Synopsis

The Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program of the USGS is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity to States, federally recognized Native American Tribal governments, or local water-resources agencies that collect groundwater data to participate in the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network. The USGS is working to develop and administer the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN). This funding opportunity is to support data providers for the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network.Legal authority for this opportunity is provided under Public Law 111-11, Subtitle F—Secure Water: Section 9507 "Water Data Enhancement by the United States Geological Survey," as amended in 2024 by Public Law 118-174. Funds will be used to support connecting new data providers to the Network and to support existing data providers to maintain persistent data service and to enhance the NGWMN.The funding available for this Program Announcement is expected to be up to $900,000 for Federal FY2026. This estimate does not bind the USGS to a specific number of awards or to the amount of any individual award. Congress has not yet provided full-year FY2026 funding for USGS, so awards cannot be made until that funding is appropriated. Work performance under these awards must be completed within the two-year cycle from the start date. The timing of funds availability and the signing of the award will determine the start date. Individual applications are restricted to a funding level of $150,000 for a one-year project or $300,000 for a two-year project. Funding for routine work under Objective 2A to maintain persistent data services is limited to $20,000 per year. However, agencies serving more than 500 sites can apply for up to $40,000 per year for Objective 2A work. Substantial involvement of the USGS is anticipated to provide support to new data providers during the site selection and classification process and to establish web services that interact with the NGWMN Data Portal. USGS will provide guidance to existing data providers on techniques for collection of site information, on well maintenance activities, and on well drilling to support development of the NGWMN. Therefore, these awards will be in the form of cooperative agreements.All projects must propose a start date between September 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026.Please see Program Overview for more details.
Response Date	Mar 26, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Posting Date	Jan 30, 2026 12:00:00 AM EST
Archive Date	Apr 25, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Award Ceiling	300,000
Award Floor	5,000
Cost Sharing	No

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

City or township governments, County governments, Special district governments, State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

Additional Info on Eligibility:

Applicant eligibility:Applicants can be State, federally recognized Native American Tribal governments, or local water-resource agencies which collect groundwater data. State government agencies that are part of a public university system are eligible to apply under the University authority. Federal agencies are not eligible to apply for NGWMN Cooperative Agreements funding. Funds from the projects cannot be distributed to Federal agencies to act as a contractor. Agencies that are partnering with the local USGS Water Science Center to collect water-level or water-quality data as part of a Cooperative Matching Funds project are considered current data providers and are eligible for funding under Objectives 3-6 to enhance the NGWMN. Discussion and coordination with USGS NGWMN staff are encouraged; however, USGS personnel are prohibited from helping an organization directly prepare its application for competitive funding.Agencies cannot propose work under Objectives 4, 5, or 6 in a proposal to become a new data provider (Objective 1).Proposal eligibility:The following items will result in a proposal or work under the related objective being deemed ineligible:Objectives that are missing detailed budgetsProposals from data providers working with a local USGS Cooperative Matching Funds project to collect groundwater data that are missing a letter of support from the local USGS Water Science CenterProposals with a funding request that exceeds award limitsObjectives that contract with U.S. Government agencies to perform workExcluded Parties: USGS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. USGS cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.The following proposals are ineligible for consideration under this Announcement:Proposals from U.S. Government agencies or U.S. Government employeesProposals from Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC)Proposals principally involving the direct procurement of a product, equipment, or service not used for data collection

Additional Information

Agency Name	Geological Survey
Link to Additional Information:	N/a
Grantor Contact Information:	If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: GrantSolutions Help Desk Phone: 916-278-9331

CFDA Program(s)

• 15.980: National Ground-Water Monitoring Network