Funding Database: Water Quality Management

The Section 205(j) Water Quality Management Planning Grant is a competitive funding program aimed at enhancing water quality planning efforts across the state. The grant typically allocates funding for projects that focus on water quality improvement and planning. The grant supports a diverse range of planning activities. Projects can include identifying water quality issues and creating comprehensive solutions to address them.

Once contracted, projects funded under this grant can run for a maximum of 18 months. The NC Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) Division of Water Resources disperses funding on a quarterly reimbursement basis.

Eligible Applicants

The grant is open to regional councils of governments and regional planning organizations. Eligible participants can partner with any public or private sector organization.

Eligible Projects

Projects can involve a variety of activities aimed at identifying and addressing water quality issues. Specific types of eligible projects can include but are not limited to:

• Watershed Assessments: Identify the nature, extent and cause of water quality problems in specific watersheds. 
• Stormwater Infrastructure Mapping: Create detailed maps of stormwater systems to better manage and improve water quality. 
• Nine-Element Watershed Restoration Plans: Develop a comprehensive plan for restoring a watershed. Successful projects usually focus on a specific 12-digit or smaller U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC). 
• Engineering Designs for Stormwater Best Management Practices: Create engineering plans for practices that manage and treat stormwater to improve water quality. 
• Watershed Assessments of Pollutant Sources: Identify the sources of pollutants in a watershed to better target remediation efforts.

Funding Amount

Awards typically range from $10,000 - $50,000, but past requests for proposals have encouraged applicants to request adequate funding to fully execute proposed projects.

Match Requirements

NC DEQ does not require a match, but reviewers look favorably on local investments in proposed projects.

Application Schedule

Applications typically open in the summer and close in the fall.

Application Process

Download the application from the grant webpage. Email the completed application to the project contact.

Application Assistance

View the 2022 205(j) Water Quality Planning Grant webinar. Contact the grant administrator with questions or for additional guidance.

Funding Source

The Environmental Protection Agency provides funding for this opportunity.