Water Quality Management Planning Grant

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ), through its Division of Water Resources (DWR), is soliciting proposals for Fiscal Year 2025 water quality planning projects funded under Sections 205(j) and 604(b) of the federal Clean Water Act. The funding opportunity targets Regional Councils of Governments (COGs) and Regional Planning Organizations for projects that support water quality management planning. This initiative is supported by additional funds made available through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), resulting in an estimated $550,000 in available grant funds for the 2025 cycle. The 205(j) grant program aims to support the identification and implementation of cost-effective, locally acceptable solutions for maintaining or achieving water quality standards, along with determining the sources and causes of water quality problems throughout North Carolina. Projects supported through this funding must align with the primary objectives of the Clean Water Act. These include developing watershed-based strategies to mitigate point and non-point source pollution, generating implementation plans for financial and regulatory commitments, and conducting assessments to identify existing water quality challenges. NC DEQ encourages proposals that develop or update 9-Element watershed restoration plans, conduct source identification studies using tools such as field assessments and GIS analysis, or create design plans for water quality practices. Eligible projects may also focus on mapping and prioritizing stormwater infrastructure or facilitating knowledge-sharing between COGs and member governments. Larger-scale efforts such as complete 9-Element plans are especially encouraged due to the absence of a funding cap. Eligibility for this grant is strictly limited to Regional Councils of Governments and Regional Planning Organizations. However, these entities may partner with public or private organizations to implement proposed projects. Each 9-Element Plan project will be assigned a DWR support staff member to assist throughout the project period, including quarterly meetings and document reviews. A draft plan must be submitted by the beginning of the final project quarter, with reviewers providing feedback within one month. Applicants must then revise and resubmit plans for final approval before the project period ends. The grant application process begins with downloading the official form from the NC DEQ 205(j) Grant Program Website. Completed applications must be submitted electronically as Word documents to the grant administrator by midnight on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Applicants should include signed letters of support as separate attachments. Submissions must use a specific subject line format and adhere to milestone timelines. Selected applicants will receive reviewer questions by October 2 and must respond by October 9. Notifications of award selections will be issued by October 24, followed by a contracting process that must be completed by November 7. Contracts are expected to be executed by January 1, 2026, at which point projects may commence. All projects must conclude by June 30, 2027. Proposals will be evaluated based on relevance to water quality goals, presence of measurable outputs, demonstration of unmet need, and potential co-benefits across environmental, economic, social, and health domains. Applicants are encouraged to clearly articulate how their project provides broad community or downstream benefits. The DWR reserves the right to fully fund, partially fund, or decline funding for any proposal or its components, depending on resource availability. For questions or technical support, applicants are directed to contact Robin Hoffman at 919-707-3643 or Robin.Hoffman@deq.nc.gov.

Be specific about community co-benefits and downstream impacts. Include measurable outputs and identify funding gaps.