The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that the
American Water Works Association (AWWA) has been awarded a $852,000 grant
to support the Transformative Water Leadership Academy (TWLA), a collaborative
effort between AWWA and WaterNow Alliance (WaterNow), that cultivates and
develops the next generation of water utility leaders.
“This announcement is great news for the future of water,” said David LaFrance,
AWWA chief executive officer. “The EPA grant ensures the Transformative Water
Leadership Academy can offer more water professionals the opportunity to
develop the leadership skills they will need to address the complex challenges the
water sector faces today and into the future. By investing in these emerging
leaders, we, together with EPA, are investing in the future of water systems and
the communities they serve each and every day.”
The TWLA’s 10-month, cohort-based experiential leadership development
program prepares water leaders to address emerging water challenges through
the foundations of sustainable community leadership. The TLWA’s focus on
foundational pillars, such as diversity and community engagement, help ensure a
strong and sustainable water workforce that helps communities thrive.
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with AWWA in producing the
Transformative Water Leadership Academy,” said Cynthia Koehler, executive
director for WaterNow. “The TWLA is unique with its focus on environmental
sustainability, innovation, equity, and community trust-building to support
development of the water sector’s future leaders, and we are very grateful for
EPA’s support for the program.”
With the EPA grant, AWWA will fund two additional TWLA cohorts in 2025 and
2026. In addition to the core curriculum, the grant will allow for expanded
mentorship opportunities to support the continued professional development
and growth of program participants and graduates.
“Collaboration is essential to creating a sustainable and resilient water
workforce,” said Barb Martin, director, engineering and technical services,
AWWA. “The TWLA builds networks to support exchanging knowledge and best
practices to address the water challenges of today and into the future. We are
grateful to EPA for providing funding support to advance the TWLA program.”

The TWLA program is designed to:
 Enhance leadership skills. Participants engage in a comprehensive
curriculum that covers topics such as public health protection,
environmental stewardship, community engagement, and innovative
problem solving.
 Embrace diversity and inclusion. The program actively recruits a diverse
cohort of participants, reflecting the communities they serve.
 Build a network. The TWLA connects participants with a network of
mentors and peers from across the water community, fostering
collaboration and knowledge sharing.
 Drive community impact. Participants complete capstone projects that
address real-world water challenges in their communities.
The EPA Innovative Water Workforce Development Grant Program provided more
than $20 million in funding to support water workforce development and
advancement through initiatives that include apprenticeships, regional
collaboration, and leadership development.
Applications will be accepted for the 2025 TWLA cohort from August 1 through
September 25. For more information about the TWLA program and application
process, visit www.awwa.org/TWLA.