Grants/Funding Opportunities
People recognize and respect city and county borders. Water does not. The South Florida Water Management District is a regional agency committed to ensuring that local perspectives are incorporated into our activities. Strong working relationships between local officials and staff allow us to share and utilize our knowledge, expertise and resources to address shared water and land stewardship responsibilities. Intergovernmental communication, cooperation and coordination are vital to meeting the water resource needs of our communities.
Cooperative Funding Program
The objective of the Cooperative Funding Program is to assist local governments, public and private water providers, and other entities with construction and/or implementation of alternative water supply (AWS) and water conservation (WC) projects that support or complement the District’s mission.
FY2027 Grant Funding Application Period
The District appreciates your interest in the Cooperative Funding Program. The District will be accepting applications on behalf of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for funding (tentative FY2026-27 budget appropriations) consideration for AWS and water conservation projects within the District’s 16-county service area. The District will be providing the list of applicants to the FDEP for funding consideration by May 31, 2026.
Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature support water supply and water resource development projects through state funding assistance. In anticipation of legislative appropriations being allocated for FY2026-27, the District has established the application schedule for eligible applicants to apply for funding consideration.
FY2027 Application Schedule
December 1, 2025 - Application period opens
January 13, 2026 – Informational Webinar (FY27 Cooperative Funding Program Overview #1)
January 28, 2026 - Informational Webinar (FY27 Cooperative Funding Program Overview #2)
February 26, 2026 - Application portal closed at 4 pm
March – April 2026 - Internal application review process
May 2026 - Governing Board project list approval & submission to FDEP
Eligible projects for consideration should be construction-ready AWS projects or ready-to-implement water conservation technology projects or programs that provide the most immediate benefits. Any local government applying for funding must have an irrigation ordinance that comports with the District’s Year-Round Irrigation Rule. The application process opens December 1, 2025, and closes February 26, 2026 at 4 p.m. Projects may be eligible for up to 50 percent cost-share by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with estimated construction/implementation start dates beginning on or after October 1, 2026.
Download and complete the AWS Excel Application or Water Conservation Excel Application, complete the online submittal form, upload the required files, and submit for funding consideration.
List of Documents:
- FY27 CFP Guidelines
- AWS FY27 Application (Excel)
- Water Conservation FY27 AG/Nursery Application (Excel)
- Water Conservation FY27 Urban Application (Excel)
- FY27 Acknowledgement Form (Word)
Example Applications:
- AWS RO WTP Example
- AWS Brackish Well Example
- AWS Reclaimed Water Pipeline Example
- WC Urban Irrigation Example
- WC Indoor HET Example
- WC AG/Nursery Example
Future Funding Opportunities and Technical Support
Supporting local water projects is an important part of protecting and managing regional water resources, so please refer back to the web page for future program opportunities. To be included on the email notification of future cooperative funding grant opportunities please click here to subscribe.
For the latest information or technical assistance, email coopfunding@sfwmd.gov.
Project Types
Alternative Water Supply (AWS) Projects
Meeting the growing need for water in South Florida hinges on efforts to develop region-specific sources that offer an alternative to traditional groundwater and surface water. This component of the Cooperative Funding Program is focused on supporting the development of AWS projects that will diversify the supply while reducing dependence on freshwater resources. Examples of alternative water supply are:
- Saltwater or brackish water
- Reclaimed or recycled water
- Surface water captured during heavy rainfalls
- Sources make available through addition of new storage capacity
- Storm water (for use by consumptive use permittee)
- Any other source designated as non-traditional in a regional water supply plan
Eligible AWS projects in previous years have included aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), reclaimed water plant expansions and transmission mains, reverse osmosis plants, brackish water supply wells and tailwater recovery projects. Local governments and municipalities were required to have an approved irrigation ordinance that comports with the District’s Mandatory Year-Round Landscape Irrigation Conservation Measures. For more information refer to Chapter 40E-24, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), Chapter 40E-24 (sfwmd.gov) and Model Irrigation Ordinances for Local Governments.
From Fiscal Years 1997 to 2026, AWS projects totaling approximately $5.5 billion in construction costs received partial funding from the South Florida Water Management District. This District provided approximately $275.4 million in budgeted grants towards 539 alternative water supply projects that produced 523 million gallons of capacity per day.
Water Conservation Projects
Formerly known as the Water Savings Incentive Program (WaterSIP), this component of the Cooperative Funding Program is continuing to support water conservation efforts of public and private water providers or users. Projects that use hardware and/or technology to implement water conservation are eligible for funding consideration. Local governments and municipalities were required to have an approved irrigation ordinance that comports with the District’s Mandatory Year-Round Landscape Irrigation Conservation Measures. For more information refer to Chapter 40E-24, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), Chapter 40E-24 (sfwmd.gov) and Model Irrigation Ordinances for Local Governments.
Examples of eligible water conservation projects in previous years include:
- High-efficiency indoor plumbing retrofits and/or rebates
- Automatic line flushing devices and/or hydrant flushing devices
- Pre-rinse spray valves
- Irrigation retrofits, including soil moisture sensors, rain sensors and irrigation head upgrades
The District encourages industrial, commercial, institutional and agricultural water users, as well as homeowners and condominium associations, to apply for funding.
From Fiscal Years 2003 to 2026, $32.2 million in projects qualifying for water conservation cost-share were partially funded. The District contributed approximately $9.74 million toward 278 projects with an estimated savings of 5.2 billion gallons of water per year, or 14.2 million gallons of water per day.