Bay Restoration Fund Wastewater Grant Program (Stormwater, Flood and Resilience Projects) (MDE Bay Restoration Fund (Stormwater)): Status and Deadlines for Maryland Applicants

What it funds: Grants from the Bay Restoration Fund's wastewater account can pay part of a local government's most cost-effective stormwater control measures, including measures for water quality, climate resiliency or flood control, and MDE lists flood mitigation, resilience and watershed restoration projects among eligible project types. Wastewater plant upgrades and sewer work come first in the fund's priorities.
Who can apply: Local governments that have enacted and implemented a system of charges (such as a stormwater fee) that fully funds their stormwater management program; MDE describes this as a local stormwater or resilience enterprise fund.
Match: Grants cover 'a portion' of costs as MDE decides; the statute sets no percentage, and legislative analysts describe it as up to 50%.
Award: Not published by the funder.

How Maryland applicants apply

Apply through MDE's annual water infrastructure financing solicitation; materials and announcements are posted on the Water Infrastructure Financing Administration page (410-537-3908, mde.wqfa_announcement@maryland.gov).

The program on mde.maryland.gov

Dates

December 1, 2026 · Annual application window expected to open (MDE says applications reopen in December 2026) (expected)in 32 days · source
January 31, 2027 · Typical last day of the annual application window; not yet confirmed for this round (expected)in 93 days · source

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What has changed

April 8, 2026The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2026 (Chapter 6) lets the Governor transfer $70 million from the Bay Restoration Fund to the General Fund by June 30, 2027, with affected projects to be funded by general obligation bonds instead. (mgaleg.maryland.gov)

Sources

Checked against the funder’s own pages on October 29, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the funder before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

As of October 29, 2026: Opens soon. MDE's water infrastructure financing office says its funding solicitation is closed and will reopen in December 2026; it accepts grant and loan applications December 1 through January 31.

Grants from the Bay Restoration Fund's wastewater account can pay part of a local government's most cost-effective stormwater control measures, including measures for water quality, climate resiliency or flood control, and MDE lists flood mitigation, resilience and watershed restoration projects among eligible project types. Wastewater plant upgrades and sewer work come first in the fund's priorities.

Local governments that have enacted and implemented a system of charges (such as a stormwater fee) that fully funds their stormwater management program; MDE describes this as a local stormwater or resilience enterprise fund.

Grants cover 'a portion' of costs as MDE decides; the statute sets no percentage, and legislative analysts describe it as up to 50%.

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