PWB Traditional Financing – Washington State Department of Commerce
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    • 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

    On October 2, 2026, the Public Works Board awarded approximately $205 million to qualifying construction projects. The application was open from June 1, 2026 to July 31, 2026. Applications are now closed.

    View the list of FY 2027 awardees.

    The PWB anticipates opening the next construction cycle in spring 2027. Amount available and exact timing depend on legislative appropriations.

    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 December 2025 Flood Resilience Grant program was a one-time, dedicated fund authorized in the 2026 Supplemental Capital Budget for the Public Works Board to make emergency grants to local governments for public works projects that were made necessary by the December 2025 weather event described in Gov. Ferguson’s Emergency Proclamation 25-07.2.

    The Board awarded $9.7 million to ten qualifying projects. View the awards list online (PDF).

    Program Handbook (PDF).

    The December 2025 Flood Resilience Grant Program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

    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
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    Public Works Board