Water grants
57 listings tracked right now · page 1 of 2
Grants and contracts for water supply, treatment, reuse and resilience. The active funders are the World Bank and regional development banks, EU LIFE and Horizon, the US EPA, and water utilities procuring through the public-tender feeds. Listed below are the open water grant calls in that landscape, taken from each funder's own notice and re-checked on every refresh.
Water and ocean funding sits mostly with development finance and national infrastructure budgets rather than with innovation programmes. The recurring sources are the World Bank and the regional development banks, the Green Climate Fund, EU LIFE and Horizon, and national water and environment agencies. Awards tend to be tied to a specific catchment, coastline or utility, so geographic eligibility is usually the first thing to check rather than the last.
This page lists open water grants currently tracked by Raise Lens — 57 of them right now, sorted with the soonest deadline first. Every listing has been classified against the sustainability taxonomy rather than matched on keywords, so what appears here is water work rather than anything whose description happens to mention it.
26 distinct funders are publishing the water grants on this page. Who is funding matters as much as what: eligibility, reporting burden and the realistic timeline to a decision vary far more between funders than between individual calls, which is why the listing names the funder on every opportunity it opens.
Geographic coverage on this page spans GLOBAL, EUROPE. Eligibility is usually tied to where the work happens or where the applying organisation is registered, and the two are not always the same — worth checking before investing time in an application.
10 of these close within the next 30 days. Deadlines are taken from the source listing and re-checked on every refresh, but the originating funder remains the authority — always confirm against the official notice before you submit.
European Partnership Water Security for the Planet (Water4All)
European Commission (Horizon Europe)
Water4All 2026 is a joint transnational research and innovation call under the European Partnership Water Security for the Planet, funding collaborative projects on sustainable water management. It is aimed at research consortia, universities, research institutions and innovators across participating countries.
Water Resources Research Act Program National Competitive Grants Fy2026 (104g General)
DOI-USGS1
This grant funds water resources research conducted through university-based Water Resources Research Institutes across the United States and territories, supporting investigations into water supply, treatment, watershed management, and related hydrological challenges. Eligible applicants are universities and their institutes; federal employees may collaborate but cannot serve as PIs or receive funds.
Exploring the frontiers of environmental research 2026
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
NERC is offering £8M in funding for novel, curiosity-driven environmental research at an early stage of development with transformative potential. Applicants must be based at UK-eligible research organisations.
Barrier Identification and Prioritisation
Open Rivers Programme
This grant funds identification and prioritisation of barriers to river connectivity, providing foundational research and planning support needed before dam removal and river restoration projects can proceed. It is intended for organisations working on river conservation and restoration.
Enabling the Dam Removal Movement
Open Rivers Programme
Funding to advance the dam removal movement through advocacy, communications, and systemic change initiatives that support river restoration and ecosystem recovery. Eligible organizations can apply to build capacity and drive policy/practice change in dam removal.
Enabling Others to Remove Dams
Open Rivers Programme
Grants supporting organisations that build capacity and enable other actors to undertake dam removal projects, advancing river restoration and ecosystem recovery. Eligible applicants are intermediaries, facilitators, and capacity-builders in the dam-removal sector rather than direct project implementers.
Dam Removal: Core funding for the physical removal of dams to restore river connectivity and natural flow regimes
Open Rivers Programme
This grant funds the physical removal of dams to restore river connectivity and natural flow regimes. It is open to organizations working on river restoration and conservation projects.
Dam Removal: Pre-Demolition
Open Rivers Programme
This grant funds the preparatory and planning stages of dam removal projects, including feasibility studies and environmental assessments, before physical demolition begins. It is designed for organizations undertaking river restoration and conservation work through dam removal.
Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
DOI-USGS1
This cooperative agreement funds research to develop predictive modeling tools for non-native fish invasion threats to native freshwater species like bull trout in the Pacific Northwest. The work supports decision-makers in prioritizing conservation and management actions to protect freshwater aquatic habitats under climate change scenarios.
