About the Fund
The Water is Life Fund is a new grant program from DigDeep designed with the Kohler Company.
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We 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, US 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. We’re currently prioritizing projects on the Navajo Nation, 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 Fall 2023 cycle will begin accepting applications on Tuesday, August 1st. The deadline for this round of applications is Friday, September 29th at 11:59PM MDT.
To apply, complete and submit an application below OR email your full application (including a simple budget and timeline) to waterislife@digdeepwater.org OR mail your full application to DigDeep, c/o Water is Life Fund, 932 Wilson St Suite 2D, Los Angeles, CA 90021. You can download a paper copy of the application here.
Have questions? Email waterislife@digdeepwater.org.
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.
