Apply for Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant (US)

Deadline: 05-Oct-2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program supports education, training, and workforce partnerships that expand career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector. The program provides grants ranging from $250,000 to $7.8 million for innovative workforce development projects, with a total funding pool of up to $10.8 million. What Is the Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program? The program was created to address workforce shortages and skills gaps across the U.S. drinking water and wastewater sector. Water utilities face challenges including: - An aging workforce. - Retirement of experienced utility workers. - Growing demand for specialized technical skills. - Increasingly complex water and wastewater technologies. - Difficulty recruiting qualified workers in rural, small, and Tribal communities. The EPA funding aims to create a stronger pipeline of trained workers who can operate, maintain, and support drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. What Does the Grant Support? The program supports innovative approaches to water utility workforce development, career awareness, technical training, and partnerships between education providers and the water industry.

Eligible activities can include:

- Internships for water utility careers. - Apprenticeship programmes. - Pre-apprenticeship programmes. - Post-secondary bridge programmes. - Skilled water utility trades training. - Elementary and secondary education programmes. - Higher education workforce initiatives. - Regional industry and workforce development partnerships. - Training for decentralized water workers. - Training for private well service professionals. - Training for septic system service professionals. - Career awareness and recruitment activities. Projects should help participants move toward employment and long-term careers in the drinking water or wastewater sector. Four Project Areas Applicants must structure their proposals around one of the four project areas identified in the funding opportunity. The project should clearly demonstrate how its activities address workforce needs and contribute to stronger water infrastructure systems. Water Utility Career Pathways Projects can develop pathways that connect students, trainees, and prospective workers with employment opportunities in water utilities.

These may include:

- Internships. - Apprenticeships. - Pre-apprenticeships. - Bridge programmes. - Technical training. Education and Career Awareness Educational initiatives can introduce students to careers in drinking water and wastewater utilities.

Activities may target:

- Elementary school students. - Secondary school students. - Postsecondary students. - Prospective technical workers. The objective is to increase awareness of water-sector careers and create a stronger future workforce pipeline. Regional Workforce Partnerships Projects can bring together water utilities, educational institutions, employers, workforce organisations, and other stakeholders. Regional collaboration can help communities coordinate: - Training. - Recruitment. - Career pathways. - Employer engagement. - Workforce planning. - Knowledge sharing. Decentralized Water Workforce The program also recognizes workforce needs outside centralized water utilities. Projects can support training for professionals working with decentralized systems, including: - Private drinking water wells. - Septic systems. - Well service. - Septic system maintenance and related services. Funding Available The total funding available under the opportunity is up to $10.8 million. Individual awards are expected to range from:

- Minimum: $250,000

- Maximum: $7.8 million

Projects are expected to operate for approximately three years. Applicants may also propose voluntary cost sharing, where appropriate. Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

- Institutions of higher education. - Nonprofit organisations. - Public works departments and agencies. Applicants should also demonstrate the organisational capacity necessary to manage the proposed workforce development project. Projects should be designed around identifiable workforce needs and demonstrate how activities will benefit the drinking water or wastewater sector. Priority Communities and Workforce Inclusion The program places particular emphasis on workforce development challenges affecting: - Rural communities. - Small communities. - Tribal communities. - Limited-resource communities. - Underrepresented populations. Applicants should explain how their projects will expand awareness of water-sector careers and improve access to education, training, and employment opportunities. A strong project should not only train workers but also address barriers that prevent people from entering or advancing in water utility careers. Why It Matters Reliable drinking water and wastewater services depend on a skilled workforce capable of operating and maintaining essential infrastructure. Workforce shortages can create operational risks for utilities, particularly when experienced employees retire and there are not enough trained workers to replace them. Investing in workforce development can therefore help: - Strengthen water utility operations. - Improve technical skills. - Expand career opportunities. - Build stronger employment pathways. - Support rural and small utilities. - Increase access to skilled water-sector jobs. - Improve long-term infrastructure resilience. - Protect public health and the environment. What Should a Strong Project Demonstrate? Applicants should clearly connect workforce activities with measurable improvements in the water sector.

A strong proposal should explain:

- The workforce problem being addressed. - The target population. - The water-sector occupations or skills involved. - The training or education model. - How participants will access career opportunities. -