Easement Restoration and Stewardship
USDA-NRCS
This USDA-NRCS grant funds cooperative agreements to restore, steward, and assess wetland and floodplain easements through restoration design, implementation, maintenance, and habitat assessments. Eligible applicants work with NRCS personnel, partners, and landowners to develop and execute restoration plans combining structural and vegetative practices.
Native American Affairs: Fiscal Year 2025 Colorado River Basin Tribal Drought Resiliency Program
DOI-BOR
This Bureau of Reclamation program funds drought resiliency projects in the Colorado River Basin for federally recognized Tribes. It supports Tribal efforts to adapt water management and build capacity to withstand drought.
Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Innovative Restoration Grants
EPA
Cooperative agreements for coastal watershed restoration and habitat connectivity across southeast New England, with emphasis on innovative science and technology applied to restoration. Aimed at eligible applicants such as local governments, nonprofits, and research organizations pursuing large-scale restoration projects (up to 5-year project periods).
Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters
European Commission (Horizon Europe)
This Horizon Europe open call invites transition agendas and community-led initiatives to restore oceans, seas and waters through learning and co-creation across sea-related stakeholders. It is aimed at consortia, communities and organisations working on ocean and water restoration in Europe.
Foundation grant in United States: Impact Grant (1 Year / $150K), up to $150K, closes 15 Dec 2026
Foundation
Grants up to $150,000 for US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits that protect, restore, or manage water and environmental resources through responsible land and water management, community education, and implementation of conservation methods. Eligible organizations work on watershed protection, land stewardship, and environmental resource management with demonstrated community engagement.
Aquatic Invasive Species Grants to Great Lakes Tribes - Fiscal Year 2026 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
DOI-FWS
This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds projects that prevent and control aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes basin. Eligible applicants are federally recognized Great Lakes Tribes.
All Agritech Startups to collaborate with Farmers (India)
Kerala Startup Mission
Kerala Startup Mission invites agritech startups to collaborate with farmers and address agricultural challenges in rural Kerala through innovative solutions. The programme funds startups addressing crop damage, pest management, irrigation, machinery costs, organic farming, bio-inputs, fair pricing, logistics, and labour challenges.
Aquatic Invasive Species Grants to Great Lakes States - Fiscal Year 2026 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
DOI-FWS
This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funding opportunity provides grants to Great Lakes states to prevent, detect, control and manage aquatic invasive species under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It is intended for state agencies and eligible partners working to protect Great Lakes ecosystems.
Private Irrigation – Raising the Level of Environmental Protection
Fundo Ambiental
This grant funds modernisation and environmental protection improvements to private irrigation systems in Portugal's Algarve region, with a focus on reducing water use, lowering environmental impact, and aligning practices with higher environmental standards. Eligible applicants are private irrigation scheme operators and related entities in designated Algarve hydroagricultural areas.
Aquatic Invasive Species Interjurisdictional Grants to the Great Lakes States and Tribes - Fiscal Year 2026 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
DOI-FWS
This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant provides interjurisdictional funding to Great Lakes states and tribes to prevent, control, and manage aquatic invasive species. It is aimed at state and tribal agencies working to protect Great Lakes ecosystems.
Grant in United Kingdom: Environmental grants for habitat reconnection from a regional water utility fund, up to $13K, closes 1 Jan 2027
organisation
Environmental fund supporting projects that reconnect habitats and build regional resilience for the benefit of people, wildlife, and water. Grants up to £10,000 available across a utility's regions in the North East and East of England.
Regular Grant: Grants open to anyone acting for free-flowing rivers
Free Rivers Fund
Grants for individuals and organizations working to protect and restore free-flowing rivers. Applicants can apply once annually during the November–January window, with award amounts varying by project.
Networking to scale up living labs for nature restoration solutions and to address bottlenecks to implementation
European Commission (Horizon Europe)
This Horizon Europe networking call funds coordination among living labs to scale up nature restoration solutions and remove barriers to their implementation. It is aimed at consortia of research, public and civil society actors working on nature restoration across Europe.
Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program for Tribes
USDA-FS
USDA Forest Service grant program supporting federally recognized Tribes in landscape-scale forest and watershed restoration projects that address wildfire, forest health, and ecosystem resilience. Eligible applicants are Tribal governments seeking funding for restoration work on or near tribal and federal lands.
Accelerator programme in Mexico: Acelerador Comunitario: Mujeres y Tierra, México 2026 (community accelerator for women and land, Mexico), up to $3,500, closes 7 Feb 2027
organisation
A two-year blended-learning accelerator for teams of women from land-based collectives in Mexico, combining online mentorship, in-person retreat, and community eco-interventions, with seed funding of up to $3,500 USD per collective upon completion of the first phase.
Water4All 2026 call: sustainable water management
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
This grant funds research to improve understanding, assessment, management, and governance of water resources across scales—from catchments to groundwater to coastal zones. It supports projects that enable better decision-making for public authorities, water managers, and stakeholders.
Water4All Call for Projects 2026 "Sustainable Water Resource Management"
Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR)
This is a transnational joint call for research and innovation projects on sustainable water resource management, funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the Water4All European partnership. It supports projects addressing integrated water resource management, watershed management, groundwater management, water resilience, integrated water monitoring, and nature-based solutions, with results expected to inform evidence-based water policies at national, European, and global scales.
Grant in worldwide: A Nature-Based Funding Round, up to $15K, closes 22 Apr 2027
organisation
A quadratic funding round for nature-based projects that combines community support with matching funds from a pooled pool, with individual projects receiving between $2,000 and $15,000. Projects spanning restoration, conservation, agriculture, water, energy, and community resilience can apply and receive greater matching allocations based on breadth of supporter engagement.
National Fish Passage Program
DOI-FWS
The National Fish Passage Program provides technical and financial assistance to remove instream barriers, restore aquatic connectivity, and implement fish passage projects that reduce flood risk and improve community safety. Eligible partners can receive support for infrastructure removal, culvert replacement, floodplain restoration, and fishway installation.
Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects
DOI-BOR
This U.S. Bureau of Reclamation program provides federal cost-share funding for planning and building water reclamation and reuse projects in western states. It is aimed at eligible non-federal water agencies, states, local governments, and tribes seeking to expand recycled water supplies.
WaterSMART Enhancing Water Resources Projects
DOI-BOR
WaterSMART Enhancing Water Resources Projects is a Bureau of Reclamation funding opportunity supporting projects that improve water supply, efficiency and management in the western United States. It is aimed at eligible water agencies, tribes and other non-federal entities seeking cost-shared funding for water resource projects.
WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program
DOI-BOR
The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program funds watershed group development, restoration planning, and watershed management project planning and design to improve water reliability and reduce conflict among stakeholders. It is aimed at eligible entities such as local water managers and watershed groups seeking local solutions to water management needs.
FY 2027 – 2029 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), National Marine Fisheries Service
DOC-DOCNOAAERA
This is a broad agency announcement from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service funding research, education, outreach, and innovative projects in marine and environmental stewardship, including the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) program for applied environmental research and technical assistance. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, nonprofits, and other organizations conducting work on public lands, trust resources, and marine ecosystem management.
Funding watershed animation (operating, study, and communication costs)
Conseil départemental de la Manche
The Manche departmental council funds operating, study and communication costs of SAGE (water management schemes) and watershed contract teams, including animator salaries and related expenses. It is aimed at local authorities and structures running watershed animation cells in the Manche department.
Flood Control Efforts
Conseil départemental de la Manche
The Manche departmental council subsidises studies and works for flood control, including flood gates, soft flood and erosion techniques, basin-scale studies, land acquisition for flood expansion zones, and flood measuring equipment. It targets local authorities and public project owners in the Manche department of France.
Funding the maintenance and restoration of rivers
Conseil départemental de la Manche
The Manche departmental council subsidises river maintenance, works enabling migratory fish passage, aquatic environment studies, and river technician posts. It is aimed at local authorities and project holders managing watercourses in the Manche department of France.
