Feasibility Study Grants

Updates

Feedback Opportunity – 2027 Funding Cycle

OWRD is pleased to share the draft Applying the 10 Best Practices: A Guide to Developing and Implementing Meaningful Community Engagement Plans for Feasibility Study Grants and invites public review and comment. This document is designed to support applicants to OWRD's Feasibility Study Grants Program (FSG) who are seeking funding for Community Engagement Plans (CEPs) for water conservation, reuse or storage projects. Funding may be requested to support community engagement activities that help inform project identification, and/or implement a project planning study.

This guide is aligned with the Department-recognized 10 Best Practices in Community Engagement around Water Projects and provides practical tools, examples, and strategies to promote meaningful engagement, particularly with disproportionately impacted communities. 

Feedback is welcome from all interested parties to help ensure the Guide is clear, practical, and supportive of the Department-recognized 10 Best Practices in Community Engagement around Water Projects.

The document is developed under Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 690-601 and grounded in Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 541.551. Input from partner agencies, Tribes and public engagement has informed its development.

Document: View the draft Applying the 10 Best Practices: A Guide to Developing and Implementing Meaningful Community Engagement Plans for Feasibility Study Grants.

Feedback Period: Comments on the draft Guide will be accepted until 5 p.m. on October 23, 2026.

Submit Feedback: OWRD.Grants@water.oregon.gov or Grants Analyst, 725 Summer Street NE, Suite A, Salem, OR 97301.

2027 Funding Cycle

The next funding cycle for Feasibility Study Grants will be announced in fall 2026 and applications will be due in spring 2027.

Applications will be accepted online once the funding cycle is announced. Sign up here to receive email announcements.

Eligibility

Feasibility Study Grants provide funding for studies that assess the feasibility of projects aimed at meeting Oregon's water supply needs. Eligible project types include water conservation, water reuse, aquifer recharge, aquifer storage and recovery, streamflow protection or restoration, and water storage. This competitive funding opportunity helps individuals and communities investigate whether a project is worth pursuing. Any local government, Indian Tribe, nonprofit organization, or person may apply for funding.

Match

Grants require a 25% cost-share match for all applicants except incorporated cities. Incorporated cities must provide a match based on their population size according to the most recent federal decennial census. See below for additional information.

Available Funding

OWRD anticipates having approximately $1 million to $1.5 million available for the 2027 funding cycle, pending confirmation of the Departments 2027-2029 budget by the Oregon Legislature. Projects awarded funding must complete their studies by June 30, 2029.

How to Apply

Applications for Feasibility Study Grants will be accepted through OWRD's online grant platform. Prospective applicants are encouraged to participate in a pre-application conference prior to submitting an application for funding online. The purpose of a pre-application conference is to answer your questions about the funding process, identify any additional information that may be needed, discuss potential eligibility issues, and provide guidance on both the procedural and substantive requirements of the application, including how applications are scored. Applicants must complete the sections identified in the grant pre-application conference checklist before requesting a pre-application conference and email a request at least two weeks prior to scheduling a pre-application conference meeting. Please contact the Grants Analyst with questions.

More Information

OWRD has been funding Feasibility Study Grants since 2009. It has awarded more than $10.4 million in grants.

Forms and guidance for active grantees

For more information contact:
Louisa Mariki 503-979-9160

Other Resources:

Feasibility Study Grants Handout