Current Tribal §319 Grant Information
Overview
Tribes and Nations are eligible to receive Clean Water Act (CWA) Section (§)319 grant funding to implement EPA-approved NPS programs. As required under the CWA, Tribes must be approved for treatment in a similar manner as a state (TAS) and have an EPA-approved NPS assessment report and NPS management program to receive §319 funds. Each year, a §319-eligible Tribe may apply for a base §319 grant that support their NPS management program, and they are eligible to compete nationally for additional §319 funds (competitive §319 grants) to implement on-the-ground projects to restore and protect their waters.
See below for current information on application deadlines, eligible tribes and additional guidance.
Base Grants
Effective FY23, EPA will award Tribal CWA §319 base grants according to the table below. The revised base grant allocation formula outlined in Achieving Greater Equity in the Nonpoint Source Program Through FY23 Section 319 Grant Allocations (pdf) replaces the formula within the current Tribal guidelines linked below. EPA anticipates revising the Tribal CWA §319 base grant guidelines in FY24 to reflect the revised formula.
Total Tribal Land Area (square miles) |
# Tribal CWA §319 Grantees in FY24 |
Base Grant Funding Amount |
0 – 2 i.e., Less than 2 sq mi |
69 |
$45,000 |
2 – 50 i.e., Equal to or greater than 2 sq mi AND less than 50 sq mi |
69 |
$50,000 |
50 – 500 i.e., Equal to or greater than 50 sq mi AND less than 500 sq mi |
44 |
$55,000 |
500+ i.e., Equal to or greater than 500 sq mi |
31 |
$70,000 |
§319 base funds may be used for a range of activities that implement the Tribe's approved NPS management program including: hiring a program coordinator; conducting NPS education programs; providing training and authorized travel to attend training; updating the NPS management program; developing watershed-based plans; and implementing watershed-based plans and on-the-ground watershed projects.
Proposed base 319 grant work plan deadlines vary by EPA Region. Please contact your EPA region for more details.
Competitive Grants
In addition to awarding §319 base grants (described above), each year the EPA's National NPS Program solicits applications via a national competition from §319-eligible Tribes and intertribal consortia to implement on-the-ground projects to manage NPS pollution. Competitive §319 grants may be used to develop and/or implement watershed-based plans and other on-the-ground projects that will result in significant steps towards solving NPS impairments on a watershed-wide basis. Tribal applicants may request up to $125,000 in federal §319 funds through this competition. In recent years, the EPA has awarded approximately $2.5 million/year in federal §319 funds under this solicitation, depending on Agency funding levels. Please note that applicants must submit applications via Grants.gov; the grants.gov information page for this grant can be found here.
FY2024 Tribal 319 Competitive RFA (pdf)
FY2024 Tribal 319 RFA FAQs (pdf)
Beginning in FY23 and continuing in FY24, to increase the number of Tribal NPS programs benefiting from competitive grants awarded under this solicitation, EPA will reserve a portion of available funds to make approximately five awards to eligible Tribal applicants that have not received a competitive grant under the CWA §319 Tribal NPS program in the last five years (FY2019 – FY2023). See reference list for eligibility: FY2024 List of CWA §319 Eligible Tribes that have not received a competitive grant from FY19-23 (pdf)
Key Dates in the Competitive Grant Process:
- The Tribal Competitive Grant is currently closed. It will reopen in the Fall of 2024.
Slides for the Informational Webinars can be accessed here: FY2024 RFA for CWA Section 319 Tribal Competitive Grants: Informational Webinar Slides (pdf)
Selected Projects Summaries:
Submitting Tribal 319 competitive grant project information to EPA:
Beginning in FY2022, as a condition of receiving a Tribal §319 competitive grant Tribal grantees are required to submit project information to EPA that will be entered into EPA's §319 Grants Reporting and Tracking Database (GRTS). This information is due 90 days from the grant award date. Required project information includes a project description, NPS categories of pollution and pollutants to be addressed, proposed BMPs, anticipated environmental outputs and outcomes, project location, project budget information, and project partners contributing to project implementation. A training video of this entry process can be found here.
Tribal §319 competitive grantees have two options for providing project information to EPA:
- Option 1: Fill out the Excel-based form (link below), then email this form to your EPA Regional Tribal GRTS lead.
Tribal GRTS Data Entry Form (FY23) (xlsm)
- Option 2: Create a GRTS user account, then create a new project page for your competitive grant project in the database. Click here to get started.