Potential Project Funding | Mid-Coast Water

Potential Funding Sources

The following funding sources may support implementation of Mid-Coast Water Action Plan actions:

On-the-ground Conservation and Restoration Projects

National Forest Foundation

Through its on-the-ground conservation programs, the National Forest Foundation supports action-oriented projects that directly enhance the health and well-being of America's National Forests and Grasslands and that engage the public in stewardship. Nonprofit organizations dedicated to addressing natural resource issues on National Forests and Grasslands can apply for support to complete projects through three distinct grant programs. Additionally, the NFF provides funding opportunities that address specific strategic initiatives aligned with their mission and goals. The Matching Awards Program focuses towards on the ground conservation and restoration projects that improve forest health and outdoor experiences (opportunity 2x/yr).

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Restoration Grants

Restoration priorities include projects that address or involve:

altered watershed functions affecting water quality, water flow, and the production capacity for fish;
removal or remediation of structures such as roads, culverts, and channels to improve water quality and/or fish habitat;
land management practices to address the causes of chronic disturbances to the watershed;
direct evidence of collaboration between stakeholders and agencies over single-party projects; and
upslope and upstream treatments.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Small Grants

Less complex, on-the-ground restoration projects of up to $15,000. This program responds to a need for local decision-making about watershed restoration opportunities on a shorter timeframe than is available under OWEB’s regular grant program. Application deadlines set by each Small Grant Team.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Resource Assessment and Planning Grants

This grant program funds development of an implementation plan for restoration activities.

Private Forest Accord Mitigation Fund Grant Program

The Private Forest Accord Mitigation Fund was established in the 2022 legislative session as part of the agreement between timber and conservation groups to recommend changes to the Forest Practices Act. The Mitigation Fund's purpose is to fund projects that help aquatic species and habitats, and it will be administered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Technical Design and Engineering

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Technical Design and Engineering Grants

This grant program funds development of a technical design for a restoration project.

Monitoring

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Monitoring Grants

The board considers grant applications that:

Describe current watershed conditions by gathering and analyzing data, and making monitoring results publicly available;
Establish trends about watershed conditions by gathering and analyzing data, and making monitoring results publicly available; or
Evaluate the specific effects of a restoration or acquisition project or program by comparing similar watershed components before and after implementation of a restoration or acquisition project or program, and making monitoring results publicly available.

Water Supply Projects

Oregon Water Resources Department Water Projects Grants and Loans

This funding opportunity invests in water supply projects that meet water supply needs and result in public economic, environmental, and social/cultural benefits.

Water Quality

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Nonpoint Source Water Quality Control (319) Grants

Nonpoint Source Water Quality Control (319) grant funds available through Section 319 of the Water Quality Act of 1987 are a critical element in turning Oregon's NPS control program into water quality protection realities in watersheds throughout the state. ODEQ solicits proposals each year in October.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Clean Water State Revolving Fund

Clean Water State Revolving Fund - The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides below-market rate loans for the planning, design and construction of water pollution control activities. Nonpoint projects are eligible, as long as they have a water quality benefit, are sponsored by public entities, and demonstrate ability to pay back the loan. Amounts and terms vary but interest rates are well below levels of inflation. A portion of the SRF program may be considered match to 319 grants.

Oregon Health Authority, Drinking Water Services, and Business Oregon Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund

The Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund (SDWRLF), known nationally as the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, is a loan program to fund planning, design, and construction of drinking water facility improvements. The program is implemented through a partnership between the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Drinking Water Services and Business Oregon.

Business Oregon Water/Wastewater Fund

This loan program funds the design and construction of public infrastructure needed to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act or the Clean Water Act. The public entities that are eligible to apply for the program are cities; counties; county service districts (organized under ORS Chapter 451); tribal councils; ports; and special districts as defined in ORS 198.010. The proposed project must be owned and operated by a public entity as listed above. Allowable funded project activities may include:

reasonable costs for construction improvement or expansion of drinking water system, wastewater system or stormwater system;
water source, treatment, storage and distribution;
wastewater collection, treatment and disposal facilities;
stormwater system;
purchase of rights of way and easements necessary for construction;
design and construction engineering; or
planning/technical assistance for small communities.

