Opportunity Overview
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is accepting applications for the SFY2027 Regional Water Plan Grant. This state-funded program supports eligible Georgia public entities implementing management practices or other recommendations in one or more of Georgia’s 10 Regional Water Plans.
Funding and Match
Maximum reimbursement is $150,000 and may cover no more than 90% of total project cost. Award recipients must provide at least 10% of total project cost as match, using cash, in-kind services/resources, or a combination. Applicants demonstrating a match commitment of 30% or greater may receive priority consideration.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible recipients include local, regional, and state units of government; local authorities operating local-government service delivery programs; regional commissions; resource conservation and development councils; local school systems; and state colleges and universities. Local governments must have Qualified Local Government status. Private firms and nonprofit organizations are not direct eligible recipients but may participate as project partners.
Eligible Project Types
Eligible activities include water-conservation programs; agricultural, forestry, rural, and urban best management practices; evaluation of alternate water-supply sources; local water, wastewater, or stormwater utility master planning; technical assistance for Regional Water Plan implementation; and other specific implementation activities identified in an applicable Regional Water Plan.
Required Council Coordination
Every application must identify the applicable Regional Water Plan and the management practice or recommendation being implemented. The application must include a signed endorsement letter from the relevant Regional Water Planning Council Chair or authorized signatory explaining consistency with the Council’s implementation priorities, vision, and goals.
Competitive Priorities
EPD’s scoring favors projects that demonstrate measurable state, regional, or local water benefits; new or continued implementation of Regional Water Plan management practices; quantifiable evaluation methods; collaboration across councils, governments, and partners; infrastructure or structural BMP implementation; coordination across jurisdictional boundaries; additional environmental benefits; and, where applicable, a 30% or greater match. Applicants with poor prior administration of EPD or other grant-funded projects may lose points.
Application Requirements
Applications are submitted only through EPD’s Grants Administration Portal. Required application components include an organization profile, project description, project budget, applicable Regional Water Plan management practices, measurable activities/tasks/outputs/outcomes, participating-organization roles, project location and map, the required Regional Water Plan Grant Project Schedule, and the Council endorsement letter. Projects should generally run 24 to 30 months.
Budget categories include personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual, other, and indirect charges. Equipment means a single item with a useful life longer than one year and an acquisition cost of at least $10,000; equipment must be itemized and tied to a specific activity and task. Contractual items of $30,000 or more require detailed budget breakdowns. Indirect costs are not reimbursable with grant funds, but allowable indirect charges may be used as match.
Deadlines
Pre-application meetings are optional but strongly recommended for first-time applicants and must be completed by October 9, 2026. Before the meeting, applicants must submit a one-page project abstract. The guidelines require all application sections and supporting attachments to be submitted through the portal by midnight on October 31, 2026. The official materials do not state a deadline-specific time zone, so Atlas does not infer one.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 80/100. This is a solid Georgia public-sector water-planning and implementation opportunity with a defined reimbursement ceiling, broad public-entity eligibility, and clear scoring priorities. N9+ Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. Healthcare technology should not be forced into this water-management program.
Official source: Georgia EPD Regional Water Plan Grant Funds.