The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is inviting nonprofit organizations and government entities to apply for approximately $1.5 million in grant funding to support nonpoint source pollution reduction projects across the state. Eligible applicants must submit draft applications by February 20, 2026. The funding is aimed at improving water quality in Montana’s lakes, streams, and wetlands by addressing pollution that does not originate from a single, identifiable source.
Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water quality impairment in Montana and is commonly linked to activities such as agriculture, forestry, urban and suburban development, and runoff from abandoned mine sites. Pollutants including sediment, nutrients, pathogens, and toxic metals can degrade aquatic ecosystems, harm wildlife, and make water unsafe for recreation or human use. Reducing these pollutants is critical to protecting both environmental and public health.
DEQ regularly monitors water quality statewide and identifies waters that are impaired. Grant funding for nonpoint source projects plays a key role in restoring these waters. Past funded projects have included removing mine waste from streambanks, restoring wetlands and native vegetation, and working with farmers and ranchers to implement best management practices that improve stream health and reduce runoff pollution.
The program supports both on-the-ground restoration projects and capacity-building or education and outreach initiatives. On-the-ground projects must address nonpoint source pollution through actions identified in a locally developed watershed restoration plan or a Tribal nonpoint source plan. Capacity-building and outreach projects are intended to strengthen organizational capacity, support watershed planning, or raise awareness and understanding of nonpoint source pollution. Additional funding is available for projects that help reduce documented harmful algal blooms downstream and associated economic risks.
Individual projects may receive between $10,000 and $300,000 in funding, with applicants required to provide at least a 10 percent non-federal match. DEQ also uses a targeted watershed approach to maximize cumulative restoration impacts, with up to $750,000 of the available funding potentially allocated to projects in the Lower Shields Focus Watershed or National Water Quality Initiative watersheds.
