Grants Available for Florida Water Quality Improvement Projects

Requests are now being accepted for Florida water quality improvement project grants, 2023-2024.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is currently administrating almost $400 million in grant monies for water quality improvement projects in Florida.

Who Can Apply for Florida Water Quality Grants and How to Apply

The DEP grants vary in amount and by closing dates for proposal submission. The grants are available to local governments, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The online grant application portal for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 opened July 5, 2023.

While the grants generally support the planning and implementation of projects that protect Florida’s water resources, some of the specific opportunities include:

Water Restoration Funding

Nonpoint Source Management

Funding for local governments and nonstate entities to implement eligible shovel-ready stormwater treatment projects that reduce or eliminate nonpoint source nutrient pollution in verified impaired waterbodies. Funding is also available for projects that implement nonpoint source pollution best management practices, public education programs to prevent pollution, and septic abandonment/connection to sewer on private property.

Project proposals may be submitted anytime throughout the year. Department review and evaluation periods are expected to occur in September/October and March/April of each year or as needed.

State Water Quality Assistance Grants

Funding for water quality improvement projects targeting specific areas or specific pollutant sources. Projects may include septic-to-sewer, wastewater, stormwater and other projects that improve water quality.  Learn more: Funding Sources.

Water Quality Improvement

Funding to address wastewater (including septic to sewer), stormwater, and agricultural sources of nutrients in waterbodies that are not attaining nutrient or nutrient-related standards, have an established total maximum daily load or are located within a basin management action plan area, a reasonable assurance plan area, an accepted alternative restoration plan area, or a rural area of opportunity under Section 288.0656, Florida Statues. Learn more: Information Sheet.

Small Community Wastewater Facility Grants

Available for recipients of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan for the construction of wastewater facilities in municipalities with 10,000 or fewer people and per capita income levels below Florida’s average. More Information.

Grant Applications Closing August 31, 2023

• Alternative Water Supply Grants– Funding to help local government and communities plan for and implement water conservation, reuse, and other water supply and water resource development projects. Priority is given to regional projects in the areas of greatest need and for projects that provide the greatest benefit.
• Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvement Grants -This grant is available to local governments and nonstate entities to strengthen ongoing efforts to protect Biscayne Bay. Project proposals can include wastewater improvements (including septic-to-sewer), stormwater management, and other projects that will help improve water quality in Biscayne Bay.
• Florida’s Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative Grants – This grant program provides funding for academic and private partnerships to implement Florida’s Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative to establish, expand and maintain in-state propagation and grow-out facilities; develop and implement strategies and site-specific restoration plans, including curriculum for a trained workforce; and reinforce and expand restoration efforts across Florida’s Coral Reef.
• Harmful Algal Bloom Grants: for support of projects that evaluate and implement new technologies and short-term solutions to combat harmful algal blooms and nutrient enrichment, restore and preserve Florida’s fresh waterbodies, and implement certain water quality treatment technologies. 
• Indian River Lagoon Water Quality Improvement Grants – This grant is available to local governments and nonstate entities to strengthen ongoing efforts to protect the Indian River Lagoon. Project proposals can include wastewater improvements (including septic-to-sewer), stormwater management, and other projects that will help improve water quality and support the Indian River Lagoon Protection Program.
• Innovative Technology for Harmful Algal Blooms Grants – This grant is available to local governments and nonstate entities for projects that evaluate and implement innovative technologies and short-term solutions to combat harmful algal blooms and nutrient enrichment, restore and preserve Florida’s fresh waterbodies, and implement certain water quality treatment technologies.

Grant Applications Closing September 1, 2023

• Resilient Florida – Planning Grants -This grant supports counties and municipalities with resilience planning efforts, including further assessment of vulnerabilities of critical assets and complying with the “Peril of Flood” statute, which helps to ensure coastal communities will recover and move forward faster after natural disasters.  Starting this year, water management districts are also eligible to receive planning grants to assist the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Science and Innovation in addressing gaps in available data.
• Resilient Florida – Implementation Grants -This grant is available to counties, municipalities, and certain special districts for infrastructure projects that address risks of flooding or sea level rise identified in a local government vulnerability assessment. This grant is also available to water management districts, drainage districts, erosion control districts, flood control districts, and regional water supply authorities to mitigate the risks of flooding or sea level rise on water supplies or water resources of the state.