Communities Requesting Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Construction Grants

The Village Safe Water (VSW) Construction Grant program is administered by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and is designed to support infrastructure development in small and rural communities across Alaska. The program operates under the authority of the Village Safe Water Act (AS 46.07), which focuses on improving sanitation, water supply, and wastewater systems in underserved populations. The construction grant component specifically funds capital improvement projects that address critical water and sanitation infrastructure needs, ensuring safe and reliable services for eligible communities. The primary purpose of the Construction Grant program is to finance the implementation of projects that have already undergone planning and received approval through a recognized planning document. These projects may include the construction, expansion, or rehabilitation of water supply systems, sewage treatment facilities, and related infrastructure. Funding is intended to move projects from the planning phase into execution, ensuring that communities can achieve compliance with health and environmental standards while improving quality of life for residents. Eligible applicants for the VSW Construction Grant include specific categories of small population communities defined by statute. These include second class cities, first class cities with populations under 1,000, home rule municipalities with populations under 1,000, the Metlakatla Indian Community, and Native village councils or nonprofit entities serving populations between 25 and 1,000. All applicants must demonstrate that the proposed construction project is supported by an approved planning document, which serves as a prerequisite for funding eligibility and ensures project readiness. The application process requires applicants to first confirm both community and project eligibility. Applicants must then prepare and submit a formal letter from the community requesting the project, which must include the project name and cost. Following this, applicants must complete the official Construction Application form, either electronically using Adobe Acrobat or by hand. Submission can be completed by mailing a full application package or emailing a scanned version with all required attachments to the designated VSW funding email address. Fax submissions are not accepted. Applications for the Construction Grant must be received by the VSW program no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 24, 2026. The application window for this cycle opens on March 23, 2026, providing approximately one month for submission. All required documentation must be included at the time of submission to be considered complete. Late or incomplete applications may not be reviewed. The evaluation process is not explicitly detailed in the provided materials, but eligibility compliance and the existence of an approved planning document are clearly central to consideration. The program emphasizes readiness and alignment with prior planning efforts, indicating that projects demonstrating feasibility and prior vetting are more competitive. Applicants are encouraged to ensure accuracy and completeness in their submissions and to follow all procedural requirements closely. For submission, applicants may contact the program via the official email address dec.vswfunding@alaska.gov for questions or clarification.