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PFAS Grant program

Two individuals in yellow vests standing next to an indoor water tower.

In 2020, legislators created the PFAS Cash Fund through Senate Bill 20-218 to help prevent further contamination and reduce exposure to PFAS chemicals. Through this funding, the department can administer the PFAS Grant Program. The PFAS Grant Program provides funding to support efforts in identifying, assessing, and reducing the impacts of PFAS on human health and the environment. The PFAS Grant Program has three categories:

  • Sampling.
  • Emergency assistance.
  • Infrastructure.

For more information on the PFAS Grant program, please use the tabs below or email cdphe_wqcd_pfas_grant@state.co.us.

Applications for large-scale sampling projects are now closed for 2025 but will reopen in 2026. Applications for emergency assistance are still open. The request form for one-time public water system sampling is still open.

Eligible entities awarded a grant will receive the grant through a cost reimbursement process. Grantees are responsible for grant administration and requesting reimbursement from the department. The Request for Application (RFA) lists eligible entities for the PFAS grant program, which includes: 

  • Governmental agencies.
  • Tribes.
  • Public water systems.
  • Private not-for-profit public water systems.
  • Counties or local health departments.
  • Fire Departments.
  • Not-for-profit non-governmental organizations.
  • Domestic wastewater treatment works.
  • Non-profit educational institutions.

All awarded applicants will begin grant work within the corresponding calendar year.

  • Applications open for the corresponding calendar year | Jan. 5, 2026
  • Application submission deadline for the corresponding calendar year | March 13, 2026
  • This is the priority deadline for large-scale sampling and infrastructure grants. The budget will be reevaluated following this deadline. Infrastructure and large-scale sampling grants will reopen (if additional funding is available) for the rest of the calendar year.
  • Private wells and small-scale sampling grants will remain open for the rest of the calendar year.
  • Emergency assistance grants will remain open for the rest of the calendar year.
  • Evaluation period for all three grant categories | March 16, 2026 - April 10, 2026
  • Reevaluate the budget for a potential rolling application period.
  • Estimated notification of award | April 11, 2026
  • Estimated start date for the rolling application period | May 1, 2025
  • Infrastructure and sampling grants reopen (if additional funding is available) for the rest of the calendar year.
  • Estimated contract effective date (if the recipient applied during the initial application period) | Aug. 1, 2026
  • The resulting contract may be renewed for up to four additional years.
  • Estimated end dates for the rolling application period | Oct. 31, 2025.
  • All grants close for the corresponding calendar year.
  • Request for Application (RFA) is released for the following calendar year | Nov. 2025

Learn more

 

Description

This grant provides financial assistance in the sampling, assessment, and investigation of PFAS in groundwater and surface water to identify PFAS contamination in drinking water and the environment.

There are two sampling categories:

  • Standard sampling.
  • Independent environmental studies (IES).

Eligibility criteria

Eligible projects will meet the following criteria:

  • Sampling, assessing, and investigating PFAS in groundwater and surface water to identify PFAS contamination in drinking water and the environment.

How to apply

For standard sampling projects, please submit a completed version of the following documents in this order:

  1. Completed application checklist.
  2. Standard sampling grant application.
  3. Sampling map.
  4. W-9.
  5. Financial risk assessment.
  6. Sampling and analysis plan.

All necessary documents to complete an application are available in this public folder.

 

Description

This grant provides financial assistance for emergency assistance projects to communities and water systems affected by PFAS.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible projects will meet the following criteria:

  • Elevated levels of PFAS above the EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs).
  • A release of PFAS that poses an immediate threat to public health and/or the environment.

How to apply

Please submit a completed version of the following documents in this order:

  1. Completed application checklist.
  2. Emergency Assistance Grant Application.
  3. W-9.
  4. Financial risk assessment.

All of the necessary documents to complete an application are also available in this public folder.
 


Description

This grant provides financial assistance for the planning, design, and construction of public water systems infrastructure used for the treatment of identified PFAS. In addition, PFAS prevention projects to minimize future infrastructure will also be funded under this category.

There are two tiers for this category:

  1. Tier I: Infrastructure projects, including planning, design, and construction.
  2. Tier II: Upstream prevention and/or reduction of PFAS sources.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible projects will meet the following criteria:

  • The infrastructure must be used to treat elevated levels of PFAS contamination.
  • The elevated levels must have already been identified.

How to apply

Please submit a completed version of the following documents in this order:

  1. Completed application checklist.
  2. Infrastructure grant application.
  3. W-9.
  4. Financial risk assessment.

All of the necessary documents to complete an application are available in this public folder.


The following documents are for SB20-218 grant recipients to invoice CDPHE for any completed project work through the grant program. Please email all required documents to cdphe_wqcd_pfas_grant@state.co.us.

 

PFAS grant summaries

Questions?

For more information on the PFAS Grant program, please email cdphe_wqcd_pfas_grant@state.co.us.