Native American Affairs: Technical Assistance to Tribes for Fiscal Year 2025

The Bureau of Reclamation is soliciting applications for its Native American Affairs: Technical Assistance to Tribes for Fiscal Year 2025 grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: R25AS00293). This funding opportunity is administered through the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program (NAA/TAP), which operates under the Office of the Commissioner, specifically within the Native American and International Affairs Office (NAIAO). The purpose of this grant is to support federally recognized Tribes in developing, managing, and protecting their water and water-related resources. This effort aims to foster self-determination and improve water security for Tribal communities in the 17 western states covered by the Reclamation Act of 1902, as amended. The total estimated funding available under this opportunity is $7 million. Individual proposals can request between $50,000 and $1,000,000, with a maximum of $2,000,000 allowed per applicant for multiple proposals. Reclamation expects to fund approximately 10 awards. Notably, this program does not require cost sharing, although partnerships and collaboration are strongly encouraged. Funded activities may include water need and infrastructure assessments, development of water management plans, short-term data collection for water quality or measurement, Tribal staff training, well drilling, and implementation of conservation or water quality improvement measures such as wetland restoration or erosion control. However, activities related to feasibility studies requiring congressional approval, administrative staffing, non-Tribal infrastructure, or litigation support are excluded from eligibility. Eligible applicants must be federally recognized Indian Tribes located in one or more of the 17 western states defined in the Reclamation Act: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Tribes with enacted Indian Water Rights Settlements may not be eligible depending on the terms of those settlements. In all applications, the Tribe must demonstrate the relevance and urgency of the proposed activity, its alignment with Tribal water resource priorities, and the expected outcomes. The submission deadline is October 28, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov or by email to dronofo@usbr.gov. Submissions must include required federal forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, a project abstract summary, a detailed project narrative (not exceeding 20 pages), and a comprehensive budget narrative. Forms like SF-429 and SF-LLL may be required depending on whether real property is involved or if lobbying activities are planned. Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov is required prior to submission, with applicants advised to allow at least 30 days for these processes. Proposals will undergo an eligibility check followed by merit and risk reviews. Evaluation criteria focus on project need (30 points), expected benefits (30 points), and readiness for implementation (30 points), with additional consideration given to regulatory compliance, budget accuracy, and alignment with Reclamation priorities. The Bureau of Reclamation anticipates notifying successful applicants by September 2025, with projects expected to begin on April 28, 2026, and conclude by April 28, 2028. For questions related to eligibility or project fit, applicants may contact Courtney Mathews at cmathews@usbr.gov or 541-887-9107. Additional regional contacts and submission addresses are listed in the NOFO. All projects must adhere to federal environmental laws including NEPA, ESA, and NHPA prior to any ground-disturbing activity. Reporting requirements, including financial and performance reports, are also detailed in the Notice of Award. More information on the program can be found at www.usbr.gov/native/programs/TAPprogram.html.

Start SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration as early as possible. Applicants are encouraged to copy the Evaluation Criteria from the NOFO directly into their applications to ensure alignment.