DWR offers numerous grant and loan programs that support integrated water management activities addressing watershed climate resiliency, environmental stewardship, water supply reliability, flood risk, groundwater sustainability, water conservation, drought, and more.
Learn more about these grant and loan opportunities and how the funding can help your organization reach its water sustainability and environmental goals. Local public agencies, Tribes, and nonprofit organizations are typically eligible for DWR grants.
For general information about DWR’s grant and loan programs and for resources to help you better succeed in the application process, visit the Grants Best Practices and Tips for Success page.
To apply for a DWR open solicitation, visit each program’s webpage for specific eligibility requirements, application instructions, and contact information.
This program ha $3.5 million available for projects that enhance California's readiness to respond to flood disasters, as identified in the State Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The grant programs listed below are administering Proposition 4 — the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 funding.
Learn about Proposition 4 funding available from each program, such as the amount of funding and the types of eligible projects. This list will be updated as information becomes available. Program information can also be found in the Grant and Loan Programs section of this page.
This program provides $464 million through two rounds of funding for repairs, rehabilitation, enhancements, and other dam safety projects at existing state jurisdictional dams and associated facilities that were in service prior to January 1, 2023.
This program provides $141 million to local agencies partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on federally authorized flood control projects outside the State Plan of Flood Control. This is not a competitive program, but local agencies may contact DWR to inquire about funding opportunities.
This program provides more than $300 million to help local agencies implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans and projects that improve groundwater supply and quality. Its mission is to promote healthy, sustainable groundwater basins through collaboration, education, technical assistance, and funding for innovative solutions that achieve a balanced water future for California.
This program provides $57.6 million through a competitive process for projects focused on brackish water desalination, contaminant and salt removal, and salinity management to enhance California's water and drought resilience.
This program provides approximately $153 million for projects that improve climate resilience on a watershed basis.
DWR grant and loan programs fund a variety of projects that support integrated water management activities. Below is a list of the grant and loan programs by category.
Programs listed below may not be accepting applications; if you are seeking funding, please see the list of Open Solicitations at the top of this page.
No current open solicitations. This program helps urban and agricultural communities cope with water shortages and drought conditions through the implementation of water use efficiency projects.
No current open solicitations. This joint program highlights the benefits of efficiency and conservation, awarding $3 million from Proposition 1, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, to projects that address water use efficiency and reduction, greenhouse gas emission reductions, groundwater protection, and sustainability of agricultural operations and food production.
No current open solicitations. This program provides grant funding for nonstructural flood management projects that support wildlife habitat enhancement and/or agricultural land preservation.
No current open solicitations. The Instream Flow Water Purchase Program provides funding for the acquisition of instream flows in the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed. The program prioritizes flows provided in dry and critically dry water year types to measurably enhance streamflow at a time and location necessary to provide fisheries or ecosystem benefits and improve upon existing flow conditions.
No current open solicitations. LandFlex is a voluntary program that provides immediate drought relief to domestic drinking water wells in vulnerable communities by incentivizing growers to temporarily fallow land and reduce groundwater pumping. A core component of the program is that it permanently reduces a grower’s ability to overdraft groundwater on enrolled lands, bringing those lands into immediate compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
No current open solicitations. This program provides funding for projects that result in direct, measurable water quality improvements to the San Joaquin River by reducing or eliminating discharges of subsurface agricultural drainage.
No current open solicitations. The Watershed Resilience Program provides financial and technical support to improve regional resilience at the watershed scale, a vision and framework described in the California Water Plan 2023.
No current open solicitations. The Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program's purpose is to provide State funding for repairs, rehabilitation, enhancements, and other dam safety projects. Projects must take place at existing State jurisdictional dams and associated facilities that were in service prior to January 1, 2023.
Currently soliciting applications. This program provides financial assistance to enhance California's readiness to respond to flood disasters, as identified in the State Hazard Mitigation Plan.
No current open solicitations. This program provides over $250 million in grant funding for urban communities and multibenefit projects. These grants support projects and programs that provide water to communities facing the loss or contamination of their water supplies, address immediate impacts on human health and safety, and protect fish and wildlife resources.
No current open solicitations. This program provides over $280 million in grant funding for urban communities to implement drought response projects.
