PURPOSE OF FUNDING
The purpose of the NJ Water Bank Technical Assistance Planning and Design Grant Program is to provide funding to Disadvantaged Communities participating in the Water Bank’s technical assistance program for planning and design costs associated with clean water or drinking water environmental infrastructure projects. Grant funds will be made available for the planning and design of a variety of environmental infrastructure projects, including wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater management facilities, water supply facilities, and nonpoint source management facilities. 

APPLICATION
System for Managing Grants Electronically (SAGE)

APPLICATION CONTACT
waterbankinfo@njdepwptest.net 

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Rolling

SOURCE OF FUNDING
FY25 Department of Environmental Protection State Appropriation

STATUTORY CITATION
N.J.S.A 13:1B-3, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-9, P.L. 2024, c.35

WHO IS ELIGIBLE
Eligibility is limited to eligible Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund borrowers that meet the affordability criteria for Disadvantaged Communities, as set forth in the most recent, final Intended Use Plan or if grandfathered under a previous year’s Intended Use Plan, that have been awarded a contract for the receipt of Technical Assistance through the Water Bank’s Technical Assistance Program, and that have an eligible project application pending in H2LOans. An eligible project is a project that has been reviewed by the Department and determined to be eligible for Water Bank funding. 
 
Eligible Clean Water borrowers are owners of publicly owned treatment works (towns, boroughs, municipal utilities authorities, counties, regional water authorities, other local government units) with projects that help protect, maintain, or improve water quality are eligible for participation in the Water Bank. Private entities are eligible through public conduit borrowers. Clean Water project sponsor eligibility has also been expanded to private colleges and universities that are interested in sponsoring nonpoint source pollution projects. 
 
Eligible Drinking Water borrowers are Public community water systems, both privately and publicly owned, and nonprofit noncommunity water systems (as defined by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations) are eligible for Water Bank assistance. Public community water systems owned by water commissions, water supply authorities, and water districts are also eligible. Federally owned systems and State-owned systems (State agencies, such as State Police, Parks and Forestry, and Corrections) are not eligible to receive Water Bank assistance.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR CONSIDERATION
Eligible entities must: (1) if they do not already have one, set up an account with H2LOans for a project associated with the grant and set up an account in SAGE for the grant application, (2) submit project planning and design professional services agreements via H2LOans and receive approval, and (3) complete the grant application on the Department’s online SAGE portal. 

GRANT/LOAN LIMITATIONS
Individual grants are limited to $2 million per applicant in State Fiscal Year 2025. 
 
Grant funds must be used for the following purposes: 
• Planning and design of environmental infrastructure facilities, as defined at N.J.A.C. 7:22-3.4. 
• Projects related to the technical assistance scope of work. 
 
Projects that have already closed on a Water Bank loan are not eligible for these grant funds.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applications may be submitted at any time via NJDEP SAGE within the period listed. 
 
Applicants must submit documentation for the project associated with the grant using the Department’s online H2LOans portal at: https://www.h2loans.com 
 
Complete applications consist of a completed grant application in the Department’s online SAGE portal, submission of eligible project information via the Department’s online H2LOans portal, and the Department’s approval of draft planning and design professional service agreements. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applications will be reviewed on a first come first served basis and complete applications will receive funding on a readiness to proceed basis.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT 
Email waterbankinfo@njdepwptest.net