SECURE Water Act – Research Agreements
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.560
- Agency
-
Bureau of Reclamation
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 253 $93,489,766 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 14-0680-0-1-301
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 Reclamation funds research activities designed to conserve water resources, increase water use efficiency, and enhance water resource management, including renewable energy integration in water delivery, under CFDA 15.560, with the most recent grant award dated February 27, 2026.
The program funds applied research and pilot-scale demonstration projects addressing water treatment, water supply forecasting, water resource management, and climate adaptation. Representative recent awards include pilot testing of electrodialysis metathesis brine management for direct potable reuse at Liberty Hill, Texas (Cooperative Agreement R25AC00620, $539,720); development of engineered cancer cells targeting invasive dreissenid mussels in North American waterways (Cooperative Agreement R25AC00552, $567,730); and sensor-integrated reverse osmosis membrane prototyping for desalination system optimization (Cooperative Agreement R25AC00602, $601,287). The portfolio also reflects significant funding for solar canal projects ($15 million pilot in California and $1.5 million feasibility study in Utah), Colorado River Basin operational modeling and forecasting, water quality monitoring and testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances removal, and groundwater management in drought-stressed regions.
Funding is predominantly Cooperative Agreements (74 percent, 186 awards) with a smaller share of Project Grants (26 percent, 67 awards). The Bureau of Reclamation accounts for 252 of 253 awards totaling $93.4 million in federal obligations; Interior administers one additional award of $100 thousand. Combined federal and non-federal obligations total $120 million. Award magnitude ranges from approximately $50 thousand to $15 million, with typical pilot-scale research awards between $300 thousand and $800 thousand. The program has been active since 2006 and awarded 29 grants in 2024 and 18 in 2025, though only 2 awards have been disbursed year-to-date in 2026.
A Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot opportunity (R24AS00324) was posted May 22, 2024 with a due date of July 24, 2024, soliciting Cooperative Agreements from higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, governments, and tribal entities to develop innovative water treatment technologies reducing costs, energy requirements, and environmental impacts. Projects targeting brackish groundwater treatment, reverse osmosis concentrate management, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances removal, and seawater desalination remain priority areas. Eligible applicants include universities, nonprofit research institutions, and organizations with water or power delivery authority; there are no restrictions on organization type under P.L. 111-11, Section 9509. Project renewals are possible for up to five years at Reclamation's discretion subject to congressional appropriations.
Objective and description
- Objective
To fund research activities that are designed to conserve water resources, increase the efficiency of the use of water resources, and/or enhance the management of water resources, including increasing the use of renewable energy in the management and
- Description
Supports research and applied science that improves water resource management and enhances Bureau of Reclamations ability to assess and respond to water quality conditions in the interest of the public.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
In accordance with P.L. 111-11, Section 9504(b), eligible applicants include any: university, nonprofit research institution, or other organization with water or power delivery authority. In accordance with P.L. 111-11, Section 9509, there are no restrictions on the type of organization eligibility.
- Beneficiary eligibility
The general public; agricultural, municipal and industrial water users; irrigation or water districts; and state governmental entities with water or power delivery authority.
- Uses of assistance
Specific use restrictions are identified within specific program announcements available on www.grants.gov.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Projects are generally awarded for 1 to 5 years.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Environmental compliance for this program may be required depending on the scope of the specific project funded. This may result in the need for an environmental impact assessment or environmental impact statement prior to the commencement of project activities.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Specific evaluation criteria will be included in the funding announcements posted on www.grants.gov.
- Award procedure
For competitive awards: Proposals received in response to the Announcement are reviewed on the basis of a competitive, merit-based review process, and are rated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the Announcement. Reclamation will make awards to the highest rated proposals based on the amount of funding available each year.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each specific project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation personnel listed as the point of contact in the funding announcement.
- Renewals
Projects may generally be renewed on an annual basis, not to exceed a total of 5 years. If renewals or extensions are applicable to the project, this information will be included in the funding opportunity announcement. When renewals or extensions are applicable, continuation of funding for these activities is at the discretion of Congress and will be subject to availability of appropriated funds.
- Appeals
None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide all applicants with information on why their proposals were not selected for award.
Grant opportunities
Show 39 more
Latest 49 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 253 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority | $15,000,000 | 16% |
| 2 | University Corporation For Atmospheric Research | $6,216,590 | 7% |
| 3 | Gila River Indian Community | $5,650,000 | 6% |
| 4 | CAL Poly Corporation | $5,001,672 | 5% |
| 5 | The Regents Of The University Of Colorado | $4,052,651 | 4% |
| 6 | Nevada System Of Higher Education | $3,533,304 | 4% |
| 7 | Southern Nevada Water Authority | $2,760,000 | 3% |
| 8 | Central Arizona Water Conservation District | $2,715,998 | 3% |
| 9 | North Unit Irrigation District | $2,550,000 | 3% |
| 10 | Research Triangle Institute | $2,199,944 | 2% |
10 of 121 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $1,735,805 |
| FY2025 | $23,782,679 |
| FY2024 | $19,524,785 |
| FY2023 | $12,353,321 |
| FY2022 | $6,643,526 |
| FY2021 | $3,265,709 |
| FY2020 | $6,138,237 |
| FY2019 | $3,842,916 |
| FY2018 | $3,825,635 |
| FY2017 | $3,246,496 |
| FY2016 | $3,214,073 |
| FY2015 | $1,682,621 |
| FY2014 | $2,552,423 |
Show all 13
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.560?
Assistance Listing 15.560 is SECURE Water Act – Research Agreements, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for SECURE Water Act – Research Agreements?
Its CFDA number is 15.560: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.560 awarded?
253 grant awards under 15.560 have obligated $93,489,766 in federal funds to 121 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.560?
The recipients obligated the most under SECURE Water Act – Research Agreements are San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority ($15,000,000), University Corporation For Atmospheric Research ($6,216,590) and Gila River Indian Community ($5,650,000).
How much did 15.560 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.560 obligated $23,782,679 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 15.560?
None of the latest 49 opportunities under 15.560 is open now. The latest, Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot FY 24, was posted on May 22, 2024.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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