The GROW SMART Act amends federal drought relief law to provide financial and technical assistance to farmers, water districts, and communities developing innovative water-sharing partnerships and water-saving agricultural practices. Eligible applicants include partnerships between agricultural entities and municipal water providers, industrial users (such as data centers), states, tribes, or conservation organizations, though individual agricultural entities and tribal groups can also apply independently. The bill focuses on supporting new or unproven approaches—such as advanced irrigation systems, hydroponics, agrovoltaics, and drought-resistant crops—while keeping farmland in production and maintaining rural employment. The federal government would cover up to 75 percent of project costs (with a waiver available for tribes), prioritizing projects that generate water savings for other community members and demonstrate long-term sustainability without additional federal funding. The bill authorizes $5 million annually from 2028 through 2034 for these planning and implementation efforts, plus allows use of up to 10 percent of existing drought relief funds already appropriated.
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