WRRC Now Accepting 104 Water Research Grant Proposals
Please help us spread the news—the WRRC is now accepting proposals for this year’s federal WRRA 104(b) and 104(g) grants. The Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) Section 104(b) program provides small grants for research projects on water-related issues in Arizona. Proposals featuring student work are encouraged. The 104(g) program supports research that is regional or national in scope, and the call for proposals includes a track for research specifically focused on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in water resources.
The typical 104(b) award is $10,000 for the September 1 through August 31 project year. With help from topic experts, the WRRC reviews proposals and includes those selected in its annual submission to the US Geological Survey (USGS), which administers the 104(b) program. The deadline to submit a 104(b) proposal is 5:00 pm MST on March 17, 2025.
Applicants submitting 104(g) proposals may request up to $310,000 in federal funds for projects lasting one to three years. Although this award is also administered by USGS, the 104(g) grant requires that proposals be submitted through the state water resources research institutes (WRRI) authorized by the WRRA; the WRRC is Arizona’s designated WRRI. Applications for 104(g) grants will be accepted until 5:00 pm MST on April 25, 2025.
Faculty and research personnel at any of Arizona’s three state universities may submit proposals to either or both programs. Guidelines for both programs require that there be a 1:1 match of non-federal to federal dollars. Proposal instructions can be found at the links below.
As always, 104(b) and 104(g) grants are subject to the availability of federal funding. Due to uncertainty around possible changes under the new administration, it is unclear whether this year’s funding will be comparable to that of previous years. The 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP) from USGS has not yet been released. The WRRC will provide updates as they become available.