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

The Native American Affairs Colorado River Basin Tribal Drought Resiliency Program is administered by the Bureau of Reclamation within the U.S. Department of the Interior. This program is part of the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program, which provides financial and technical support to federally recognized tribes to develop, manage, and protect water resources. The initiative is rooted in federal legislative authority, including the Reclamation Act of 1902 and subsequent appropriations, and is aligned with federal priorities addressing water scarcity and infrastructure resilience in the western United States. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support drought relief actions that mitigate the adverse impacts of drought on tribal communities within the Colorado River Basin. The program is specifically designed for a defined list of federally recognized tribes located in this basin. Projects funded under this opportunity must directly contribute to mitigating drought impacts, increasing water system resilience, improving water delivery efficiency, reducing dependence on diminishing water sources, or addressing drinking water shortages. The program also prioritizes alignment with federal executive and departmental priorities related to energy, infrastructure, and oversight in grantmaking. Funding is provided through grants or cooperative agreements, with an anticipated total program funding of six million dollars and approximately ten awards expected. Individual awards range from a minimum of fifty thousand dollars to a maximum of one million dollars per tribe. There is no statutory cost-sharing requirement, although applicants are encouraged to include partnerships or voluntary cost-sharing contributions. Funded activities must have a clear scope, defined deliverables, and a duration of no more than five years. Certain activities are explicitly ineligible, including stand-alone feasibility studies, water rights purchases, litigation support, and projects lacking measurable outcomes. Eligibility is limited to federally recognized tribal governments that are specifically designated as Colorado River Basin tribes. Applicants must propose projects that provide tangible drought mitigation benefits within the basin. Additional eligibility considerations include potential ineligibility for tribes with enacted Indian Water Rights Settlements, depending on the nature of those agreements. The program excludes projects involving non-tribal infrastructure, biological research unrelated to water quantity or quality, and activities that would require ongoing federal funding beyond the project period. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov or approved alternative methods. Applicants must complete required federal forms, including the SF-424 and SF-424A, and provide a detailed project narrative, budget narrative, and supporting documentation. The project narrative must include sections such as an executive summary, project description, technical approach, environmental considerations, and implementation plan. Applications must adhere to strict formatting and page limits, and all applicants must maintain active registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov prior to submission. Applications are evaluated through a multi-stage review process, including eligibility screening, merit review, and risk assessment. Evaluation criteria focus on project need, anticipated benefits, implementation readiness, alignment with federal priorities, and potential for infrastructure impact. Each criterion is weighted, with a total possible score of one hundred points. Projects that demonstrate strong drought mitigation impact, clear implementation plans, and alignment with federal priorities are more likely to be selected for funding. The application deadline is September 23, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Awards are anticipated to begin around January 1, 2027, with project completion expected by January 1, 2029, depending on scope. Applicants may direct questions to designated program contacts via email or phone, including regional and national program advisors. This funding opportunity does not indicate a recurring cycle and appears to be a single fiscal year offering tied to appropriated funds.

bor-sha-fafoa@usbr.gov