NC WRRI Research Funding Opportunity: WRRI-USGS 104(b) Grants Now Open for Preproposals

The North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), along with the U.S. Geological Survey 104(b) program, is requesting proposals for the 2025-2026 WRRI-USGS 104b competitive grants program. Faculty or university affiliates of any accredited college or university in North Carolina are eligible to apply. 

This funding opportunity is designed to foster the exploration of new ideas to improve water supply reliability, expand understanding of water and water-related phenomena, as well as encourage new research scientists, engineers, and technicians to enter into water resources fields.

Pre-proposals may address research questions and methods in the fields of social science, education, communications, natural science, engineering, economics or policy, or a combination of these disciplines (as applied to the focus areas below). We encourage proposals that include meaningful public engagement, public participation, extension activities or collaboration with members of the communities where research is to take place. Grant recipients may also work together with the state’s Urban Water Consortium (UWC) and Stormwater Consortium (SWC) to apply research to water and wastewater utilities and North Carolina’s municipal programs.

Research Priorities

Research priorities for the 2025-2025 funding period include:

• Non-Point Source & Stormwater Management
  • Operational Research and Infrastructure Asset Management
  • Pollutant Removal Processes and Credits
  • Impervious Cover Impacts & Mitigation
  • Green Stormwater Infrastructure & Nature Based Solutions
  • Education and Behavior Change
• Drinking Water, Wastewater, & Water Infrastructure
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment and Management
  • Water Affordability
  • Emerging Contaminants
  • Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources
  • Water Conservation and Supply Strategies
• Surface & Groundwater Quality
• Ecosystem Management

A full description of research priorities for the 2025-2026 funding period is provided in the official Request for Proposals.

Pre-proposals are due September 16, 2024 at 5pm and must be submitted through the eNCWRRI online portal. Researchers interested in applying for WRRI-USGS 104(b) program funding can find more information in the full Request for Proposals (RFP). WRRI will offer an informational webinar on August 22nd at 10am.

For more information, contact John Fear (jmfear@ncsu.edu) or Kaitlin Tucker (ktucker@ncsu.edu).

• Learn more about this funding opportunity
• Read full RFP details
• Register for the informational webinar on August 22nd, 2024 at 10am
• Submit a preproposal