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The 205(j) Water Quality Planning Grants is a competitive grant program from the NC Department of Environmental Quality, funded by the U.S. EPA, that supports water quality management planning across North Carolina.
Projects may involve identifying the nature and causes of water quality problems, developing EPA 9-Element Watershed Restoration Plans for USGS HUC units, mapping stormwater infrastructure, conducting engineering designs for stormwater best management practices, and assessing pollutant sources. Grants are exclusively available to regional Councils of Government (COGs), which may partner with public sector organizations.
A match is preferred but not required. Funded projects may run up to 18 months, with funds disbursed on a quarterly reimbursement basis. The RFP is released annually in summer, with proposals due in fall.
For 2025, the RFP opened July 25, 2025, with proposals due September 18, 2025.
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205(j) Water Quality Management Planning Grant | NC DEQ Map of the State of North Carolina showing the political and geographic boundaries of Regional Councils of Governments with each Council represented by a different color. Regional Councils are listed in the legend. Click map for a printable version.
Through the Section 205(j) Grant program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides states with funding to do water quality planning. These projects can involve identifying the nature, extent and cause of water quality problems or doing planning work to address those problems.
Projects can include but are not limited to the development of EPA 9-Element Watershed Restoration Plans for a 12-digit or smaller USGS HUC, mapping stormwater infrastructure, conducting engineering designs for stormwater best management practices, and watershed assessments of pollutant sources.
205(j) grants are only available to regional Councils of Government (COGs); however, COGs may partner with any public sector organization to implement projects. A match is preferred but not required. Once contracted, projects can run for a maximum of 18 months.
Funds are dispersed on a quarterly reimbursement basis, with any invoice to be accompanied by a report of the work performed. The Request for Proposals is released annually in summer and projects are selected in fall. Watch the What is the 205(j) Water Quality Planning Grant?
webinar.
2025 Grant Schedule & Materials 2025 Grant Schedule & Materials Timeline 2025 205j Timetable for Grant Applications Friday, July 25, 2025 205(j) grant RFP opens Thursday, September 18, 2025 Deadline for proposals; must be received electronically by midnight Thursday, October 2, 2025 Applicants will receive review team’s questions about their proposals Thursday, October 9, 2025 Deadline for applicants to answer review team’s questions Friday, October 24, 2025 Applicants notified if selected for funding.
Move forward with contracting. Friday, November 7, 2025 Deadline for selected applicants to return completed contracting forms to 205(j) grant manager, to enable contracts to be developed on time. Thursday, January 1, 2026 Contracts executed, projects may start.
(Estimated depending on time for contract preparation.) 2025 205(j) Grant Request for Proposals 2025 205(j) Grant Application 2025 205(j) Grant Review Criteria PIs for funded projects must submit a quarterly report detailing work performed along with any invoice to be reimbursed. If no work is completed in a quarter, no report is required.
Project PIs should use the following report and invoice templates: Quarterly Report Template
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: See the North Carolina grants portal for complete eligibility requirements. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
205(j) Water Quality Planning Grants is funded by NC Dept. of Environmental Quality. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in North Carolina. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
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