State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program Block Grants

The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program Block Grants are administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability. SWEEP was first developed in 2014 in response to severe drought conditions in California and is intended to promote water and energy efficient irrigation systems that conserve water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with irrigation. In this block grant model, CDFA does not fund producers directly. Instead, it awards regional or specialized organizations funding to administer local grant programs, provide outreach and technical assistance, select on-farm projects for support, and oversee project implementation for farmers and ranchers in their service areas. For this solicitation, SWEEP block grants are funded through Proposition 4, the Climate Bond approved by California voters in November 2024. The guidance states that approximately $34 million is anticipated for SWEEP Block Grants, with grant awards ranging from $2 million to $4 million each. The expected grant term is up to four years, or 48 months. At least 80 percent of each block grant budget must be used for on-farm practices, while up to 20 percent may be used for project administration and the common program objectives. An additional 3 percent in project administration may be available if at least 40 percent of on-farm projects are awarded to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers. No match requirement is stated. The program also includes a tribal set-aside opportunity of up to $4 million within SWEEP for qualified Tribal governments and nonprofit organizations affiliated with a Tribal government. Eligible lead applicants for a SWEEP block grant include public agencies, local agencies, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, special districts, Joint Powers Authorities, public utilities and locally owned utilities, mutual water companies, and California Native American Tribes. The lead applicant becomes the Block Grant Recipient if selected and enters into an agreement with CDFA to administer a local grant program and distribute funds to producers that implement eligible water and energy efficient strategies. Technical assistance is a required component. A Block Grant Recipient may serve as the Technical Assistance Provider lead if it is eligible under the Canella Environmental Farming Act; otherwise it must partner with an eligible entity such as a Resource Conservation District, University of California Cooperative Extension, a California public college or university, a nonprofit organization, a Groundwater Sustainability Agency, or an irrigation district. The grant supports a two-phase operating model. In Phase 1, block grantees must develop a fair and transparent process for selecting on-farm projects, conduct outreach, provide application and project design technical assistance, and complete project selection. In Phase 2, they must obtain written commitments from grant beneficiaries, provide implementation support, disburse funds in a timely manner, and amplify outcomes through activities such as demonstration events and case studies. SWEEP-funded on-farm projects are limited to irrigation scheduling improvements, irrigation system improvements or conversions, fuel conversion, and energy efficiency upgrades. For grant beneficiaries, SWEEP Climate Bond-funded on-farm project awards may be up to $200,000 per project, and a beneficiary may only have one such on-farm project under this solicitation. The application process is competitive and uses two phases. During the current concept proposal phase, eligible organizations submit a brief concept proposal through an online form available on the program website. The concept proposal includes general organizational information, the legal lead applicant name, organization type, project title, partner organizations, submitter information, and total funds requested. It also requires narrative responses addressing the service area, local resource and societal challenges, the populations affected, how SWEEP funding can improve the situation, a high-level project goal, the proposed technical assistance approach, the approach to soliciting and selecting on-farm projects, alignment with Climate Bond priorities, and the capacity and partnerships of the project team. Required evidence of eligibility must be submitted by email by the deadline. OARS screens concept proposals for eligibility, then eligible submissions move to technical review, and competitive applicants are invited to submit a full proposal. The concept proposal deadline is May 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The guidance lists an estimated timeline in which concept proposals open in April 2026, full proposal notifications are expected in June 2026, full proposals close in August 2026, award notifications are expected in September 2026, and award execution is expected in January 2027. OARS also offers two informational webinars for block grant applicants and a formal question and answer process. The last day to submit questions is April 27, 2026, and standardized responses are posted according to the published schedule. Technical assistance for applicants is available through the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, including weekly office hours from April 9 through May 14, 2026 and support through climatesmartag@ucdavis.edu. General SWEEP solicitation questions may be sent to cdfa.sweeptech@cdfa.ca.gov. Evaluation at the concept proposal stage is based on four scored areas: statement of need, project proposal, alignment with the Climate Bond, and capacity and partnerships. Reviewers assess whether the applicant clearly describes local agricultural challenges, identifies who is affected, proposes a practical and transparent project approach, demonstrates the ability to serve disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations, and has the organizational and technical capacity to administer a large regional grant. The full proposal stage includes further administrative, technical, and risk review, including financial review for top-scoring applicants. Applicants should be prepared for public disclosure rules, detailed grant management requirements, monthly check-ins, documentation obligations, site visits, and post-award implementation and reporting procedures if selected.

Use service-area data and cited local evidence to show urgent water and agricultural challenges; tie the project goal directly to those local needs; describe a transparent on-farm project selection process open to producers in the service area; show culturally relevant and multilingual technical assistance where needed; demonstrate how the project will provide meaningful and direct benefits to DACs, SDACs, SDFRs, and Tribes; highlight administrative capacity and partner expertise to manage a large multi-year block grant