Rural Community Development Program (RCD) Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems Training and Technical Assistance Project

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Administration for Children and Families and its Office of Community Services, has released the Rural Community Development Training and Technical Assistance for Water and Wastewater Treatment funding opportunity. This program is authorized under Section 680(a)(3)(B) of the Community Services Block Grant Act and is identified under opportunity number HHS-2025-ACF-OCS-EF-0177. The program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, including tribal organizations, to deliver training and technical assistance to low-income rural communities with the aim of strengthening the development, management, and long-term sustainability of safe drinking water and wastewater treatment systems. The purpose of this grant is to enhance the health and well-being of residents in small, low-income rural areas by ensuring access to safe and affordable drinking water and environmentally sound wastewater disposal. The program funds a variety of training and capacity-building efforts designed to improve system operations, governance, compliance with regulatory requirements, financial management, and the overall reliability of infrastructure. Activities may include operator certification training, creation of governance bodies, on-site technical assistance, data collection for funding applications, coordination summits, and the development of compliance plans aligned with public health guidelines. Applicants must be private nonprofit organizations, including tribal entities, that provide services across multiple contiguous states. Individuals, sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are not eligible. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the nonprofit criteria may apply. Applicants must provide proof of nonprofit status, such as IRS tax exemption documentation or a certified certificate of incorporation. Applications that exceed the funding ceiling, miss the deadline, or come from ineligible entities will be disqualified. While cost sharing is not required, organizations that propose additional funds must account for them in reporting. The program has an estimated total funding pool of $11 million, with approximately eight awards expected. The minimum award for the first budget period is $400,000, and the maximum is $1,375,000. Projects will be funded for a five-year period, broken into one-year budget cycles. Continued funding in subsequent years is contingent on the availability of funds, timely submission of reports, satisfactory progress, and alignment with federal priorities. Funding cannot be used for construction, major renovation, or purchase of real property. Indirect costs may be charged under either an approved federal rate or the de minimis 15 percent rate. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 5, 2025. If an exemption for paper submission is granted, applications must arrive by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time the same day. Required materials include a project summary, narrative, budget documents, proof of nonprofit status, organizational capacity documents, third-party agreements, and letters of support. Applicants must also complete federal forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B. Applications are limited to 200 pages in total and must follow formatting guidelines. Intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372 applies in certain states, and applicants should check if their state requires this review. Applications will be evaluated through a merit review process worth 100 points, considering objectives and need for assistance, expected outcomes, project approach, staff qualifications, relevant experience, oversight of federal funds, letters of support, and budget justification. Proposals must demonstrate evidence of improving water and wastewater system capacity, governance, and compliance, as well as experience implementing projects of similar size and scope in low-income rural areas. Selection will also consider geographic distribution, past performance, and alignment with statutory restrictions. Final awards are anticipated to begin on September 30, 2025. For additional information, program inquiries should be directed to Olivia Barfield at ocstech@reviewops.org, while grants management questions may be addressed to Tim Chappelle at ocstech@reviewops.org. Grants.gov provides technical support at 1-800-518-4726 or via support@grants.gov, and SAM.gov assistance is available at 1-866-606-8220. Full program details, application instructions, and administrative requirements are provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity document.

Follow formatting rules, provide detailed budgets, ensure clear need, measurable outcomes, and demonstrate organizational capacity