USGS Water Use Data and Research Financial Assistance Program

Q&A Session, Summer 2015

Goals:

• developing water use and availability datasets

• integrating State water resource agency water use or water availability datasets into USGS databases

Funding Levels

•$12,500,000 authorized for Grants Program in 2009 as part of SECURE Water Act

•Each State can receive a maximum of $250,000, cumulatively, in grant funding ($224,000 of eligible funds after FY15 award)

Cooperative agreements

• FY15 non-competitive (see email from OAG) - $26k to all 50 States and US Caribbean (Washington DC in FY16)

• FY16 begins competitive process, announcement published early CY2016

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)• Contact information, brief description of proposed

work

Project Narrative Attachment•Upload file that describes proposed activities to complete workplan and any other activities proposed with the award

Budget Information (SF-424A)•Detailed budget, be sure to include all budget costs

Assurances (SF-424B) – legal form for accepting award, “terms and conditions”

Must be explicit outlining scope of work and expenses in budget documents in order to be reimbursed for

expenses

Funding Process

•Applications due no later than July 31, 2015• Detail in application is important, it will

reduce iteration with PI and OAG, funds released sooner

•Awards released through Fed Connect• Payment system is ASAP • Draft of workplan (technical report) due June

30, 2016• Funds must be obligated no later than

September 22, 2016

FY15 – workplan development, funds can be used to support any activity that results in workplan development, i.e. travel to ICWP meeting.

Workplans:• describe State water use program• outline State priorities for improving water use data, and• steps proposed to address priorities, preferably in

reverence to baseline data table (guidance document)• no specific format or length• submitted by June 30, 2016

Workplans must be submitted and approved prior to State receiving funds for any competitive awards

ICWP Partner Listening SessionsSalt Lake City, Utah – September 2015Tuscaloosa, Alabama – October 15, 2015Chicago, Illinois – TBD 2015

USGS will use these meetings as an opportunity to gather more information about State priorities for improving water use data as well as the foundation for the competitive announcement in FY16