The program was designed with the Kohler Company to fund creative, high-impact solutions developed by local change makers that provide access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to people in the United States, U.S. territories, and sovereign tribal nations.
Eligibility
Water is Life projects help expand WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services at the community level. We’re interested in projects that are creative, community-led, and long-lasting.
To be eligible for Water is Life funds:
Your project must be based in the U.S., U.S. territories, or on sovereign tribal nations within U.S. borders. Projects on the Navajo Nation, Central Appalachia, and the Texas colonias will be prioritized in 2024, but we may consider other applicants depending on demand
Your project must measurably improve access to water, sanitation, and/or hygiene for the target recipients
Your project is designed to meet human needs. We do not fund livestock or agricultural water projects
If you’re applying on behalf of an organization, your organization must have an annual operating budget of less than $3 million
The Water is Life Fund is meant for things like:
- paying for the repairs on your pickup truck to keep delivering water to elders in your community
- testing water quality at a local school to understand how to fix discoloration
- deploying a solar-powered water filtration system you’ve developed and tested
The Water is Life Fund cannot fund things like:
- paying personal water bills
- buying a livestock trough for community use
- developing an irrigation system for crops
How to apply
The Water is Life Fund application will be open beginning March 1st on a rolling basis. Decisions will be made in June and November.
To submit an application by mail, download the application here or contact us at waterislife@digdeepwater.org and (424) 285-0773 to have an application mailed to you. Completed applications should be sent to:
DigDeep, c/o Water is Life Fund, 932 Wilson St., Suite 2D, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Previous Grantees
In March 2021, we opened applications for the first round of funding to anyone living on the Navajo Nation. In response, we received requests for support on projects that ranged from new water trucks that would help to deliver clean water to elderly residents who otherwise struggle to haul clean water for themselves, to youth-led initiatives geared at educating people on safe water and delivering and installing water filters.
Six projects were chosen for this first round of funding:
Tó éí ííńá — Forgotten People
A pilot project to install three in-home water systems for regular water deliveries for a year in Navajo-Hopi Partition Land.
K'é for Sustainable Communities – The Dempsey Family
A water delivery route in a high-need, water-scarce area that will bring water to 60 families of mostly elders, disabled residents, and veterans in Oak Springs and Pine Springs, Ariz., communities.
Youth-Led Improvement of Knowledge, Trust,and Access to Navajo Family Safe Water – Rez Refuge (RR)
This project will fund youth leaders in a multifaceted youth-led project to develop household-specific water access solutions in Fort Defiance, Ariz. A group of teens will lead efforts to identify high-risk families, promote the importance of safe water, and distribute and train them on the use of water filters.
The Oasis Project: Life on the Reservation – Fundamental Needs (FN)
An installation of 1.5 water systems that include water tanks, solar-powered water pumps, and water heaters in homes in Rock Point, Ariz.
Home Water Setup – Ceasar Dan
The grant will allow Ceasar to purchase a pick-up truck, trailer, water tank, and water pump to deliver water to his own family and two elders who live nearby in Monument Valley, Utah and rely on him for hauling clean water. Photo DigDeep®
Chizh for Cheii Chidí Improvement Project – Chizh for Cheii (CFC)
The grant will contribute to the purchase of a new work vehicle for CFC, an organization that delivers firewood and emergency supplies to elders across the Navajo Nation.
Why 'Water is Life'?
The Lakota translation of “Water is Life” — Mní Wicóni — became the rallying cry of Water Protectors against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) at Standing Rock. Our work at DigDeep would not be possible without the Indigenous Water Protectors who have been and continue to be the stewards of this land and its most precious resources.
You can read a first-hand account of being at Standing Rock by Navajo Water Project Director Emma Robbins here.
