOFO include, but are not limited to: Stand-alone Cultural or Feasibility studies (as defined under Reclamation law, which require express congressional authorization). · Activities that lack definable products or deliverables. · Specific employment positions within a tribe. · Activities with a duration of more than 5 years from date of execution of a grant/cooperative agreement. · Activities that generate data or analyses that have the potential to compromise any study or activities of a U. · S. Department of the Interior (Department) Indian water rights negotiation or the Department of Justice in its pursuit of related Indian water rights claims. · Activities related to non-Federal or non-tribal dams and associated structures. · Activities providing funding for the administration of contracts or agreements under P. · L. 93-638. · Purchase of equipment as the sole purpose of the activity. · Water purchases including the purchase or leasing of water...

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Your schedule, working back from the deadline

  1. Oct10
    Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
    Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov
  2. Oct30
    Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
    Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters.
  3. Nov13
    Finish a complete draft for a final review
    Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft.
  4. Nov18
    Submit
    Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog
  5. Nov20
    Deadline
    From the funder.

Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.

Writing the need statement? Roane County facts with citations.

What the official notice requires

Pulled from the official notice General_NOFO_FAQ.pdf (5 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.

Registrations you need first (2)

  • SAM.gov, Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 1
    “Required registrations include (1) establishing a Unique Entity ID (UEI) in SAM.gov;” Open page 1
  • Grants.gov · p. 1
    “(3) and registering in Grants.gov.” Open page 1

Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist

Mistakes that get applications rejected (3)

  • Not registered in time: Failure of an applicant to submit on time because they did not complete registration in SAM.gov or... · p. 1
    “Failure of an applicant to submit on time because they did not complete registration in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will result in your application being found ineligible for consideration.” Open page 1
  • Not an eligible applicant: If not, the application may be deemed ineligible. · p. 4
    “If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.” Open page 4
  • Late or not validated: Any applications received after the deadline, regardless of the form of submission, will be deemed ineligible. · p. 4
    “Any applications received after the deadline, regardless of the form of submission, will be deemed ineligible.” Open page 4

Files from the official listing

The notice, forms and templates the agency attached. Some programs ask for a letter of intent or a form before the full application.

More from Bureau of Reclamation

About the federal program

Indian Tribal Water Resources Development, Management, and Protection, also called “Indian Tribal Water Resources”
Program number 15.519 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation · Cooperative agreement (a grant with close agency involvement), direct payment for a set purpose

How applications are judged

Proposed projects must be related to the development, management and protection of Indian tribal water resources.

Match

None required (federal program listing).

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal year 2025: Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to: Water need and water infrastructure assessments, Water management plans and studies, Short-term water quality or water measurement data collection and assessment to inform new management approaches, Training for Tribal staff and managers in areas of water resources� development, management and protection, Drilling domestic or stock watering wells, On-the-ground activities related to riparian and aquatic habitat with the goal to maintain or improve water quantity or water quality, Restoring wetlands, Controlling erosion, Stabilizing streambanks, and Constructing ponds. Developing water basin plans, Distinct, stand-alone water related activities that are part of a larger project. Proposals should meet one or more of the following objectives: Mitigate drought impacts, Increase drought resiliency, Reduce reliance on declining water sources, Increase the efficiency of water deliveries, Mitigate the loss of tribal water or water related resources, Address drinking water shortages or, Advance Presidential or Department of the Interior Priorities in these areas. Fiscal year 2026: Eligible activities may...

This program on SAM.gov

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Source: Federal grants from Grants.gov · the official federal record. Last checked by GrantMe Oct 10, 2026.

Reference numbers: official notice number R26AS00021 · program number 15.519