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OWEB adopts 2025–27 spending plan, accepts BLM Good Neighbor funds and sets capacity rulemaking priority
Summary
The OWEB board approved the 2025–27 grant fund spending plan, agreed to accept up to $5 million from BLM's Good Neighbor Authority, removed an organizational collaboration line and prioritized rulemaking around council/district capacity grants to respond to partner requests and staffing constraints.
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board on July 22 adopted the agency’s recommended 2025–27 grant fund spending plan, voting to accept a proposed cooperative award of up to $5 million from the Bureau of Land Management’s Good Neighbor Authority and approving associated policy and delegation documents.
Deputy Director Stephanie Page and Business Operations Manager Miriam Scherer briefed the board on revenue assumptions, including lottery forecasts and uncertainty around federal funds. Scherer explained the spending plan is a biennial allocation of grant spending authority and not an immediate cash balance: "available funds for the board allocation portion is just a little over $131,000,000," she said, noting staff will rebalance the plan quarterly as federal and partner allocations are finalized.
Key changes since the April draft include removing an organizational collaboration line (staff cited limited capacity to run both that work and the council/district capacity rulemaking) and reducing water‑acquisition flexible incentives from $8M to $5M after a legislated program change. The board voted to accept the BLM Good Neighbor award and approved the spending plan as presented; both votes were unanimous.
The plan leaves a targeted holdback (unallocated funds) to guard against federal funding volatility while allowing staff and partners to pursue specific opportunities. The board also approved delegations for awards where the board previously selected partnerships or where awards are non‑competitive, while reserving board decisions for a subset of competitive programs this biennium.
