Opportunity Information: Apply for RDRUS 11 01 HWWS
Apply for RDRUS 11 01 HWWS
- The Utilities Programs in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Household Water Well System Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.862 Household Water Well System Grant Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 15, 2011 and posted on Jul 15, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 10, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,173,662.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA Rural Utilities Service (Utilities Programs) that funds qualified private nonprofit organizations so they can create and operate revolving loan funds for household water well projects. Instead of giving money directly to homeowners, the government awards grants to eligible nonprofits, and those nonprofits then lend the money out at low interest to individuals who need to construct, repair, or upgrade a private household well system serving an existing home. The central idea is to build a sustainable lending program where repaid loan dollars revolve back into the fund and can be loaned out again to additional households over time.
Only nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) can apply. Applicants are expected to function as lending organizations, meaning they must show they have the legal authority and capacity to carry out the program and that they have real expertise and experience in lending activities. The award is meant to capitalize a revolving loan program, so the nonprofit must set up the lending structure, manage underwriting and servicing, and ensure loans are made to eligible borrowers for eligible well-related purposes.
A key requirement is cost sharing: the nonprofit applicant must contribute at least 10 percent of the HWWS grant amount to help capitalize the revolving loan fund. That contribution must be cash or allowable non-in-kind resources because in-kind contributions do not count toward the 10 percent requirement. Administrative readiness is also required. The organization must have a DUNS number and maintain an active registration with current information in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database (the predecessor to SAM.gov). These registrations function as baseline federal eligibility and payment infrastructure requirements.
For borrowers, the program is structured as loans, not grants. Eligible individuals are people who own or will own and occupy an existing home that uses a private well system, and they can seek low-interest financing from a nonprofit that has been approved under this program. The loan proceeds can be used to construct new household well systems where needed or upgrade existing private well systems, depending on the nonprofit lender's program rules and the federal program requirements. Importantly, homeowners and individuals cannot apply to USDA/RUS for HWWS grant funds directly; their access point is through the participating nonprofit lender.
From the funding details provided, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RDRUS 11 01 HWWS; CFDA 10.862) anticipated about 10 awards with an estimated total program funding level of $2,173,662. Individual awards could be as high as $300,000, with no stated minimum award floor. The opportunity was originally posted July 15, 2011, with an application closing date of August 10, 2011, and it was later archived on September 30, 2011. The listed agency contact for access issues with the full announcement was Cheryl Francis, Community Program Specialist, at 202-720-1937.
Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program - FAQs
1) What is the Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program?
The HWWS Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Utilities Programs. It provides grant funding to qualified private nonprofit organizations so they can establish and operate revolving loan funds that finance household water well projects.
2) Who does USDA award HWWS grant funds to?
USDA awards HWWS grants to eligible private nonprofit organizations (not to homeowners). The nonprofit then uses the grant to capitalize a revolving loan fund and makes low-interest loans to eligible individuals for eligible private well system projects.
3) Do homeowners apply to USDA directly for HWWS funding?
No. Homeowners and individuals cannot apply to USDA/RUS directly for HWWS grant funds. Individuals access the program through a participating nonprofit lender that has been approved under the HWWS program.
4) What is the program designed to fund?
The program supports household water well projects through a revolving loan model. Loan proceeds may be used to construct, repair, or upgrade a private household well system serving an existing home, consistent with the nonprofit lender's program rules and applicable federal program requirements.
5) Is HWWS assistance a grant or a loan for the household?
For the household/individual borrower, assistance is provided as a loan, not a grant. The nonprofit lender provides low-interest financing using the revolving loan fund capitalized by the USDA grant.
6) What is a revolving loan fund in this program?
A revolving loan fund is a sustainable lending structure where loan repayments return to the fund and can be loaned out again to additional households over time. The intent is to create an ongoing source of low-interest financing rather than one-time assistance.
7) Who is eligible to apply for the HWWS grant as an organization?
Only private nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status are eligible to apply, and institutions of higher education are excluded from eligibility.
8) What role must the nonprofit applicant play if awarded?
The applicant is expected to function as a lending organization. That includes establishing the revolving loan fund structure, managing underwriting and loan servicing, and ensuring loans are made only to eligible borrowers for eligible well-related purposes.
9) Does the nonprofit need prior lending experience?
Yes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate legal authority and capacity to carry out the program and to show real expertise and experience in lending activities, since the award is intended to capitalize and operate a revolving loan program.
10) Who can receive loans from a participating nonprofit lender?
Eligible individuals are people who own (or will own) and occupy an existing home that uses a private well system. These individuals may seek low-interest financing from a nonprofit lender operating under the HWWS program.
11) What types of home situations are referenced for borrower eligibility?
The program description focuses on private household well systems serving an existing home, and eligible individuals must own or will own and occupy that existing home.
12) What projects can loan funds be used for?
Loan funds can support constructing new household well systems where needed, as well as repairing or upgrading existing private well systems, subject to the nonprofit lender's program rules and the federal program requirements.
13) What is the cost-share requirement for nonprofit applicants?
The nonprofit applicant must contribute at least 10 percent of the HWWS grant amount to help capitalize the revolving loan fund.
14) Can the 10 percent cost share be met with in-kind contributions?
No. In-kind contributions do not count toward the 10 percent requirement. The contribution must be cash or allowable non-in-kind resources.
15) What administrative registrations or identifiers are required for applicants?
The organization must have a DUNS number and maintain an active registration with current information in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database (the predecessor to SAM.gov). These are described as baseline federal eligibility and payment infrastructure requirements.
16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RDRUS 11 01 HWWS, and the CFDA number is 10.862.
17) How much funding was anticipated under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipated approximately 10 awards with an estimated total program funding level of $2,173,662.
18) What was the maximum award amount?
Individual awards could be as high as $300,000.
19) Was there a minimum award amount listed?
No stated minimum award floor was provided in the information given.
20) When was this opportunity posted, and what were the deadline and archive date?
The opportunity was originally posted on July 15, 2011. The application closing date was August 10, 2011. It was later archived on September 30, 2011.
21) Who was listed as the agency contact for access issues with the full announcement?
The listed contact was Cheryl Francis, Community Program Specialist, at 202-720-1937, for access issues with the full announcement.
22) Which USDA office runs the HWWS program described here?
The program is run by the USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Utilities Programs.
23) What is the main purpose of awarding grants to nonprofits rather than directly to homeowners?
The program structure is intended to build a sustainable lending program. By capitalizing a revolving loan fund run by a nonprofit, repaid loan dollars can be re-used to finance additional eligible households over time.
24) What should an applicant be prepared to do after receiving an award?
Based on the program description, an awardee should be prepared to set up and manage the lending structure, handle underwriting and servicing, apply program eligibility rules, and operate the revolving loan fund so it continues lending as repayments return to the fund.
25) If someone is an individual homeowner looking for help, what is the correct next step?
Individuals should look for a participating nonprofit lender approved under this program, because the program does not allow homeowners to apply directly to USDA/RUS for the grant funds.
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