- Up to $5,000 in funding is available for local water-saving projects.
- Homeowners and businesses may apply.
- Past grants saved an estimated 78 million gallons of water.
- Salt River Project contributed $50,000 to support 2025 projects.
- Applications are open until August 31.
Friday, August 8, 2025 –– This week, Salt River Project and Friends of the Verde River announced the return of their River Friendly Living Grants Program
, offering thousands of dollars in funding to Arizonans who want to reduce their water use. This community-centered initiative supports small-scale but high-impact conservation efforts throughout the Phoenix Metro area and the Verde Valley.
The program provides grants of up to $1,000 for homeowners and up to $5,000 for businesses and nonprofit organizations. The funding supports a wide range of water-saving efforts, including irrigation upgrades, lawn removal, and commercial retrofits. According to Friends of the Verde River, last year’s funded projects saved an estimated 78 million gallons of water.
“Small, local efforts can lead to meaningful, lasting change for both our river and our communities,” said David Gressly, Executive Director of Friends of the Verde River.
This year marks the second consecutive year that Salt River Project has contributed $50,000 to the grant program for projects across the Verde Valley and Phoenix Metro area. The effort is part of a broader conservation goal to save 5 billion gallons of water by 2035, a target SRP hopes to meet through strategic partnerships and community initiatives.
Elvy Barton, Senior Manager of Water and Forest Sustainability at SRP, emphasized the urgency of the work. “Water conservation is one of the most critical challenges facing our communities,” she said.
The River Friendly Living Grants Program represents a grassroots approach to water sustainability, empowering individuals and organizations to make changes at the local level that support the health of rivers, aquifers, and watersheds.
Applications for the summer round of funding are open until August 31. Interested residents and organizations can find full eligibility details and apply through the program’s webpage:
https://verderiver.org/get-involved/about-river-friendly-living/small-grants-for-the-river
Image:
“Fine Horses on the Verde River
,” May 2014, by Chris English. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
