Grants and Financial Assistance Programs
Example of Typical Programs Available to CTWEA Utilities

Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS)

​Since the passing of the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to assess nationwide capital investment needs for publicly-owned wastewater collection and treatment facilities and periodically report those needs to Congress (Section 516(b)(1)(B) (33 U.S. Code §1375) . The most recent Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) report was published in 2012. EPA has recently received $5M in funding to conduct its next CWNS. Data collection begins on March 1, 2022.
 
Identifying and reporting our capital investment needs is important for securing long-term funding and increasing grant opportunities. Much of our industries grant funding opportunities originate from federal agencies including EPA, FEMA and USDA and in concert with various State agencies such as DEEP and DEMHS. Connecticut’s Coordinators for the EPA’s CWNS are listed below.
 
Erik Bedan ([email protected])
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse
Phone: (860) 424-3386
Syed Bokhari ([email protected])
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse
Phone: (860) 424-3107

Federal Grants Opportunity Search:

​The federal government maintains a searchable database of grant opportunities at www.grants.gov:

CT DEEP Climate Resilience Fund
DEEP has established a new program to provide grants to help Connecticut communities initiate planning (Track 1) and develop projects (Track 2) that will help communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change. The Fund specifically is intended to support climate resilience planning at regional, municipal, and neighborhood-level scales, and to support resilience project scoping and development with a focus on nature-based solutions, including green infrastructure; flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control systems; gray infrastructure; and non-structural project solutions. This historic state-level investment into climate resilience planning and project development was established by Executive Order 21-3 (EO21-3) in December 2021.

The first round of applications are due November 10, 2022 (Track 1) or December 1, 2022 (Track 2). A primary outcome of this program is to help Connecticut communities develop a climate resilience project pipeline that can win competitive federal grant funding to substantially fund those projects’ implementation and construction. At least 40% of funding resources are targeted to where vulnerable populations reside.  The grant application forms and more information on the program and requirements can be found at: https://portal.ct.gov/ConnecticutClimateAction/Executive-Order/DEEP-Climate-Resilience-Fund

CT DEEP Clean Water Fund (CWF) and Non-Point Source (Section 319) Grants:
The State’s Clean Water Fund (CWF) program is most common and popular source of grant and low interest funding for our industry. Funding provided by the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR 3684- 117th Congress 2021-22) for our industry is anticipated to be managed through the CTDEEP CWF program. Information on the CWF Program including priority lists and DEEP memos as well as information on other State grant opportunities and the recently passed Infrastructure bill can be found here:

CT Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) Preparedness and Mitigation Grant Programs:
FEMA is one of the federal government’s largest sources of grant funding typically reimbursing 75% of eligible projects costs. Most of the FEMA grant opportunities for our industry are managed through the State Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Information on popular programs can be found here:
​Overview  Preparedness Grants  Mitigation Grants  Recovery Grants

Other Applicable Grants in CT: