Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Funding Opportunity for Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia for Nonpoint Source Management Grants Under Clean Water Act Section 319

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Office of Water and the Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, is offering the Funding Opportunity for Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia for Nonpoint Source Management Grants Under Clean Water Act Section 319. The opportunity is authorized under Sections 319(h) and 518(e) of the Clean Water Act and is intended to support eligible Tribes and intertribal consortia in implementing EPA-approved Nonpoint Source management programs. The program focuses on controlling pollution added from nonpoint sources and improving water quality through best management practices and measures identified in Tribal Nonpoint Source Management Program Plans and associated assessment reports. All proposed projects must support Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American. EPA expects approximately $3.5 million to be available and anticipates making approximately 20 awards. Applications may request up to $175,000 in federal funding. Awards are generally expected to have project periods of one to two years, although project milestone schedules may cover a period of up to four years. Projects must include an on-the-ground component implementing nonpoint source best management practices. Examples include road stabilization or removal, riparian planting, streambank stabilization, natural channel restoration, low impact development and storm water management practices, livestock exclusion fencing, septic system rehabilitation, and nutrient or grazing management practices. At least 75 percent of requested federal funds must support best management practice implementation. Up to 25 percent may support other eligible activities such as watershed-based plan development, nonpoint source ordinance development, project-specific monitoring, training, education, and outreach. Administrative costs subject to the statutory limitation may not exceed 10 percent of the total grant award. Eligible applicants are federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia that, as of October 10, 2025, had an EPA-approved Nonpoint Source assessment report under Clean Water Act Section 319(a), an EPA-approved Nonpoint Source management program under Section 319(b), and Treatment-in-a-manner-similar-to-a-State status under Section 518(e). An eligible intertribal consortium must demonstrate that all members satisfy the program eligibility requirements and must provide documentation showing the existence of the partnership and authorization from its members to apply for and receive assistance. A Tribe participating in a consortium application may not also submit an individual competitive application. Applicants are limited to one application. Projects must involve activities related to waters within a reservation. Off-reservation activities may qualify when they demonstrably pertain to reservation waters and are consistent with the applicant's approved assessment report and management program. Necessary off-reservation land access agreements must already be obtained by application submission. A non-federal cost share of at least 40 percent of total project costs generally applies. The contribution may consist of eligible cash or in-kind contributions and must come from allowable non-federal sources, subject to applicable federal requirements. EPA may reduce the cost share to as low as 10 percent when an applicant demonstrates qualifying fiscal hardship in writing to the satisfaction of the Regional Administrator. Certain qualifying Bureau of Indian Affairs funds may be treated as non-federal funds for cost-share purposes. If an awarded project is incorporated into an approved Performance Partnership Grant, no Tribal cost share is required. Applicants anticipating use of a Performance Partnership Grant should prepare the proposed budget and work plan without cost share, but if the award is ultimately not incorporated into the Performance Partnership Grant, the applicable cost-share requirement must be met. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by November 9, 2026, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Applicants must maintain active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations, possess a Unique Entity Identifier, and have an authorized organizational representative submit the application. Mandatory application documents include the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54, EPA Form 4700-4 Preaward Compliance Review Report, and the Project Narrative Attachment Form. The Project Narrative is limited to 15 single-spaced pages including its cover page. It must address project location, the nonpoint source pollution problem, project goals and environmental results, the project work plan, best management practice technical merit, the project budget, and past performance. Supporting materials such as maps, photographs, letters of support, resumes, and certain quality assurance or financial hardship materials may be submitted through the Other Attachments form and are outside the Project Narrative page limit. Eligible applications are evaluated on a 100-point framework. Project Location is worth 15 points, Nonpoint Source Pollution Problem 10 points, Project Goals and Environmental Results 15 points, Project Workplan 25 points, Best Management Practice Technical Merit 20 points, Project Budget 10 points, and Past Performance 5 points. EPA first screens applications against threshold eligibility requirements; applications that fail this review are not evaluated further. Eligible applications are scored by an EPA review panel, potentially including staff from other federal agencies, with ranking information provided to the National Selection Official. Final decisions may consider application scores, rankings, and other program priorities. EPA also plans to reserve a portion of available funds for eligible Tribal applicants that did not receive a competitive Clean Water Act Section 319 Tribal grant during fiscal years 2021 through 2025, with up to five recipients expected under this set-aside. EPA will accept written questions through October 23, 2026, and directs program and eligibility questions to National Nonpoint Source Tribal Coordinator Margot Buckelew at tribal319grants@epa.gov. Grants.gov technical assistance is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. EPA scheduled informational webinars for September 9, 2026, at 3:30 pm Eastern Time and September 17, 2026, at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. Applications are due November 9, 2026, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time, and selection notifications are anticipated in spring 2027. Selection is not authorization to begin work, and the period between selection notification and an official award may take up to 90 days or longer. The announcement does not state that this competition recurs annually or on another fixed schedule.

Prioritize the Project Workplan and BMP Technical Merit because together they account for 45 of 100 evaluation points. Clearly connect the identified NPS pollution problem to the selected BMPs, Tribal NPS Management Program priorities, measurable outputs and outcomes, and Pillar 1. Explain why each BMP is technically appropriate, how it will remain effective under future environmental conditions, and how it will be operated and maintained. Provide specific responsibilities, milestones, task timeframes, and budget amounts. Ensure at least 75 percent of requested federal funds supports BMP implementation, observe the applicable administrative cost cap, and do not exceed the 15-page Project Narrative limit because excess pages will not be reviewed.