Making Water Work for Us

LA28 (administered by Community Partners) just opened the LA28 Resilience Champions Fund—a new grant initiative investing in locally led, community-benefiting resilience projects across the Los Angeles region in the lead-up to the 2028 Games. Applications are due March 24, 2026. (Round 1 grant period: May 2026 – April 2027).

Funding priorities (pick one or more): 

• Wildfire Resilience & Nature Restoration (e.g., fire-resilient native planting, bioremediation, resilient retrofits/rebuilding, improved access to parks/nature)  
• Ocean Protection (e.g., habitat restoration, pollution prevention, watershed protection, community science/monitoring, improved coastal access)  
• Cooling Solutions (e.g., green infrastructure, shade structures, cooling/water stations, mechanical cooling, micro-forests, heat health training, emergency communications)  

Grant options: 

• Implementation Grants: up to $100,000 for permanent physical / place-based improvements  
• Education & Engagement Grants: up to $50,000 for targeted education/outreach tied to tangible outcomes and a specific place/community near the Games footprint.  

Who can apply: nonprofit organizations (including fiscally sponsored projects). Partnerships are welcome, but only one lead applicant per organization per round. Projects must be in the LA region and close to the Games footprint.

Looking to advance recycled water and potable reuse projects in Los Angeles County? The State Water Resources Control Board’s Water Recycling Funding Program (WRFP) offers planning grants plus construction loans/grants, with applications accepted continuously through the FAAST online portal (choose the WRFP Planning Grant or WRFP Construction application).  

At the same time, the Water Board is moving forward with emergency regulations for Proposition 4 water recycling funding (SFY 2025–26)—creating the administrative framework for eligible applicants/projects, application process, project selection, and reimbursements. Proposition 4 set aside $386.25M for water reuse/recycling, and the FY 2025–26 appropriation provides $150M of that total for this fiscal year.  

Why this matters now: WRFP is already a go-to funding pathway for recycled water in California, and Prop 4 is adding fresh capacity—so LA County applicants should start lining up project readiness items (scope, budget, partners, environmental pathway) and keep an eye on the WRFP page for Prop 4 updates and application guidance. 

Facing an urgent creek, culvert, or drainage failure after storms, wildfire, wind, or other natural events? The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program provides financial + technical assistance for economically and environmentally defensible projects that reduce imminent threats to life and property, protect against flooding/soil erosion, and help restore hydraulic capacity.  

Eligible project types can include: 

• Clearing debris from stream channels, culverts, and bridges 
• Reshaping/protecting eroded streambanks 
• Fixing damaged drainage facilities 
• Establishing vegetative cover on critically eroding lands 
• Repairing levees/structures and certain conservation practices 
• EWP buyouts (where applicable) 

Key details: 

• Match: 25%  
• Rolling acceptance (program accepts applications on an ongoing basis)  
• Reference timeline in the County sheet: Federal Application Due Date listed as June 30, 2026