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National water resources research grants

national competitive 104g, AIs, and PFAS programs

2024 GRANT INFORMATION AVAILABLE BELOW

FY24 INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR APRIL 23RD 9:00-10:00 AM (MEETING LINK)

general goals of the national Grants program:

  • Promote collaboration between the USGS and university scientists in research on significant national and regional water-resources issues.

  • Assist in the training of scientists in relevant water-resource fields. Proposals that include a strong educational component (student support) are encouraged, as are those from early-career faculty.


104g National Competitive Grants Program (2024 RFP)

The National Competitive Grants Program focuses on water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature that relate to priorities identified jointly by the Secretary of the Interior and the USGS network of water resource research institutes. This program also seeks to promote collaboration between the USGS and university scientists.

  • Research Priorities:

    • National-scale evaluation of water budget - Retrospective or predictive analyses using hydroclimate-forcing data sets, with emphasis on CONUS404, which was developed in a USGS- NCAR collaboration.

    • Socio-economics - research to understand the vulnerability of urban, agricultural, and ecological water-use sectors to extreme events such as drought and compounding hazards such as wildfire, and to develop adaptation measures.

    • Model Advancement - Explore methods to develop new hydrologic models in a geographic area and provide information on promising modeling approaches to inform science questions specific to a region.

  • Total Funding Available: $1,860,000

  • Maximum Award Amount: $310,000

  • Project Duration: 1-3 years

  • Collaboration with USGS scientists strongly encouraged: It is anticipated that in FY2023 the USGS will have internal funds available for modest support of USGS scientists on selected proposals.

Proposals must be submitted to the Montana Water Center and are due on May 20, 2024 (submit to water@montana.edu).

Brief letters of intent requested by May 1 to water@montana.edu. Letters need only include specific grant opportunity, PI names, and academic institution.

National informational webinar on these grant opportunities April 23rd, 2024, 9am Mountain time (meeting link).


Aquatic Invasive Species Grants Program (2024 RFP)

This program promotes aquatic invasive species research as related to hydrodynamics, water quality, control technologies, and(or) human dimensions in the upper Mississippi River basin to address critical needs, including integration with ongoing USGS science and monitoring. The challenges and opportunities that link aquatic invasive species and water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of numerous aquatic invasive species on water quality, water quantity, and aquatic ecosystems.

  • Research Priorities: Effects, characteristics, management in Upper Mississippi River Basin

  • Total Funding Available: $1,392,000

  • Maximum Award Amount: $348,000

  • Project Duration: 1-3 years

Proposals must be submitted to the Montana Water Center and are due on May 20, 2024 (submit to water@montana.edu).

Brief letters of intent requested by May 1 to water@montana.edu. Letters need only include specific grant opportunity, PI names, and academic institution.

National informational webinar on these grant opportunities April 23rd, 2024, 9am Mountain time (meeting link).


Per-and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Grants Program (2024 RFP)

The challenges and opportunities of understanding the impact of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances on water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of this group of man-made substances on water quality. This grant program aims to promote per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances research as related to the nation’s water quality as well as the social and(or) economic implications that might drive or be affected by PFAS. This includes integration with ongoing USGS science, monitoring, and goals.

  • Research Priorities:

    • Media-specific detection methods

    • Atmospheric sources - improved understanding of atmospheric exchange in PFAS distribution and fate.

    • Process-oriented research at molecular level - emphasis on molecular-level understanding of PFAS precursor transformation, sorption dynamics, or mechanisms of bioaccumulation and(or) biological/ecological effects.

  • Total Funding Available: $2,790,000

  • Maximum Award Amount: $310,000

  • Project Duration: 1-3 years

Proposals must be submitted to the Montana Water Center and are due on May 20, 2024 (submit to water@montana.edu).

Brief letters of intent requested by May 1 to water@montana.edu. Letters need only include specific grant opportunity, PI names, and academic institution.

National informational webinar on these grant opportunities April 23rd, 2024, 9am Mountain time (meeting link).


Eligibility 

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning is eligible to apply for a grant through the Montana Water Center.  Proposals involving collaboration between USGS and university scientists are encouraged.  Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration and may request up to $250,000 in federal funds.  Successful applicants must match each dollar of the federal grant with one dollar from non-federal sources.