Student Funding
Open Funding Opportunities
Mountains to Sea Graduate Research Fellowship
This opportunity is funded by NC WRRI and North Carolina Sea Grant. It is open to full-time graduate students at North Carolina’s colleges and universities. Proposed research should be conducted under the guidance of a faculty advisor.
Research should address one or more of these focus areas:
- Emerging regulated and unregulated contaminants of concern
- Microplastic pollution and marine debris
- Aquatic invasive species
- Harmful algal blooms and associated toxins
- Climate impacts, including nuisance flooding
- Erosion and sediment control
- Surface and groundwater quality and/or quantity
- Water treatment, including aquaculture effluent
- Green stormwater infrastructure & nature-based solutions
- Urban design and recreational management
- Economics, planning and/or policy related to water resources management
- Water education
WRRI and Sea Grant encourage undergraduate participation in proposed projects. Each research project should align with the strategic plans of NC WRRI and/or NC Sea Grant.
A full description of research priorities for the funding period are provided in the official Request for Proposals. The deadline for proposals is December 16, 2024 at 5pm.
For questions, please contact John Fear at jmfear@ncsu.edu or Kaitlin Tucker at ktucker@ncsu.edu.
Closed Funding Opportunities
These opportunities are currently closed.
WRRI–USGS 104(b) Grants
For North Carolina faculty and graduate students:
This RFP is sponsored by WRRI and the USGS 104(b) program.
Graduate student proposals are limited to one-year projects and a $10,000 maximum award amount. The anticipated start date for student projects is January 3, 2023. Start dates and award amounts are contingent upon receipt of federal funds.
- Read full RFP details
- Download the NC WRRI Guidelines for Data Management Plans Templates & Examples
- Informational webinar was held Aug. 23, 2022.
- Slide deck (and recording upon request) is now available
- Read the full news release about this funding opportunity
Mini-Grants
WRRI occasionally offers mini-grant opportunities, often in partnership with NC Sea Grant. There is not currently a call for proposals for mini-grants.
Explore Previously-funded Student Projects
Application Tip:
Letters of Support
When sponsoring faculty write letters of support for a student’s application, the letter should demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the student and indicate confidence in the student’s specific abilities. In areas where the student may be lacking, consider using the letter to address how the sponsoring faculty member, their lab or collaborators might help the student gain necessary skills or knowledge.