Opportunities 

Scroll down for brief summaries of each program or click on these links for more detailed information.


FY2024 Grant opportunities:

Each year the USGS, in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources, supports research that improves and enhances the nation's water supply.  Researchers from accredited institutes of higher learning are eligible to apply for a grant through the Montana Water Center. Collaboration between USGS and university scientists is strongly encouraged. Basic information on the 2024 grant opportunities can be found below, with more detailed information in the RFP links above.

Proposals due to the Montana Water Center on May 20th, 2024 to water@montana.edu.

Brief letters of intent requested by May 1st to water@montana.edu. Letters are for Water Center planning purposes and need only include specific grant opportunity, PI names, and academic institution.

National informational webinar on these grant opportunities April 23rd, 2024, 9am Mountain time. The webinar will include topical breakout rooms to connect with USGS scientists (meeting link).


The goal of this program is to help address water resource problems of significance to Montana by stimulating innovative water-related research among faculty across the Montana University System. Each year, approximately $50,000 is available to support water-related research, and early-career faculty members are particularly encouraged to apply. 


Each year, the Montana Water Center sets aside $10,000 to support indigenous students pursuing water-related studies. Funding will be granted on a rolling basis throughout the year, and funds can be requested to support students in a wide variety of ways, including but not limited to tuition support, research project funding, and conference or professional meeting travel support. There is no application required for funding requests; students should email Whitney Lonsdale and Stephanie Ewing with an inquiry. We strongly encourage mentors of Native students to introduce us to prospective students.


Each year, the Montana Water Center awards Montana graduate students with financial support through its annual Water Resource Fellowship Program. The goal of these programs is to help support graduate students in the broad realm of water resource research. For example, funds may support the purchase of materials or supplies, travel to a scientific meeting, field work, travel for research training, laboratory fees, etc.