Oregon's Association of Water Utilities Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program

This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.

Stakeholder Engagement

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Stakeholder Engagement Grants

"Stakeholder Engagement Project" means a project whose purpose is to communicate and engage with landowners, organizations, and the community about the need for, feasibility, and benefits of a specific eligible restoration or acquisition project or projects within an identified geography, or an eligible resource assessment or planning project, in order to successfully plan or implement said restoration or acquisition project. Education projects are not eligible.

Conservation Collaborations

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Focused Investment Partnerships (FIPs)

Implementation FIP funding supports high-performing partnerships in pursuing conservation initiatives guided by existing strategic action plans. Implementation funding supports partnerships with up to $12 million over 3 biennia (6 years). The 2021-23 solicitation deadline has been postponed until further notice. Please see the June 2020 board meeting FIP solicitation staff report for additional information. Updates regarding the 2021-2023 solicitation will be posted as soon as details become available. For further information, please contact a staff member, Andrew Dutterer at andrew.dutterer@oregon.gov.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Forest Collaborative TA

These projects increase the pace, scale, and quality of forest restoration for local collaboratives, including engaging stakeholders monitoring projects. Grants are awarded through a competitive process in which collaborative groups respond via letter of intent and application to specific objectives and goals developed collaboratively by OWEB and ODF. For further information, please contact either Courtney Shaff at courtney.shaff@oregon.gov or Kathy Leopold at kathy.leopold@oregon.gov.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Organization Collaboration Grants

These grants support WCs, SWCDs, and Land Trusts to develop strategic collaborations in order to build resilient, sustainable, local organizations that achieve ecological outcomes and engage local communities. Please direct questions, comments, or requests to Courtney Shaff at courtney.shaff@oregon.gov.

Rural Area Water Systems

Circuit Rider Program

This program provides technical assistance to rural water systems that are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial or managerial issues. Rural water system officials may request assistance from the Rural Utilities Service, or Rural Utilities Service staff may request assistance on behalf of the system.

Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water.

Revolving Funds for Financing Water & Wastewater Projects

This program helps qualified nonprofits create revolving loan funds that can provide financing to extend and improve water and waste disposal systems in rural areas.

Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH)

This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.

Solid Waste Management Grants

This program reduces or eliminates pollution of water resources by providing funding for organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites.

Water & Waste Disposal Grants to Alleviate Health Risks on Tribal Lands and Colonias

This program provides low-income communities, which face significant health risks, access to safe, reliable drinking water and waste disposal facilities and services.

Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program

Water & Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees

This program helps private lenders provide affordable financing to qualified borrowers to improve access to clean, reliable water and waste disposal systems for households and businesses in rural areas.

Water & Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants

This program assists low-income communities with initial planning and development of applications for USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs.

Water & Waste Disposal Technical Assistance & Training Grants

This program helps qualified, private nonprofits provide technical assistance and training to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste problems; helps applicants prepare applications for water and waste disposal loans/grants; and helps associations improve the operation and maintenance of water and waste facilities in eligible rural areas.

Acquisition Grants

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Land Acquisition Grants

Eligible projects involve the purchase of interests in land from willing sellers for the purpose of maintaining or restoring watersheds and habitat for native fish or wildlife. Entities able to hold OWEB-funded interests in land, as long as the entity continues to use the land for the purposes specified in the constitution:

Local, state, and federal agencies
Tribes
Not-for-profit land conservation organizations and trusts
State institutions of higher education
Independent not-for-profit institutions of higher education or political subdivisions of the state

Apply in the fall. Please direct questions or comments to Miriam Forney, Land Acquisitions Coordinator at miriam.forney@oregon.gov.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Water Acquisition Grants

Eligible projects involve the purchase of an interest in water from a willing seller for the purpose of increasing instream flow for habitat and species conservation benefits and to improve water quality. Water acquisition grants can support a range of project activities from permanent transfers and temporary leases of instream water rights to incentive-based voluntary curtailments by irrigators. Apply in the fall. Please direct questions to Eric Williams, Grant Program Manager at eric.williams@oregon.gov.

