PWB Traditional Financing – Washington State Department of Commerce
  • Languages

    • The Public Works Board (Board) is authorized by state statute (RCW 43.155). Its purpose is to loan and grant money to counties, cities, and special purpose districts to repair, replace, or create infrastructure. 

    How to apply for funding

    The PWB accepts applications for all funding programs through ZoomGrants. Paper copies are not accepted at this time.

    If you have a ZoomGrants account, log in and follow the instructions. If you are a new user, complete the required information for a new ZoomGrants account to create a profile. Please do not use “The” as the first word in the agency name. Once the agency profile has been created, select the Public Works Board funding you wish to apply for, check the “apply” button, and start your proposal. Answers are automatically saved.

    Eligible applicants

    Eligible applicants include:

    • Cities
    • Counties
    • Special Purpose Districts
    • Quasi-Municipal Organizations

    Note: Tribes, school districts, and port districts are ineligible for this program.

    Eligible infrastructure systems include:

    • Domestic Water
    • Roads/Streets
    • Bridges
    • Sanitary Sewer
    • Solid Waste/Recycling/Organics
    • Stormwater

    Application resources

    Funding opportunities

    During the FY27 funding cycle, the Public Works Board will award up to $202 million for qualifying construction projects. However, the Board reserves the right to award less based on available funds in the Public Works Assistance Account at the time of awards.

    Link to the FY27 Notice of Funding Opportunity
    Apply for PWB FY27 funding here (ZoomGrants)

    Pre-Construction activities include but are not limited to: design engineering, bid-document preparation, environmental studies, right-of-way acquisition, value planning, permits, cultural and historic resources, and public notification. Pre-construction funding may also be used for capital facilities planning, are open continuously and pooled and awarded quarterly until all funds are expended.

    During the FY27 funding cycle, the Public Works Board will award up to $20 million for qualifying pre-construction/planning projects. However, the Board reserves the right to award less based on available funds in the Public Works Assistance Account at the time of awards.

    Link to FY27 Notice of Funding Opportunity
    Apply for PWB FY27 funding here (ZoomGrants)

    The Emergency Construction Funding Program focuses on the activities that repair, replace, and/or reconstruct a facility that will restore essential services and are made necessary by a natural disaster, or an immediate and emergent threat to the public health and safety due to unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances. 

    The Board may make low-interest or interest free loans or grants to local governments for emergency public works projects. The emergency funding program is to financially assist eligible communities experiencing the loss of critical public works services or facilities due to an emergency, and that can demonstrate a substantial fiscal need.

    The emergency funding program has approximately $7.5 million for FY27.

    Applications are accepted continuously until funds are expended.

    Apply for PWB Emergency Funding (ZoomGrants)

    Resources

    The Traditional Programs Interactive Hardship Map highlights distressed and severely distressed counties. The PWB Hardship Methodology considers county unemployment rate for the previous three years and Median Household Income. In non-distressed and distressed counties, the census tract levels can be viewed by scrolling or zooming in. Projects that serve distressed or severely distressed areas are eligible for reduced interest rates and grants.

    Open interactive hardship map in new window
    Page last updated:

    Public Works Board