The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is now accepting applications for $1 million in grant funding to support projects aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution in the state’s lakes and streams. The deadline for eligible applicants to submit draft applications is March 7, 2025.
The grants are available to nonprofit organizations and government entities for two types of projects: on-the-ground initiatives and capacity building or education/outreach efforts. On-the-ground projects must directly address nonpoint source pollution by implementing strategies outlined in locally developed watershed restoration plans or Tribal nonpoint source plans. Capacity building and education projects should focus on increasing organizational resources, assisting with watershed planning, or raising public awareness about nonpoint source pollution.
Nonpoint source pollution—the leading cause of water quality impairment in Montana—originates from diffuse sources not regulated under discharge permits. It is often linked to land use activities such as agriculture, forestry, urban development, and abandoned mine runoff. Pollutants like sediment, nutrients, pathogens, and toxic metals can harm aquatic life and pose risks to human health.
DEQ monitors water quality across the state and works to restore impaired waters through grant-funded projects. Previous grant recipients have used the funding to remove mine waste, restore wetlands, replant native vegetation, and collaborate with farmers and ranchers to adopt best management practices that improve stream health.
Grant awards will range from $10,000 to $300,000 per project, with recipients required to provide 40% in matching funds from non-federal sources. DEQ will focus a portion of the funding—up to $500,000—on projects in the Lower Gallatin and Shields River watersheds, which have been identified as priority areas for water quality improvements.
DEQ staff will be available to assist applicants with questions until March 5, 2025. Draft applications must be submitted via email by 5 p.m. on March 7, 2025.
For more information, visit deq.mt.gov or contact DEQ’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Program.