Colorado Water Supply Reserve Fund (WSRF) Grants (WSRF)

The Water Supply Reserve Fund gives competitive grants to Colorado water users for critical water supply needs: technical assistance, feasibility studies, design, and infrastructure replacement or maintenance, such as ditch and diversion rehabilitation. Each request must be approved by the local basin roundtable before CWCB decides. Mutual ditch companies, individuals, partnerships, nonprofits and local governments can apply.

• Governmental entities (municipalities; special, water and sanitation, conservancy, conservation and irrigation districts; water activity enterprises; counties; state agencies)

• Private entities: mutual ditch companies, non-profit corporations, individuals and partnerships

• Covered Entities (§37-60-126 C.R.S.) only if they have a CWCB-approved Water Efficiency Plan

• Must obtain written approval from at least one basin roundtable before applying

• Minimum 25% match (no more than half in-kind)

Reimbursement grant; 25% minimum match (no more than half in-kind); statewide account covers at most 75% of project cost; reimbursement starts only after a fully executed State Agreement.

Published amounts: No per-award cap published on the page. Guidelines (Jan 2023): 'A minimum of 25% match is required for all WSRF projects'; statewide WSRF funds will cover a maximum of 75% of the project. Grants may be coupled with any low-interest loan.

Review the WSRF Grant Guidelines and your basin roundtable's criteria, contact the roundtable, register on the CWCB Portal, submit the application with Exhibit A (Statement of Work) and Exhibit B (Budget & Schedule) plus maps, designs and match letters, obtain basin roundtable approval, then work with CWCB staff before Board review. Review, award and contracting typically take 6–9 months; costs before the grant agreement is executed are not reimbursable.

Deadline text on the page: Deadlines include October 1, December 1, February 1, April 1, June 1, and August 1 of each year. Applicant must have written basin roundtable approval first; applications are reviewed at the Board meeting three months after the deadline.