Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvements Grant Program

The Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvements Grant Program is administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. For the Fiscal Year 2026-27 grant proposal request, the Department combined the portal for its water quality improvement grants and encourages entities to apply for each grant program for which they are eligible. The combined portal includes the Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvements Grant Program and the Indian River Lagoon Water Quality Improvements Grant Program, but applicants must submit separate applications for each eligible program. This entry concerns only the Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvements Grant Program. The Florida Legislature appropriated $20 million for this program for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Additional funding may become available as previously awarded projects are cancelled or completed under budget. The program supports projects that improve water quality for Biscayne Bay. Eligible projects include connecting onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems, or OSTDS, to central sewer facilities and upgrading domestic wastewater treatment facilities to advanced waste treatment or greater. Funding may also support repairing, upgrading, expanding, or constructing stormwater treatment facilities that result in improvements to surface water or groundwater quality. Eligible domestic wastewater activities include repairing, upgrading, expanding, or constructing treatment facilities that improve surface water or groundwater quality, including domestic wastewater reuse and collection systems. Where central sewerage is unavailable, OSTDS may be retrofitted to enhanced nutrient-reducing OSTDS or another equivalent wastewater system that achieves a 65 percent reduction in total nitrogen. Other types of projects that improve water quality for Biscayne Bay may also qualify. For septic-to-sewer projects, eligible costs are limited to tangible conversion-to-sewer activities. The FAQ identifies construction of sewer, septic abandonment, laying lateral connections, and connection by a licensed plumber or contractor as eligible costs. Impact fees, also referred to as infrastructure or capital fees, and similar fees are not eligible. Septic-to-sewer projects are not eligible for funding if connections are not required. If a selected project makes sewer connections available to properties currently served by OSTDS, notification must be provided concerning sewer availability and the requirement to connect within 365 days of notification pursuant to section 381.00655, Florida Statutes. Proof of this notice is required in the grant agreement after construction completion and before final reimbursement. There is no set minimum or maximum grant request amount. The Department states, however, that most awards are between $500,000 and $6 million. These amounts therefore describe the typical award range rather than formal program limits. There is no required match, although local cost share is a consideration during project selection and becomes a reporting requirement if the project is selected. Work completed before July 1, 2026, is not eligible for reimbursement. There is no set expiration date for the funding, but its availability is contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Florida Legislature. Projects are prioritized based on several stated factors. The Department considers projects that achieve effective nutrient load reductions, demonstrate project readiness, and are cost-effective. It also considers whether the applicant has identified a cost share, except for rural areas of opportunity. Priority is additionally given to projects in locations where reductions are needed most to attain the water quality standards of a waterbody that is not attaining nutrient or nutrient-related standards. Applicants should therefore substantiate the project's water quality benefits, readiness, cost effectiveness, and relationship to identified nutrient reduction needs. The FAQ does not identify specific organizational applicant categories and instead refers generally to entities applying for each grant program for which they are eligible. Applicants submit through ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov/Grants, and separate applications are required for each eligible grant program. There is no limit on the number of project proposals an applicant may submit. A PDF version of the application questions is to be available alongside the webform for informational purposes only and cannot be submitted in place of the webform. The FAQ does not state an application opening date, application closing date, pre-application deadline, named contact, email address, or telephone number. There is also no set date for award announcements; applicants may sign up for updates through the Water Quality Dashboard Preference Center.

Demonstrate effective nutrient load reductions, project readiness, and cost-effectiveness. Identify local cost share where available because it is considered during project selection, except for rural areas of opportunity. Demonstrate that reductions are needed at the project location to attain water quality standards for a waterbody not attaining nutrient or nutrient-related standards. For septic-to-sewer projects, ensure connections are required and exclude impact, infrastructure, capital, and similar fees from eligible costs.