2025 Invitation for Source Water Grant Proposals

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is requesting proposals for Source Water
Protection (SWP) projects. Funding is authorized through section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act as
administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Nebraska Department of
Environment and Energy.
 

These funds are a potential source of support for drinking water protection projects in Nebraska.
Program overview, grant process, general program information, funding priority, project requirements
and format are outlined in the attached guidance.
 

Project proposals will be reviewed by a committee at Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
and representatives of other organizations. Projects recommended by the reviewers will be forwarded
to the Director of NDEE for approval.
 

Any questions you may have regarding this invitation may be submitted to the Source Water Protection
Coordinator at NDEE.SourceWaterProtection@nebraska.gov, or (402) 471-9249. Questions will be
answered directly and then posted on the NDEE website for reference.
 

Proposals for the SWP Grant must be submitted to the NDEE office in Lincoln by September 1st, 2025,
at 5:00PM. Methods for submission can be located on page six of this document.
 

Contracts will not be signed until the official receipt of the FY25 Grant Award.

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PROGRAM GRANT OVERVIEW

Funding under section 1452 or the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act

PROPOSAL FORMAT AND REQUIRED INFORMATION
 

The following format and information are required for all proposals. Failure to use this format or to furnish the information requested may disqualify the proposal from funding consideration.
Please Note: A summary of the project will be posted on the Source Water Protection website if awarded funds from this grant. 
 

General Format 

• Not to exceed 10 pages (including Title Page, Project Description, and Project Area Map);  
• Formatted for 8.5” X 11” paper  
• Use 10 pt or larger type with single-spaced sentences, double spaced paragraphs, and 1” margins.  
• Include DUNS, and active UEI number.
   

1) Title Page (one page)

a) Project Title (if developing a Drinking Water Protection Management Plan, please incorporate into title). 

b) Project’s Primary Sponsor: Organization name, address, telephone number, website (if applicable), DUNS number. 

c) Project Manager: Name of contact person, address if different from above, telephone number, and email address. If possible, please include a secondary contact/representative from your community. 

d) Project’s Co-sponsors: Names of co-sponsoring organizations (if applicable). 

e) Funds requested and match offered. 

i) If using “in-kind services” as a cost-share, please provide a scope of the services, and review the instructional document on requesting a reimbursement before utilizing the cost-share https://dee.nebraska.gov/forms/publications-grants-forms/wat087. 

f) Project Area. 

g) Project Period: Initial month/year – final month/year (not to exceed 2 years). (This will be changed depending on the receipt of the FFY25 Grant Award, before signing the initial contract.) 

h) Signatory: The individual having signatory authorization must include a statement authorizing the project in the cover letter of the application. This can read as follows: I certify that the applicant has authority to undertake or participate in the proposed project. Please also include the signatory’s email address (this will be used for signing contracts if the entity is awarded funding.
 

2) Project Description 

a) Introduction/Background Information 

i) Provide a brief historical perspective and justification for the project. 

ii) Define the nature and extent of the need(s) to be addressed. 

iii) Describe other activities ongoing or planned in the project area that relate to water quality, water quantity, and/or public education. 

b) Project Objectives 

i) List objectives and describe what is expected to be accomplished during the period of the project. Objectives must relate to the identified water quality, quantity, or educational deficiencies and reflect progress in resolving those deficiencies.  

c) Project Tasks 

i) Describe specific source water protection actions proposed to be implemented within the scope of the grant. Tasks must be related to specific project objectives 

ii) Detail the information and education activities that are planned before, during, and after project implementation. 

iii) Include in the proposal how public and stakeholder participation is included in project planning, design, and implementation.

iv) Describe the method of evaluation that will be used to determine project effectiveness. The evaluation approach must be tailored to the specific project and will be based on factors such as the project’s size and objectives. 

d) Partnerships 

i) Identify the roles and responsibilities of organizations and groups involved in the proposed project regardless of funding source. The NDEE strongly recommends that a project team be assembled to involve the appropriate organizations and stakeholders in planning the project and preparing the project proposal.
 

3) Project Area Map (one page) 

a) Provide a map of the project area, including the Wellhead Protection Area if applicable. If assistance is needed in providing an updated map, please contact the Source Water Protection Program at NDEE.SourceWaterProtection@nebraska.gov, or 402-471-9249.
 

4) Work Plan (one page) 

a) Each task and sub-task associated with the project should be laid out in a separate page. This will be used as “Attachment A – Work Plan” on the contract if your community is awarded funding. All reimbursements paid will be cross-referenced to this work plan, so please be thorough. Once a contract is signed, major deviations from the work plan will not be funded.
 

5) Budget Summary Table (one page) 

a) The cost of the entire project must be defined and broken out by grant funds and matching funds in the included budget table. When including matching funds, the value of the cash and in-kind match may be combined in the budget although other federal funds may NOT be used to meet the 10% required match. Indirect costs will not be allowed. See the following page for example 

b) The cost-share offered in the proposal will be the cost-share required in the agreement if your community is awarded funding. Amendments of cost-share will not be permitted after the initial agreement is signed.  

c) NRD well decommissioning cost-share is an acceptable match for Source Water Protection Projects. However, please be aware that soliciting private well owners to decommission abandoned wells yields no guarantees. Your community will be required to pay the offered match percentage in cash if there is no participation from well owners.