Feasibility Study Grants

Oregon Water Resources Department Feasibility Study Grants

Feasibility Study Grants reimburse up to 50% of the costs of studies to evaluate the feasibility of developing water conservation, reuse, and storage projects. This competitive funding opportunity helps individuals and communities investigate whether a project idea is feasible and worth pursuing.

Agricultural Land Streamsides

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Conservation Reserve Enhancement (CREP) TA Program

This program is a cooperative venture between the State of Oregon and Farm Services Agency (FSA), with technical support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and local partners, including soil and water conservation districts, watershed councils, and resource conservation and development councils. The purpose of this long-standing program is to restore, maintain, and enhance streamside areas along agricultural lands to benefit fish, wildlife, and water quality. Landowners who voluntarily enroll in CREP receive annual rental payments and state and federal cost-share incentives to install approved conservation measures, such as planting trees and shrubs, and installing fencing and livestock water facilities. Grants support staffing, travel, training, outreach, and planning associated with implementing the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in Oregon. Offered every other year. Please direct questions to Courtney Shaff, Interim Business Operations Manager, at courtney.shaff@oregon.gov.

Planning

Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Drought Contingency Planning Grants

This funding opportunity supports the development and update of drought contingency plans that will build long-term resiliency to drought. Applicants may request up to $200,000 for projects to be completed within two years. In general, a 50% non-federal cost share is required.

Bureau of Reclamation Cooperative Watershed Management Grant (Phase I)

This funding opportunity can be used to develop a watershed group, complete watershed management planning activities and design watershed management activities. Applicants may request up to $100,000 for projects to be completed within two years. A non-federal cost-share is not required for this funding opportunity.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Partnership TA Grants

Formerly Development FIPs, these grants support existing partnerships to generate a new or enhance an existing strategic action plan, elevate level of performance, and support capacity. Applicants can request a maximum of $150,000. Grants can last up to 3 years. Please direct questions or comments to Courtney Shaff, Interim Business Operations Manager at courtney.shaff@oregon.gov.

Drinking Water Sources

Oregon Health Authority Domestic Well Safety Program (DWSP)

This program is intended to increase the capacity of Oregon Local Public Health Authorities (LPHAs), particularly those that have identified domestic wells and water security as local priorities through county hazard assessments, to help plan and conduct outreach efforts. The purpose of the DWSP is to promote water testing and hazard mitigation to users of domestic wells in Oregon.

Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Source Protection Grants and Loans

The Drinking Water Source Protection Fund (DWSPF) is designed for the protection of drinking water sources. Eligible projects include but are not limited to outreach/education, monitoring efforts (outside of what is required by the state), restoration design and implementation, groundwater risk assessments. Publicly and privately-owned community and nonprofit non-community water systems are eligible to apply for DWSPF funding.

US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Source Water Protection Program (SWPP)

The Source Water Protection Program (SWPP) is a joint project with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the National Rural Water Association (NRWA), a non-profit water and wastewater utility membership organization. The SWPP is designed to help prevent pollution of surface and ground water used as the primary source of drinking water by rural residents.

Philanthropic Organizations

Oregon Community Foundation

Mission is to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy.

The Ford Family Foundation

The Ford Family Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation with headquarters in Roseburg, Oregon. The Foundation makes grants to public charities and agencies predominantly benefiting communities in rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, Calif

Meyer Memorial Trust

They work with and invest in organizations, communities, ideas and efforts that contribute to a flourishing and equitable Oregon. Meyer has different types of grants, including operating support, capacity building, project and technical assistance grants.

The Collins Foundation

The Collins Foundation invests in Oregon nonprofit organizations, both rural and urban, that are dedicated to improving quality of life and well-being for the people in their communities.