No current open solicitations. LandFlex is a voluntary program that provides immediate drought relief to domestic drinking water wells in vulnerable communities by incentivizing growers to temporarily fallow land and reduce groundwater pumping. A core component of the program is that it permanently reduces a grower’s ability to overdraft groundwater on enrolled lands, bringing those lands into immediate compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
No current open solicitations. This program provides $300 million to implement needed resiliency measures and infrastructure improvements for small water suppliers and rural communities. The program supports projects and programs that provide immediate and near-term water supply reliability benefits. These measures improve drought and water shortage resiliency and preparedness for small communities.
No current open solicitations. This program works directly with local agencies to provide critical financial assistance for flood protection in the Delta. The program provides funding to safeguard public benefits from flood hazards, including roads, utilities, urbanized areas, water quality, recreation, navigation, and fish and wildlife.
No current open solicitations. This program provides grant funding for nonstructural flood management projects that support wildlife habitat enhancement and/or agricultural land preservation.
This program is accepting full applications from candidates that received formal invitations only. This program provides technical and financial assistance to support the planning and implementation of watershed-based riverine and riparian improvements that help reduce flood-risk, restore and enhance fish populations and their habitat, and enhance water quality, among other environmental benefits.
No current open solicitations. This program funds projects where the applicant works in partnership with the local community to reduce flood and erosion risks, protect property, restore and enhance the stream ecosystems, and advance community education and stream stewardship.
No current open solicitations. This program funds multibenefit flood risk reduction projects that (1) address flood risk for urban communities, small communities, and/or rural areas, and (2) enhance ecosystems by improving fish and wildlife habitat and water quality downstream.
No current open solicitations. The Coastal Watershed Flood Risk Reduction Program funds projects in coastal areas that focus on multibenefit flood risk reduction.
This program is accepting applications from qualified levee maintaining agencies, reclamation districts, and other government agencies. This program provides funding on a cost share basis to local levee maintaining agencies for rehabilitation and maintenance of levees in the Delta.
No current open solicitations. This program works directly with local agencies to provide critical financial assistance for flood protection in the Delta. The program provides funding to safeguard public benefits from flood hazards, including roads, utilities, urbanized areas, water quality, recreation, navigation, and fish and wildlife.
No current open solicitations. This program provides financial assistance to local agencies cooperating in the construction of federally authorized flood control projects.
No current open solicitations. This program provides grant funding for nonstructural flood management projects that support wildlife habitat enhancement and/or agricultural land preservation.
No current open solicitations. Since 2012, this program provides $20 million through three different types of Flood Emergency Response grants to improve local flood emergency response and contribute to increased public safety.
No current open solicitations. The Floodplain Management, Protection and Risk Awareness Grant Program supports local agency efforts to prepare for flooding by providing financial assistance for flood risk reduction activities related to stormwater flooding, mudslides, and flash floods.
No current open solicitations. This program provides financial assistance to local public agencies responsible for flood management outside the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This assistance helps local agencies obtain the geotechnical information needed to repair damaged levees and to restore or maintain levee accreditation by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Currently soliciting applications. This program provides financial assistance to enhance California's readiness to respond to flood disasters, as identified in the State Hazard Mitigation Plan.
No current open solicitations. This program provides assistance to small communities protected by State Plan of Flood Control facilities to reduce flood risk.
No current open solicitations. The Systemwide Flood Risk Reduction Program oversees the work necessary to develop and implement Delta and Central Valley multibenefit flood risk reduction and habitat restoration projects. These projects further the goals and objectives of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan and other systemwide priorities identified by Governor Gavin Newsom or the Legislature.
No current open solicitations. This program works to improve flood protection for urban areas associated with State Plan of Flood Control. Specifically, the program provides funding to local flood control agencies in urban communities to increase flood protection, provide ecosystem restoration and improvement, protect farmland, and improve operation and maintenance of State Plan of Flood Control facilities.
No current open solicitations. LandFlex is a voluntary program that provides immediate drought relief to domestic drinking water wells in vulnerable communities by incentivizing growers to temporarily fallow land and reduce groundwater pumping. A core component of the program is that it permanently reduces a grower’s ability to overdraft groundwater on enrolled lands, bringing those lands into immediate compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
No current open solicitations. This program provides funds to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and other responsible entities under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act for projects that develop and implement sustainable groundwater planning.
No current open solicitations. Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) is a collaborative effort to manage all aspects of water resources in a region. IRWM grant programs, via Proposition 84 and Proposition 1, fund regional water management projects (both planning and implementation) and provided support for disadvantaged communities and Tribal involvement.