Label projects eligible for ERDF funding under support for biodiversity and flood-risk management in the Seine Basin
Conseil régional d'Ile de France
This DRIEAT call labels projects in the Seine Basin eligible for ERDF co-funding under the 2021-2027 regional programme, focused on restoring river ecological continuity for migratory fish and flood-risk management. It targets project promoters delivering river continuity works, fish population monitoring and knowledge development.
Preliminary Studies for River Contracts or Other Watershed-Wide Initiatives
Conseil départemental de la Drôme
Funds preliminary studies (such as watershed-wide diagnostics, wastewater master plan syntheses, diffuse agricultural pollution and river bed transport studies) for rural communes and their groupings engaged in river contracts or watershed programmes in the Drôme department. Grants cover 15% of eligible costs and must be applied for via the Drôme Démat' platform.
NERC urgency funding
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
NERC urgency funding supports rapid-response environmental research addressing transient, unexpected natural events such as earthquakes, droughts, floods, and ephemeral ecosystem changes. Applicants must be based at UK research organisations eligible for NERC funding.
Pushing the frontiers of environmental research
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
NERC funds ambitious, curiosity-driven environmental research projects at UK research organisations. Applicants must be based at eligible UK institutions and meet individual eligibility criteria.
Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes (WaLCZ)
NSF
This NSF program funds fundamental research on Earth's near-surface processes—hydrology, geomorphology, and geochemistry—and how they respond to environmental change. Research advances knowledge of weathering, soil development, water availability, and climate regulation, with applications to natural resource sustainability and hazard mitigation.
Engineering Environmental Resiliency (EER)
US Federal Government
NSF's Engineering Environmental Resiliency program funds fundamental research to advance resource and energy conservation, waste minimization, circular economy, and environmental protection through innovations in biotechnology, AI, nanotechnology, and sustainable manufacturing. The program supports universities and research institutions developing technologies for waste reduction, critical-mineral recycling, contaminant detection, and life-cycle assessment to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and energy resilience.
Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
DOI-NPS
This NPS Chesapeake Gateways grant funds projects that strengthen outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism linking visitors and residents to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is aimed at gateway communities and organisations within the watershed, with no cost share required.
Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources SBIR/STTR (UNLOCK SBIR/STTR)
DOE-ARPAE
ARPA-E's UNLOCK SBIR/STTR program funds applied research and experimental development to improve recovery and output from subsurface resources such as oil, gas, geothermal, minerals, and coalbed methane, including water management. It is aimed at small businesses, with research-institution partners for STTR, developing transformative early-stage or demonstrated technologies.
Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface Resources (UNLOCK)
DOE-ARPAE
ARPA-E's UNLOCK funding opportunity supports transformative applied R&D and demonstrations that expand output and recovery from subsurface resources, including oil and gas, enhanced geothermal, in-situ mineral leaching, and coalbed methane, with a strong water-management component. It is aimed at research teams and companies able to deliver high-risk, disruptive technologies with cost-sharing.
Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
DOI-USGS1
This USGS cooperative agreement funds affiliated partners of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit to conduct ecosystem science, research, and technical support for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is aimed at universities, research institutions, and similar organizations that partner with USGS on watershed and natural resource studies.
Solid Waste Management Grant Program
USDA-RUS
The USDA Rural Utilities Service Solid Waste Management Grant Program funds free technical assistance and training for rural communities on waste reduction, recycling, landfill operator skills, landfill closure planning, and water-pollution risks from landfills. Eligible organizations deliver these services regionally to rural associations through grant funds.
Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program
USDA-RUS
The Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program funds private nonprofit organizations to deliver free technical assistance and training to rural communities operating water or wastewater systems. It helps them solve source, treatment, distribution and waste problems, prepare RUS loan or grant applications, and improve facility management and operations.
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme
Kerala Startup Mission
The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme provides early-stage grants (up to Rs. 20 lakhs) and debt/convertible funding (up to Rs. 50 lakhs) to help startups validate ideas, develop prototypes, and commercialize products. Eligible startups must be DPIIT-recognized, incorporated within two years, and focused on innovative solutions in priority sectors including waste management, water, agriculture, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, and mobility.