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Starting March 13, the Louisiana Watershed Initiative will accept pre-applications for a $100 million funding opportunity for flood mitigation projects that will benefit at-risk, disadvantaged communities throughout the state. The deadline to submit pre-applications is May 1, 2023.

LWI hosted a webinar at 1 p.m. March 7 to provide more details on the funding opportunity and pre-application process. 

To be eligible for funding, projects must benefit low- to moderate-income and disadvantaged communities in parishes that were most impacted and distressed by the 2016 floods. Applicants must be local or regional public entities. The pre-application form will be available here.

“Through the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, we are working to create more resilient communities throughout the state, and this opportunity will fund projects that serve our most vulnerable areas,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “Beyond funding projects, we will use this opportunity to provide assistance and feedback to applicants, including those who are ineligible, to help them identify other potential funding sources and tailor their projects to those opportunities.”

The state will determine which projects are eligible based on pre-applications, after which LWI regional steering committees will recommend eligible projects in their watershed regions for the full application phase. The state will provide technical assistance to applicants throughout the process.

This funding opportunity is part of LWI’s Local and Regional Projects – Round 2 program detailed in the state’s Action Plan to spend $1.2 billion in federal flood mitigation funds.

For more information about this opportunity, view the notice of funding availability, the policies and procedures or the LWI website.

 About the Louisiana Watershed Initiative

Gov. John Bel Edwards established the Council on Watershed Management in 2018, which serves as the coordinated, interagency organization at the state level for watershed-based flood risk reduction. The Louisiana Watershed Initiative serves as the Council’s programmatic arm under which all related efforts operate.