DEQ offers two grant opportunities to address nonpoint sources (NPS) of pollution: Federal § 319 funds target a variety of nonpoint source projects while state funds address agricultural best management practices and are offered to a more limited audience. These grants are awarded annually on a competitive basis.
Federal § 319 Grants
Section § 319 of the Clean Water Act established a grant program under which states, territories, and tribes may receive funds to support a wide variety of nonpoint source pollution management activities. DEQ is the state agency responsible for administering this grant program in Idaho.
A successful § 319 grant request must focus on reducing pollutants and improving the water quality of lakes, streams, rivers, and aquifers. Funds may be used to address a variety of NPS management and prevention activities:
- Agriculture (except those activities covered by a draft or final Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (IPDES) permit).
- Urban stormwater runoff (except instances covered by a draft or final IPDES permit).
- Transportation (except instances covered by a draft or final IPDES permit).
- Silvicultural or forestry-related activities.
- Mining (except those activities covered by a draft or final IPDES permit).
- Ground water activities (to the extent identified by the state’s NPS management program, including source water protection efforts that involve regional collaboration or have the statewide application).
- Hydrologic and habitat modification and related activities (including wetlands reconstruction).
State Agricultural Best Management Practices Grants
The Idaho Legislature provides additional appropriation dollars annually to increase pollution reduction efforts in Idaho. These State funds are to be used for the implementation of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) to help meet water quality standards in impaired water bodies in Idaho.
Application Process
In 2021, we moved to downloadable templates for the application and project budget. Those will be submitted via email. Instructions are in the accordion below.
Contact your local, regional office using the resources below for technical assistance.
Invoice Process
For projects awarded before 2021, continue invoicing using the online processes. Use the Federal Grant Invoicing and State Grant Invoicing links in the Resources box at the bottom of this webpage.
For Projects awarded after 2021, see the Invoice and Final Reporting Assistance for Grant Recipients link in the Resources box at the bottom of this webpage.
Please submit all invoicing materials to NPSGrants@deq.idaho.gov.
Application process video
Invoicing process video
Important Dates and Other Information
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Annual application timeframe: March 15 – April 15
Details:
- Eligible applicants include farmers and ranchers.
- Eligible projects must target agricultural practices that improve water quality and meet the objectives of total maximum daily load requirements.
- Applicants must target projects that are ready to implement.
- Applicants must submit a completed work plan and budget, provided with the application material below.
- Projects must involve multiple partners and leverage other funding sources.
Project contracts have eighteen-month implementation timeframes. The Basin Advisory Groups prioritize project proposals for funding.
Annual application timeframe: April 15 – July 15, 2023
Details:
Proposed projects that meet the following criteria are ranked higher for funding.
- Applicants must target projects ready to implement management practices that reduce pollutant loads.
- Eligible projects must target pollutants identified in total maximum daily loads and implementation plans.
- Applicants must submit a completed work plan and budget, provided with the application material below.
- Projects must involve multiple partners and leverage other funding sources
Project contracts have three-year implementation timeframes. The Basin Advisory Groups prioritize project proposals for funding.
- Funds awarded to a project cannot exceed $250,000
- 40% match required (based on the minimum total project cost)
- NPS awarded funds/0.6)*0.4 = 40% minimum match requirement
- Maximum Administrative Budget (not to exceed 10% of the grant award)
According to § 319(h)(12), administrative costs in the form of salaries, overhead, or indirect costs for services provided and charged against activities and programs carried out with the grant shall not exceed 10% of the grant award.
The costs of implementing enforcement and regulatory activities, education, training, technical assistance, demonstration projects, and technology transfer are not subject to this limitation. Activities, sub-awards, and projects that fall under the six exempted categories listed above are not required to track administrative costs for this provision.
- Administrative (non-project specific)/Indirect cap calculation:
Example of the 10% cap on a NPS award of $20,000
$20,000 *0.1 = $2,000 maximum
- Monitoring, outreach, and education
- The combined cost for monitoring and outreach, and education cannot exceed 10% of the awarded NPS funds
- Include receipts for all costs with invoices submitted for reimbursement
Be prepared to justify your reimbursement requests with a timesheet if requested.
The following instructions are for both State and Federal grant opportunities.
- The application deadline is the end of the day for the application period.
- Download and fill out all fields in the application pdf.
- Download and fill out the budget template.
- Optional resource: the NPS budget development tool can help plan a detailed budget.
- Email complete application materials to NPSGrants@deq.idaho.gov.
- Title subject line as follows: Title of project – the name of BAG reviewing your project (e.g., Boulder Creek Stabilization – Clearwater BAG)
- Include the following:
- Completed budget template
- Completed application template
- Maps, letters of recommendation, and supporting documentation.
- Include the following:
State Grant
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 15 – April 15 | Call for State Agricultural Grant Application |
| June 1 | The regional and statewide rank of projects complete |
| July 1 | State funding available for distribution and contract development begins |
Federal § 319 Grant
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 15 – July 15 | Call for Federal 319 grant Application |
| July-August | Application technical reviews and regional BAG meetings will hear presentations and rank. |
| October 31 | All regional BAG rankings completed |
| December | Statewide prioritization of projects by BAG chairpersons and final recommendation delivered to DEQ |
| July/August | Funding becomes available in the following calendar year, and contract development begins. |
Resources
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Contact your regional office for technical assistance.
Email NPSGrants@deq.idaho.gov for general inquires, and application and invoice submittals.
Nonpoint Source (319) Coordinator