Desalination and Water Purification Research Program
The Bureau of Reclamation is accepting proposals through its Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) to support innovative laboratory and pilot-scale water treatment research.
This opportunity is especially relevant for Los Angeles County universities, water agencies, utilities, research organizations, technology firms, and public-private partners working on new approaches to desalination, brackish groundwater treatment, impaired water treatment, water reuse, treatment efficiency, monitoring, and commercialization-ready water technologies.
DWPR is designed to help move promising ideas from research toward real-world demonstration by reducing the costs, energy requirements, and other barriers that limit the use of impaired or otherwise difficult-to-treat water sources.
Up to $5.7 million is available, with expected awards ranging from $100,000 to $800,000. No match is required.
Applications are due September 29, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. MT.
Helpful links: Program page · Funding opportunities page · Simpler Grants opportunity
PROTECT Competitive Grant Program
The Federal Highway Administration is accepting applications for the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Competitive Grant Program, which helps communities plan for and strengthen surface transportation systems against natural hazards and changing conditions.
This opportunity is especially relevant for Los Angeles County projects focused on resilient roads, bridges, transit facilities, evacuation routes, port connections, coastal infrastructure, flood-prone corridors, drainage improvements, wildfire access routes, landslide-prone areas, extreme heat impacts, and seismic resilience.
Up to $787 million is available across four funding categories: Planning Grants, Resilience Improvement Grants, Community Resilience and Evacuation Route Grants, and At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants. Planning Grants may support vulnerability assessments, resilience planning, design, data tools, and evacuation planning. Resilience Grants may support construction and improvements that help existing transportation assets withstand severe storms, flooding, drought, wildfire, mudslides, sea level rise, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and other hazards.
Applications are due October 9, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Helpful links: Grants.gov opportunity · FHWA PROTECT Competitive Grant Program · PROTECT resources
Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants
Caltrans is accepting applications for the FY 2027-28 Sustainable Transportation Planning Grants, with approximately $34.9 million available statewide for transportation planning projects.
This opportunity is especially relevant for Los Angeles County cities, county agencies, transit agencies, regional planning partners, and community-based collaborators working on multimodal transportation, complete streets, active transportation, transit access, freight/goods movement planning, climate adaptation, transportation safety, first/last mile connections, and integrated housing, land use, and transportation planning.
Funding is available through Sustainable Communities, Strategic Partnerships, and Strategic Partnerships–Transit categories. Projects should support sustainable transportation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve safety and accessibility, and benefit under-resourced communities.
Applications are due October 9, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.
Helpful links: Program page · Application Guide PDF · Application materials
