Rural Economic Action Plan Grant Program

The Rural Economic Action Plan Grant Program is administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to support smaller communities with limited financial capacity in completing critical water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The program is structured as a point-based competitive process that prioritizes applicants demonstrating significant need and limited fiscal resources. For State Fiscal Year 2026, the application period opens on July 1 and closes at 5:00 p.m. on September 2, 2025. This funding opportunity aims to assist eligible communities, public entities, and utility districts by providing grants of up to $150,000 per project, with no local matching funds required. Only one grant may be active per applicant at a time. Eligible entities include counties, towns, and municipalities; public works authorities; school districts; and special districts formed under Title 82 of Oklahoma statutes, such as water conservancy districts, rural water districts, rural sewage districts, and irrigation districts. All applicants must serve populations of 7,000 or fewer, with priority given to municipalities under 1,750 residents, school districts with fewer than 525 students, and rural water or sewer districts with fewer than 525 non-pasture taps. The geographic scope is limited to Oklahoma, and projects are only ranked against other projects within the same council of government region. Funding may be used for specific eligible projects, including sewer line construction or repair and related storm or sanitary sewer improvements, water line construction or repair, water treatment, water acquisition, and water distribution or recovery projects. Projects must align with the program's focus on improving water and wastewater systems in rural communities, and proposed expenditures must be consistent with the program’s statutory restrictions. Applicants are required to submit a complete application along with specific supporting documents. Required materials include organizational documents or trust indenture, an authorizing resolution, rate ordinance or minutes, an engineer’s report with cost estimates, a recent audit or agreed-upon procedures report less than two years old, and a Verification Form signed by the authorized representative and attorney. Conditional documents, such as a fiscal sustainability plan, utility contracts, consent orders, proof of funding, operator’s license, or well maps, must be provided if applicable to the proposed project. Applications are evaluated through a detailed ranking process. Criteria include population or tap size (up to 55 points), water and sewer rates (13 points), indebtedness per customer (10 points), median household income (10 points), applicant’s ability to finance the project (12 points), need or presence of a consent order (5 points), amount of grant requested (5 points), benefit to other systems (5 points), fiscal sustainability (10 points), and history of previous grant assistance. Applications earning 40 or more points will be placed on the project priority list, with recommendations for funding made once all other financing sources are secured and adequate program funds are available. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s Financial Assistance Division administers the program. For more information, prospective applicants may contact Lori Johnson, Chief, or Jerri Hargis, Assistant Chief, via email at FAD@owrb.ok.gov or by phone at 405-530-8800. Detailed application guidance and forms are available on the OWRB website. Applicants are encouraged to review the FY26 REAP Grant Application Guide and participate in the available webinar to ensure compliance with all requirements and to improve their competitiveness in the application process.