No current open solicitations. This program encourages development of methods of using subsurface drainage, reducing its toxic elements, and concentrating, separating, and utilizing its salts.
No current open solicitations. This program supports projects that improve water quality or ecological conditions within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
No current open solicitations. This program provides funding for projects that result in direct, measurable water quality improvements to the San Joaquin River by reducing or eliminating discharges of subsurface agricultural drainage.
No current open solicitations. This program provides project grants for the treatment of naturally occurring saline water, including brackish water and seawater. Funded projects support the planning and development of potable water for municipal uses to meet local water resource needs statewide.
No current open solicitations. This program works directly with local agencies to provide critical financial assistance for flood protection in the Delta. The program provides funding to safeguard public benefits from flood hazards, including roads, utilities, urbanized areas, water quality, recreation, navigation, and fish and wildlife.
No current open solicitations. The Instream Flow Water Purchase Program provides funding for the acquisition of instream flows in the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed. The program prioritizes flows provided in dry and critically dry water year types to measurably enhance streamflow at a time and location necessary to provide fisheries or ecosystem benefits and improve upon existing flow conditions.
No current open solicitations. LandFlex is a voluntary program that provides immediate drought relief to domestic drinking water wells in vulnerable communities by incentivizing growers to temporarily fallow land and reduce groundwater pumping. A core component of the program is that it permanently reduces a grower’s ability to overdraft groundwater on enrolled lands, bringing those lands into immediate compliance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
No current open solicitations. This program provides funds to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and other responsible entities under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act for projects that develop and implement sustainable groundwater planning.
No current open solicitations. This program provides project grants for the treatment of naturally occurring saline water, including brackish water and seawater. Funded projects support the planning and development of potable water for municipal uses to meet local water resource needs statewide.
No current open solicitations. This program helps urban and agricultural communities cope with water shortages and drought conditions through the implementation of water use efficiency projects.
No current open solicitations. This joint program highlights the benefits of efficiency and conservation, awarding $3 million from Proposition 1, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, to projects that address water use efficiency and reduction, greenhouse gas emission reductions, groundwater protection, and sustainability of agricultural operations and food production.
No current open solicitations. This program awarded a $3 million loan for specific types of water conservation and water use efficiency projects and programs that seek to achieve urban water use targets.
No current open solicitations. This program provides project grants for the treatment of naturally occurring saline water, including brackish water and seawater. Funded projects support the planning and development of potable water for municipal uses to meet local water resource needs statewide.
Below is an alphabetized list of DWR grant and loan programs, including closed programs that have finished funding their agreements. Programs listed below may not be accepting applications; if you are seeking funding, please see the list of Open Solicitations at the top of this page.
2021 Urban and Multibenefit Drought Relief Grant Program
2022 Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program
Agricultural Water Use Efficiency
Agricultural Water Use Efficiency's DWR/CDFA Joint Pilot Project
CalConserve Water Use Efficiency Loan Program
Central Valley Tributaries Program
Coastal Watershed Flood Risk Reduction Program
Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program
Delta Levees Maintenance Subventions
Delta Levees Special Flood Control Projects
Drainage Reuse Grant Program - Proposition 204
Flood Control Subventions Program
Flood Emergency Response Grant Program
Floodplain Management, Protection, and Risk Awareness Grant Program
Instream Flow Water Purchase Program
Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Programs
Local Levee Assistance Program
Proposition 50 Delta Water Quality Grants Program
Proposition 84 Delta Water Quality Program
Real-Time Data Direct Grant Program
San Joaquin River Water Quality Grant Program - Proposition 84
Small Communities Flood Risk Reduction
Small Community Drought Relief Program
Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program
Systemwide Flood Risk Reduction Program
Urban Streams Restoration Program
The California Grants Portal is your one-stop 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.
DWR has released the Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program draft guidelines and proposal solicitation and ranking process (PSP) for a 15-day public comment period. This is a statewide program that will provide funding for repairs, rehabilitation, enhancements, and other dam safety projects at existing state jurisdictional dams ...
Approved by California voters in November 2024, Proposition 4 funds projects focused on safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, and DWR is launching new assistance programs
Several programs were amended to include the ability to provide advance funds to public and nonprofit grantees under certain circumstances and in accordance with State law.
For general inquiries about DWR grant and loan programs, please send an email to Funding@water.ca.gov.