Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program
Coachella Valley Water District's Thomas E. Levy Groundwater Replenishment Facility in Coachella, California.
Our Mission
The mission of the SGM Grant Program is to provide funding to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and other responsible entities under SGMA to promote healthy and sustainable groundwater basins, to reduce and eliminate undesirable effects, and to promote projects that provide multiple benefits while also improving groundwater supply and quality.
Our Vision
The vision of the SGM Grant Program is to achieve sustainable water balance in California, where GSAs and other responsible entities work cooperatively and innovatively to manage surface and groundwater together in a holistic and integrated manner.
We conduct the following activities to achieve the mission and vision of the SGM Grant Program:
- fund the development and implementation of a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) or an approved Alternative to a GSP
- fund projects that promote the sustainable use of groundwater
- educate the public on groundwater sources and uses, and ways to sustainably manage and protect it
- provide technical assistance for Underrepresented Communities to identify their risks and needs with respect to SGMA compliance
- research and disseminate information on sustainable groundwater best management practices
- partner with other State agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other interested parties to ensure that public funds are expended on activities and tasks that best suits the groundwater needs in California
As stewards of the public investment, DWR’s role is to verify public funds are being used in the most appropriate manner in accordance with the applicable propositions and General Obligation Bond law, State Budget acts and Executive proclamations, and the funding documents we develop to solicit applications and deliver the funds in compliance with such directives.
Current Solicitation Information
DWR is pleased to announce the Budget Act of 2021 SGMA Implementation Round 1 grant solicitation final funding recommendation list awarding $150.5 million. The twenty awarded projects will help to achieve regional sustainability with investments in groundwater recharge in COD basins.
The Round 1 solicitation closed on February 28, 2022. DWR received 20 applications, requesting over $276 million in grant funds. (A full list of applications and a brief description of each application received can be found here.)
The Budget Act of 2021 (through Senate Bill 170) has provided $180 million in General Funds for Groundwater Projects. Of the $180 million in General Funds, $171 million was available for grant awards after program administration costs. In addition, the Budget Act of 2021 allocated $60 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/2023 and $60 million in FY 2023/2024. This $120 million ($114 million after administration costs) are subject to Legislature approval. As mentioned above, DWR has awarded $150.5 million of the $171 million available in the Budget Act of 2021. The remaining funds will be awarded in at least one additional solicitation.
The second solicitation, expected to open in October 2022, will provide over $200 million from the General Fund and Proposition 68, and any funds not awarded in the first round, for planning and implementation projects to help comply with SGMA. The exact amount available is dependent upon legislative approval and is subject to change. Any remaining funds after the second round will be distributed through future funding solicitations.
In addition to these funding solicitations, DWR initiated the Underrepresented Community Technical Assistance Program in mid-2021 to help identify the needs, risks and vulnerabilities of these communities with respect to SGMA implementation. This work will conclude in mid-2023. In a complementary effort, DWR is reserving $2 million in state funds to award to a technical assistance provider to address the needs, risks, and vulnerabilities of Underrepresented Communities as identified by the Technical Assistance Program. Of this amount, a minimum of $1 million must be used for technical assistance. More information can be found within the Proposal Solicitation Package.
More information on eligible applicant(s), eligible activities/tasks, and eligible groundwater basins are found within the 2021 Guidelines and PSP.
