Water Resources on Indian Lands
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.037
- Agency
-
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 112 $88,613,129 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Water Resources/Water Management, Planning and Pre-Development Program
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Block Grant
- Project Grant
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 14-2100-0-1-302
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education funds water management, planning, and pre-development activities on Indian Trust lands through CFDA 15.037, with the next application deadline of September 15. The program has awarded 112 grants totaling $88.6 million in federal dollars since 1996, with the most recent award in August 2024. Award activity has accelerated in recent years—2024 saw 8 awards and 2021 saw 9 awards, though the pace remained slower in 2022–2023.
Funding supports technical research, feasibility studies, hydrologic analysis, water-rights adjudication, irrigation systems management, operations and maintenance on tribal water infrastructure, water planning and pre-development, and training programs for tribal water management. Recent awards illustrate the scope: Cal Poly irrigation training and programmatic support received $1.7 million; the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District operations and maintenance work received $3.5 million; Fort Mojave hydrologic communication studies received $100 thousand; and Comanche Nation water management planning received $146 thousand across multiple fiscal years. Block Grants dominate the portfolio at 35 percent of awards, with Cooperative Agreements at 33 percent, Project Grants at 24 percent, and Formula Grants at 8 percent.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Rocky Mountain Region leads funding by federal dollars obligated at $38.4 million across 38 awards, followed by the Eastern Region at $19.5 million across 6 awards and the Central Office at $17.3 million across 54 awards. Eight distinct funding agencies participate in the program overall.
Awards range from approximately $10 thousand to $10.8 million, with recent awards clustering between $50 thousand and $2 million. Applicants receive slight preference when they offer matching funds. The program explicitly states funds are annual, non-recurring congressional appropriations intended for one-time projects, not perennial tribal program support. Award decisions depend on availability of fiscal-year appropriations. No recent grant opportunities are posted; applicants should prepare submissions for the September 15 annual deadline and contact the Office of Trust Services for preapplication conferences and technical assistance.
Objective and description
- Objective
Water Management, Planning and Pre-Development for Water Resources gives Tribes the opportunity to further Indian self-determination by establishing their own priorities to manage, conserve and utilize reservation water resources on Indian Trust land
- Description
Water Management, Planning and Pre-Development (WMPPD) for Water Resources provides Tribes the opportunity to further Indian Self-Determination by funding necessary technical research, studies, and other information for Indian tribes to serve as informed and prudent managers of their water resources on Indian Trust lands
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments and Native American Organizations authorized by Indian tribal governments.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments and their members and Native American Organizations.
- Uses of assistance
Funds are used by tribes to conduct water management and planning project and activities for the purpose of managing and conserving their water resources and to participate in the on-going water rights negotiation and litigation activities to protect and secure their lawful water rights. All awards are project/proposal specific and are the result of a nationwide competitve process.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Awards are made on an annual basis and the funds remain available until expended by the contractor or grantee.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Informal preapplication conference is recommended. Technical assistance in preparing the application is available upon request.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Water Management, Planning, and Pre-development proposals are evaluated according to the type of proposal (as published in the Federal Register Notice, Vol. 70, No. 201, October 19, 2005): Water Management - Indian Water and Associated Resources; Water Management - Coordination/Cooperation/Consultation/Conservation; Water Management - Other; Water Planning and Pre-development - Indian Water; and Water Planning and Pre-development - Other: In addition, all proposals are evaluated on the basis of: Cost Effectiveness, Compliance with Requesting Guidelines; and Efficiency and Accomplishment. Projects are funded based on rankings of the projects Bureau wide, and in accordance with the national program priorities established for the program. Some preference is given to proposals that offer matching funds. Proposals are evaluated on the capability of the prospective applicant to successfully conduct the project, and on the budget and its effective use.
- Award procedure
Awards are made by the Deputy Bureau Director, Office of Trust Services, Central Office, based on the prioritization of all applications received through a thorough evaluation and scoring by a six-person review team. Awards are usually made shortly after the review team has completed its reviews of all proposals received in Central Office by the due date of September 15th. Any awards are subject to the availability of the congressional appropriations for the new fiscal year.
- Deadlines
Annual Deadline is September 15
- Time to approval or disapproval
There are no set times for approval or disapproval.
- Renewals
Funds are appropriated for use in non-recurring projects/activities on a year-to-year basis and are not intended to provide perennial support for tribal programs.
- Appeals
No appeal process. The Water Programs funds are annual, non-recurring congressional appropriations and any awards made on the basis of the published prioritization process and the availability of funds.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 112 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confederated Tribes And Bands Of The Yakama Nation | $17,536,411 | 20% |
| 2 | Seminole Tribe Of Florida, Inc. | $16,928,342 | 19% |
| 3 | Middle RIO Grande Conservancy District | $10,827,749 | 12% |
| 4 | CAL Poly Corporation | $7,394,662 | 8% |
| 5 | Big Horn Irrigation District | $5,962,202 | 7% |
| 6 | Fort Peck Water Users Association Inc. | $5,570,783 | 6% |
| 7 | Little Horn Irrigation District Board | $3,939,203 | 4% |
| 8 | Conservation Legacy | $3,289,773 | 4% |
| 9 | Ray Canal Water Users Association | $1,633,369 | 2% |
| 10 | Houlton Band Of Maliseet Indians | $1,410,249 | 2% |
10 of 55 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $752,703 |
| FY2025 | $2,578,307 |
| FY2024 | $5,362,918 |
| FY2023 | $5,127,785 |
| FY2022 | $5,570,507 |
| FY2021 | $4,107,355 |
| FY2020 | $10,774,852 |
| FY2019 | $10,510,064 |
| FY2018 | $7,295,361 |
| FY2017 | $3,768,629 |
| FY2016 | $7,239,012 |
| FY2015 | $6,183,055 |
| FY2014 | $8,305,111 |
| FY2013 | $6,419,123 |
| FY2007 | $587,701 |
| FY2006 | -$133,424 |
| FY2003 | $1,508,430 |
Show all 17
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.037?
Assistance Listing 15.037 is Water Resources on Indian Lands, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Education (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Water Resources on Indian Lands?
Its CFDA number is 15.037: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.037 awarded?
112 grant awards under 15.037 have obligated $88,613,129 in federal funds to 55 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.037?
The recipients obligated the most under Water Resources on Indian Lands are Confederated Tribes And Bands Of The Yakama Nation ($17,536,411), Seminole Tribe Of Florida, Inc. ($16,928,342) and Middle RIO Grande Conservancy District ($10,827,749).
How much did 15.037 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.037 obligated $2,578,307 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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