Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- EPA-OW-OWM-26-03
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $7,800,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Education
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
-
- Hana Abate waterworkforcenoffo@epa.gov
- <Unknown> support@grants.gov (800) 518-4726
- Hana Abate waterworforcenoffo@epa.gov
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting applications for the Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant program under Safe Drinking Water Act section 1459E, with applications due October 15, 2026. The program distributes up to $10.8 million across up to 15 cooperative agreements to accelerate career pipelines in drinking water, wastewater, and decentralized water utility sectors.
Eligible applicants are Institutions of Higher Education, nonprofit organizations (including nonprofit professional or service organizations, nonprofit labor organizations, nonprofit community colleges, and other nonprofit training and educational institutions), and public works departments and agencies. Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible.
Four project areas structure funding: Project Area 1 (targeted internship, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and post-secondary bridge programs) offers 1–8 awards of $1,000,000–$7,800,000 each; Project Area 2 (education programs for elementary, secondary, and higher education students) offers 1–4 awards of $250,000–$1,000,000 each; Project Area 3 (regional industry and workforce development collaborations) offers 1–4 awards of $250,000–$1,000,000 each; and Project Area 4 (training programs for decentralized water workers) offers 1–4 awards of $250,000–$1,000,000 each. All awards carry a three-year project period.
Evaluation is weighted across seven criteria totaling 100 points: Project Area quality (25 points), Project Partnerships (10 points), Transfer of Results (10 points), Environmental Results and Measuring Progress (10 points), Milestone Schedule and Detailed Budget (15 points), Programmatic Capability and Experience (20 points), and Past Performance (10 points). Applications must address a single Project Area and include Geographic Area and Innovative Approach. Anticipated selection notification is January 2027, with award notification in April 2027. CFDA number is 66.445.
Synopsis
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) section 1459E to accelerate career pipelines in the water utilities sector and provide access to water utility workforce opportunities. This action advances the Administration's priorities, including the goals of Make America Healthy Again, by focusing on building the nation's water workforce which is critical to ensuring public health and environment protection. Consistent with the law, this action will help inform people about the role of water and wastewater utilities in their communities and increase the awareness of water utility career opportunities.
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support expanding career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector and elevating public awareness about jobs in the water workforce. Eligible applicants under this funding opportunity are Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), nonprofit organizations, and public works departments and agencies. Eligible activities include apprenticeship and internship programs, education programs designed for elementary, secondary, and higher education students, regional industry collaborations, and training programs designed to support decentralized workforce. Efforts should aim for measurable results and clearly show tangible benefits for water systems and communities. The proposed activities support the Agency's Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative's Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American. Examples include training individuals through an apprenticeship program and placing them into water sector jobs, training individuals for industry accreditation, and developing collaborations with community colleges, technical schools, utilities to address the water utility employment needs.
Eligibility
See Section 2 of the full announcement for eligibility information.
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