Rural Economic Action Plan Grants

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Statutory Restrictions

• Funds available for cities or towns with a population of 7,000 or less
• Any city or town with a population less than 1,750 shall have a higher priority
• Rural water districts with less than 525 non-pasture customers
• Cities or towns that have a “relatively weaker fiscal capacity” shall have a priority
• $150,000 maximum per project per applicant during any fiscal year
• No local contribution required

Eligible Entities

• Counties, towns, and municipalities
• Public Works Authorities
• School districts
• Districts formed under Title 82 of the State’s statutes as follows:
  • Water conservancy districts
  • Rural water districts
  • Irrigation districts

Eligible Projects

• Sewer line construction or repair and related storm or sanitary sewer projects
• Water line construction or repair
• Water treatment
• Water acquisition
• Distribution or recovery and related projects

Priority Point Procedure

The REAP Grant Priority Evaluation Policy (priority given to applicant with highest total points out of 125 maximum points) is used to distribute REAP grant funds using the following criteria:

• Population (55 points)
• Water and sewer rates (13 points maximum)
• Indebtedness per customer (10 points maximum)
• Median household income (10 points maximum)
• Applicant's ability to finance the project (12 points maximum)
• Amount of grant requested (points vary from -5 for over $140K, to +5 for less than $20K. Maximum amount that can be requested is $150K.)
• Previous grant assistance (points vary from -8 for 1 prior grant to -14 for 5 or more prior grants)
• Enforcement order with a project construction start date on or before June 30 of the Board's current fiscal year for funding REAP grants (5 points maximum)
• Benefit of project to other systems (5 points maximum)
• Implemented Fiscal Sustainability Plan (10 points maximum)

Applications that receive 40 or more points are placed on the REAP grant Priority List. Completed REAP applications must be received by the OWRB by 5:00 p.m. on the first business day of September for potential funding from the following Fiscal Year appropriations. REAP applications are then recommended for approval to the Board when all other funding sources are secured and adequate REAP grant funds are available for obligation.