Water Supply Reserve Fund (WSRF) Grant Program

The Water Supply Reserve Fund (WSRF) Grant Program is administered by the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to support water-related projects across the state. Established through legislative action via Senate Bill 06-179 and updated by subsequent legislation including SB13-181 and SB21-281, the program seeks to provide funding for critical water supply activities that align with the goals of the Colorado Water Plan and individual Basin Implementation Plans. The CWCB is the sole authority for setting program guidelines and approving grant awards, although recommendations are made by Colorado’s nine basin roundtables and the Interbasin Compact Committee. The primary purpose of WSRF grants is to address technical, structural, and environmental aspects of water projects. Funding may be used for permitting support, feasibility studies, environmental compliance, infrastructure design, and non-structural water planning, including studies for both consumptive and non-consumptive water uses. Applicants may also propose projects focused on education, outreach, and innovation, provided they support the broader mission of the Colorado Water Plan. These grants cannot be used for direct consultant hiring; instead, funds must be directed through approved contractual pathways with the State of Colorado. Entities eligible for WSRF funding include both governmental and private organizations. Governmental applicants may include municipalities, special districts, counties, state agencies, and water activity enterprises. Private entities such as mutual ditch companies, nonprofit corporations, individuals, and partnerships are also eligible. Federal agencies are not direct applicants but are encouraged to partner with local or state-level organizations. In certain cases, applicants defined as "Covered Entities" under Colorado Revised Statute 37-60-126 may apply if they have a CWCB-approved Water Efficiency Plan. The WSRF application process begins at the basin roundtable level, where applicants must secure approval before submitting to the CWCB via the official portal. The grant cycle includes six annual submission deadlines—October 1, December 1, February 1, April 1, June 1, and August 1—with applications typically reviewed during Board meetings held three months after submission. Once approved, the contracting process takes approximately six to nine months, and no project expenses incurred prior to the official contract execution will be reimbursed. All application materials must be submitted online, including Exhibits A and B, which cover the statement of work and budget/schedule respectively. Funding for WSRF grants is contingent on the availability of severance tax revenue, and the CWCB operates both basin and statewide accounts to manage funds. Standard annual distributions aim to allocate $300,000 to each basin, subject to a $750,000 cap. Under special funding conditions, such as when surplus funds are available, basins may receive one-time increases up to $1 million, and additional statewide grants may become available. These special grants typically focus on aging infrastructure and drought resilience, with a required minimum match of 25%, of which at least 10% must come from basin roundtable funds. Grants are evaluated on how well they align with Basin Implementation Plans and statewide water strategies. Preference is given to multi-benefit, multi-stakeholder projects with earlier start dates. After CWCB approval, grantees must execute a formal contract within six months. Reporting is required every six months throughout the grant period, and a final report must be submitted before the last 10% of funding is released. Failure to meet deadlines or reporting requirements may result in forfeiture of funds. Full guidelines, evaluation criteria, and application forms are available via the CWCB Portal.

Secure Basin approval early; ensure match meets 25% with 10% Basin funds; incomplete documentation delays review.