Water First II Community Action Grant

The Water First II Community Action Grant is administered by the Notah Begay III Foundation, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of Native American children through culturally grounded, community-led initiatives. This funding opportunity is made possible through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is part of the foundation’s broader Community Empowerment grantmaking strategy, which emphasizes strengthening Native communities’ inherent knowledge, leadership, and capacity to drive sustainable health outcomes. The purpose of the grant is to support Native-led organizations and tribal communities in advancing healthy hydration and improving access to safe drinking water for Native youth and families. The program focuses on reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages while promoting water intake and, where appropriate, breastfeeding practices. Funded projects are expected to implement community-driven strategies that address long-term behavioral and policy change, rather than solely short-term programming interventions. Each selected community partner may receive up to 175000 dollars over a 2.5-year period spanning from June 1, 2026 through November 30, 2028. The funding supports both planning and implementation activities aligned with the Water Roadmap, a structured framework developed by the foundation and its partners to guide community-led improvements in beverage consumption behaviors. While some direct services are allowable, applicants must clearly demonstrate how these services contribute to broader systems or policy-level changes within their communities. Indirect costs are capped at 20 percent, and grantees are required to allocate up to 12000 dollars of their award toward participation in required convenings. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based Native American-controlled nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, federally or state recognized tribal departments or programs, and Native community-based groups operating under a qualified fiscal sponsor. Organizations must demonstrate that at least 51 percent of their governing board is composed of Native Americans to meet the definition of Native-controlled. Schools are not eligible unless they independently hold 501(c)(3) status. Applicants must also show strong community engagement, leadership support, and the organizational capacity to manage grant funds and comply with restrictions on lobbying and political activities. The application process followed a two-step structure beginning with a required Letter of Intent due April 17, 2026. Applicants who are selected from the initial stage are invited to submit a full proposal due May 20, 2026. The LOI requires a summary of the organization, community needs, proposed strategies, and evidence of leadership support. Full proposals require detailed narratives, timelines, budgets, and documentation of community backing. Submission of an LOI does not guarantee advancement to the full proposal stage. Applications are evaluated based on demonstrated community leadership, feasibility of the proposed work plan, alignment with program goals, and capacity to implement and evaluate the project. Selected grantees are required to participate in evaluation activities, including surveys and interviews, to assess program impact and contribute to broader research on healthy hydration interventions in Native communities. Grantees also participated in annual Healthy Beverage Summits held in July 2026, 2027, and 2028. The application timeline began with the announcement of the funding opportunity in March 2026 and concluded with the LOI deadline on April 17, 2026, followed by subsequent proposal and award milestones. The grant period formally began on June 1, 2026. As structured, the program represented a time-limited funding cycle with defined deadlines and no explicit indication of recurring future rounds within the source material.

Emphasize strong Native leadership community support and clear alignment with long term hydration and policy change goals. Demonstrate feasible work plans and measurable outcomes aligned with the Water Roadmap.