SGM Grant Program’s SGMA Implementation Guidelines - Final
SGM Grant Program’s SGMA Implementation Proposal Solicitation Package - Final
PLEASE NOTE:
This is a dynamic program and changes are occurring often. More information will be provided as it becomes available. We recommend checking this website frequently for any updates.
| Program Schedule and Key Dates | |
|---|---|
| Milestone or Activity | Tentative Schedule |
| SGMA Implementation Round 1 Execute Agreements | June/July 2022 |
| SGMA Implementation Round 2 Grant Solicitation Opens |
October 2022 |
| Draft Award List Posted for Public Review | June/July 2023 |
| Final Award List Posted | August 2023 |
| Execute Agreements | September-November 2023 |
The SGM Grant Program is funded by Proposition 1, Proposition 68, and General Funds from the State Budget Act of 2021. To date, the SGM Grant Program has awarded $139.5 million in three rounds of planning grants for development of Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), updates/revisions to approved Alternatives to a GSP, and implementation of related projects. In addition, the SGM Grant Program has awarded $26 million to critically overdrafted basins for construction projects outlined in their adopted GSP or approved Alternative to a GSP.
See “Current Grant Solicitation Information” above for more information on the most recent future grant solicitation information.
Proposition 1, Round 1, Counties with Stressed Basins Grants
In 2015, DWR received 23 applications requesting $7 million in grant funding. DWR awarded 21 grants for a total of $6.7 million in Proposition 1 grant funding and $5.8 million in local cost share.
Proposition 1, Round 2, Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Program
In 2017, DWR received 78 applications requesting $86.3 million in grant funding and approximately $64 million in local cost share. On April 4, 2018, DWR announced the final award to 78 grant applicants totaling $85.8 million for the SGWP Grant Program Solicitation.
Proposition 68, Round 3, Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Program
In 2019, DWR received 55 applications requesting $51.1 million in grant funding and approximately $11 in local cost share. In 2020, DWR awarded 53 grants for approximately $47 million in Proposition 68 funding for the SGWP Grant Program Solicitation. Information regarding the final awards can be found at the following links:
The 2020/2021 Budget Act stated that $26 million of Proposition 68 implementation funds would be made available for critically overdrafted (COD) basins only. In January 2021, DWR received 15 applications, requesting over $70 Million in grant funding. DWR awarded 6 grants for $26 million in Proposition 68 funding for the SGM Grant Program’s Implementation Round 1 grant solicitation.
- Full List of Applications and Final Score
- Proposition 68 SGM Grant Program 2019 Guidelines
- Proposition 68 SGM Implementation Grant - Final PSP
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Prop 68 SGW Implementation Round 1
- December 3, 2020 Applicant Workshop Video - Prop 68 SGW Implementation
- December 3, 2020 Applicant Workshop Presentation Slides - Prop 68 Implementation, Round 1
DWR has retained the services of GHD, Inc. to provide project analysis and monitoring protocol development.
In early 2021, GHD, Inc. began the Groundwater Implementation Project Protocols (GIPP) which includes collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to develop standardized monitoring methods to determine the effectiveness of SGM Grant Program Projects. DWR is interested in understanding which project types efficiently provide multi-benefits are the most cost-beneficial, and best address sustainability indicators outlined in SGMA (subsidence, depletion of interconnected surface water, groundwater levels lowering, degraded water quality, reduction of groundwater storage and seawater intrusion). This work will investigate existing groundwater sustainability projects and apply a decision-based approach to evaluate the effectiveness of those projects. GHD is collaborating with numerous branches of DWR, other State agencies, and international colleagues.
The project is separated into two phases: Project Data Analysis and Data Standards Development. Currently the project is in the Project Data Analysis phase in which data is being gathered to evaluate monitoring protocol standards, monitoring networks, data gaps, hydrogeologic conceptual models, water budgets, hydrogeologic models, and other modelling associated with the development and operation of completed SGM projects. The project is expected to be completed in Mid-2022.
Note: certain grantees may be contacted for an interview to obtain further project information.
For more information visit: Technical Assistance
Resources
Contact Us
What's New?
- Revision to Final 2021 SGM Grant Program PSP pages 8, 9, 14, 16, and 27 closing date changed to February 28, 2022
Public Meetings & Applicant Assistance Workshop
The California Grants Portal – your one destination to find all state grant and loan opportunities provided on a first-come or competitive basis. Visit grants.ca.gov to find funding opportunities for you and your community.