New Mexico Environment Department:
SWS Grants Application Portal
Now accepting 2026 SWS Grants applications!
Thank you for your interest in submitting a 2026 Strategic Water Supply (SWS) Grant application! Before applying, please review the following Applicant responsibilities. It is the Applicant's responsibility to:
- Carefully review the SWS Grants 2026 Request for Applications (RFA), including all the application package materials before preparing an application.
- Determine if the Applicant and proposed project meet all Eligibility Criteria described in Section 2 of the RFA.
- Determine which Project Category is best suited for the proposed project. Applications are specific to each Project Category. Project Categories are described in detail in Section 1.4 of the RFA.
- Create a free Submittable account and submit all application materials through the Submittable application form for the correct Project Category.
- Submit Applications in advance of the deadline to allow sufficient time to resolve any technical issues.
Program Details
Established through the Strategic Water Supply Act, the SWS Program supports innovative projects that advance new brackish water supplies while promoting long-term water security, environmental stewardship, and economic development across New Mexico.
Through the SWS Grants 2026 RFA, NMED seeks to fund projects that:
- Advance strategic water supply projects from planning through implementation;
- Develop and demonstrate innovative brackish water treatment technologies;
- Increase the availability and reliability of New Mexico's water supplies;
- Support technically feasible and financially sustainable projects; and
- Generate lasting environmental, community, and economic benefits.
Eligible applicants include: Counties, municipalities, political subdivisions of the State, state agencies, state institutions of higher education, and federally recognized Indian Nations, Tribes, and Pueblos located wholly or partially within New Mexico
Project types and available funding: For more information on project types and available funding see Sections 1.4 and 1.5 of the RFA.
Application Information
For a detailed explanation of the application components and submission instructions, see Section 3 of the RFA. Applicants should only begin preparing their applications after reviewing the RFA and confirming Applicant eligibility, proposed project eligibility, and determining the Project Category of the proposed project.
Information on getting started with Submittable is shown below:
- Creating a Submittable account is free and easy.
- Submittable works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please make sure you are using a supported browser.
- Each Project Category has its own application. Applicants should select the application that is most appropriate for their proposed project.
- An individual with a key project role (i.e., the project manager or the authorized representative) should be the first person to create an account and start the Submittable application.
- Once the Application is started, they can add collaborators to the application. Each collaborator will need their own Submittable account.
- Applicants can save a draft of the application while they work. The application form does not need to be completed all at once.
- The Submittable application form includes fields for Applicants to share key project and applicant information that is not requested in the application Appendices. Applicants must complete all required fields in the Submittable form to submit an application.
- Applicants will receive notifications about their submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable account regularly.
- Applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review applications before submitting. However, Applicants who submit their application before the deadline may request to edit their submission or they may withdraw their submission and resubmit. Requests to edit submissions are not guaranteed and will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Applications that are withdrawn and not resubmitted may not be reviewed.
- Applicants should submit questions regarding application content by following the instructions in Section 6.1 of the RFA.
- For technical questions related to Submittable, Applicants should use the Submitter Resource Center or contact Submittable Customer Support.
- There will be an Applicant Information Webinar on September 2, 2026. See the SWS Grants website for more information.
Please review the project description below to ensure you are applying for the correct project type.
Description: A Construction Project includes the development, expansion, or implementation of a full-scale brackish water treatment facility and related infrastructure. Eligible projects may include new construction, expansion of existing facilities, or replacement of major infrastructure components. Construction projects should have a completed Feasibility Assessment or Facility Plan, with permitting and design substantially complete or already underway. Design activities may be included as part of a construction project but will not be funded as a stand-alone construction project under this category. Applicants should refer to the SWS Grant Program 2026 RFA throughout the application process.
The application package materials for the Construction Project application are linked below:
Please review the project description below to ensure you are applying for the correct project type.
Description: A Design Pilot project involves creating a small-scale prototype of a full-scale brackish water treatment project or its components. Design Pilots are intended to refine design criteria, assist in site selection, evaluate treatment technologies or methodologies, and demonstrate that the proposed system can achieve treatment objectives prior to full-scale implementation. Projects may include fabrication or construction of pilot facilities, testing equipment and treatment approaches, and analysis of pilot performance data. Applicants should refer to the SWS Grant Program 2026 RFA throughout the application process.
The application package materials for the Design Pilot Project application are linked below:
Please review the project description below to ensure you are applying for the correct project type.
Description: An Environmental Documentation and Demonstration project supports compliance with applicable state or federal environmental requirements necessary to advance a strategic water supply project toward implementation. Eligible activities may include environmental impact analyses, technical studies, testing, permitting support, and other documentation required to satisfy regulatory requirements. A basic Feasibility Assessment should already have been completed, and there should be a reasonable expectation that the project will proceed toward implementation. Applicants should refer to the SWS Grant Program 2026 RFA throughout the application process.
The application package materials for the Environmental Documentation and Demonstration Project application are linked below:
Please review the project description below to ensure you are applying for the correct project type.
Description: A Feasibility Assessment examines the viability of a potential brackish water project, evaluates alternative solutions to achieve the project objectives, and determines the most suitable option for further action or investment. Feasibility assessments may evaluate technical, economic, financial, operational, and legal or regulatory feasibility and should advance planning to a stage where design, construction, or implementation of a brackish water treatment facility or project can commence. Applicants should refer to the SWS Grant Program 2026 RFA throughout the application process.
The application package materials for the Feasibility Assessment Project application are linked below:
Please review the project description below to ensure you are applying for the correct project type.
Description: A Research Project involves developing innovative technologies and processes to improve brackish water treatment methods. Projects may include research to develop devices, equipment, processes, or technologies that expand understanding of new brackish water treatment methods, infrastructure, and management approaches. Research should focus on advancing innovative technologies or methodologies toward practical use and should have a realistic potential to scale to full implementation, contributing to increased availability of freshwater resources within New Mexico. Applicants should refer to the SWS Grant Program 2026 RFA throughout the application process.
The application package materials for the Research Project application are linked below: