Water Quality & Conservation

319 Nonpoint Source Grants

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Supports implementation projects restoring Ohio streams and wetlands, reducing nonpoint source pollutants such as nutrients, sediment and bacteria, retaining runoff, improving stream and riparian habitat and improving stream services in channels affected by hydromodification.
Eligible Applicants: Local governments, park districts, SWCDs, conservancy districts; nonprofits
Available Funding: $2.6 million
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: Next round TBA; last deadline was November 17, 2022

Asset Management Program Development Grant

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funding to provide eligible public water systems with funding to continue with the development and implementation of an asset management program.
Eligible Applicants: Ohio community and not for profit non-transient non-community public water systems
Available Funding: Up to $15,000 for water systems to conduct asset management initiatives for drinking water infrastructure 
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: February 23, 2024

Clean Ohio Program

Agency: Ohio Public Works Commission
Summary: Funds environmental conservation projects, including acquisition of green space and the protection and enhancement of river and stream corridors. District 7 (Portage County); District 8 (Summit County); District 16 (Wayne County); District 19 (Stark County)
Eligible Applicants: Local governments, park and joint recreation districts, conservancy districts, soil and water conservation districts, and non-profit organizations
Local Match Requirement: 25%
Deadline: Varies by District; contact respective District for verification

H2Ohio Public Water System Equipment Grant

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funding to reimburse the initial cost of new valve exercising, leak detection, and meter accuracy testing equipment. Program helps public water systems increase their technical capacity to provide a continuous source of safe drinking water.
Eligible Applicants: Public water systems
Available Funding: Reimbursement grants of up to $10,000
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: January 25, 2023

National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program

Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation
Summary: Funds the replacement, removal, and repair of culverts or weirs that meaningfully improve or restore fish passage for anadromous fish.
Eligible Applicants: Local governments
Available Funding: $196 million
Local Match Requirement: 20%

Ohio River Basin H2Ohio Wetland Grant Program

Agency: Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Summary: Funds high quality natural-infrastructure projects focused on nutrient reduction and water quality improvement within the Ohio River Basin.
Eligible Applicants: Local governments, park districts, joint recreation boards, conservancy districts, jointly sponsored projects between political subdivisions, and nonprofit organizations
Available Funding: $3 million in 2022
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: TBA

Partners in Watershed Management Grant Program

Agency: Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD)
Summary: Funds conservation, flood reduction, water quality improvements, and environmental education projects in the Muskingum River Watershed
Eligible Applicants: Local governments and nonprofit organizations
Eligible Geography: Project location must be located with the MWCD Jurisdictional Boundary (most of Stark County, southern Summit County, and all of Wayne County)
Available Funding: Varies; approximately $1 million available annually
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: September 1, 2023

Source Water Protection Strategies Program

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funding to support the implementation of specific and measurable protection strategies to help protect source water for community systems (population < 50,000) that use ground water and have a high susceptibility to contamination.
Eligible Applicants: Ohio community public water systems serving less than 50,000 customers that use ground water
Available Funding: Up to $20,000 per strategy 
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: February 23, 2024

Surface Water Improvement Fund

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funds the implementation of specific projects that address nonpoint source pollution and/or storm water runoff and result in water quality improvements in Ohio's streams, rivers and lakes.
Eligible Applicants: Local governments, park districts, SWCDs, health departments, nonprofits, land conservancies, trusts
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round

Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water                

Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Provides technical assistance and training to support small drinking water and wastewater systems in rural communities.
Eligible Applicants: nonprofits, nonprofit private universities and colleges, public institutions of higher education
Available Funding: $25.7 million
Local Match Requirement: 10% non-Federal
Deadline: January 26, 2023

Water Pollution Control Loan Fund        

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funding and technical assistance for improvements to surface and ground water quality
Eligible Applicants: Local governments, sewer districts
Local Match Requirement: N/A
Deadline: August, annually

Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funds both preservation and restoration of aquatic habitat to counter the loss of ecological function and biological diversity that jeopardizes the health of Ohio's water resources.
Eligible Applicants: Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) loan recipient
Local Match Requirement: N/A
Deadline: Nominations accepted year-round

Water Supply Revolving Loan Account/Drinking Water Assistance Fund

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Below-market interest rate loans for planning, design, and construction of water treatment facilities, storage facilities, and distributions system improvements, with planning and design loans offered at 0% interest.
Eligible Applicants: Public and private water systems, nonprofit non-community water systems are eligible for drinking water infrastructure loan funding through the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account
Available Funding: $150 million annually
Local Match Requirement: N/A
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round

Well Abandonment Grant

Agency: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: Funding to properly abandon existing inactive wells at community water systems that pose a risk to active public water supply sources or the environment.
Eligible Applicants: Community public water systems in Ohio
Available Funding: Up to $15,000 in reimbursement per well
Local Match Requirement: None
Deadline: February 23, 2024

*Prepared by the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO). Funding opportunities provided for general informational purposes. NEFCO does not guarantee accuracy of information listed (i.e., eligibility requirements, application deadlines, matching requirements, etc.). Please consult appropriate funding agency for additional information.