DWPR Notice of Funding Opportunities

About
    Grants.gov logo.

    Reclamation's Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) funding plays a critical role in iterating an idea from the lab through to a real-world demonstration that can both attract industry commercialization and serve the water treatment community in its usefulness.

    Through DWPR, research sponsors partner with Reclamation to address a broad range of desalting and water purification needs. Reclamation is interested in research where the benefits are widespread but where private-sector entities are not able to make the full investment and assume all the risks. Reclamation is also interested in research that has a national significance – where the issues are of large-scale concern and the benefits accrue to a large sector of the public.

    The objective of DWPR's Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) is to invite private industry, universities, water utilities, and other research sponsors to submit proposals to cost share laboratory and pilot scale testing projects that address DWPR program goals and objectives.

  • Featured NOFO

    Desalination and Water Purification Research Program: Research Funding Opportunity Available

    Open: September 11, 2024
    Close: November 13, 2024, 4:00 PM (MST)

    (September 11, 2024) The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking proposals to receive funding for desalination and water treatment research projects. Up to $2 million is available for entities to submit proposals for laboratory-scale and pilot-scale research projects to increase water supplies by reducing the cost, energy consumption, and environmental impacts of treating impaired or otherwise unusable waters. Applicants must submit their proposals by 4:00 p.m. MST on November 13, 2024.

    View opportunity on grants.gov

    Desalination and Water Purification Research Program:  Pitch to Pilot Funding Opportunity Available

    Open: May 22, 2024
    Close: July 24, 2024, 4:00 PM (MDT)

    (May 22, 2024) The Bureau of Reclamation released a Pitch to Pilot funding opportunity through the Desalination and Water Purification Research Program. Reclamation is seeking innovative water treatment pilot projects focused on increasing water supplies by reducing the cost, energy consumption, and environmental impacts of treating impaired and otherwise unusable water. This unique funding opportunity is conducted in two-stages. Applicants are invited to submit their written research proposals by July 24, 2024, at 4:00 pm MDT through grants.gov. These proposals will be reviewed and the highest scoring proposals will be invited to pitch their idea to a panel of experts. Up to $300,000 per applicant is available, and approximately five to six projects will be selected contingent on appropriations.

    View opportunity on grants.gov.

  • Desalination and Water Purification Research Program:  Research Funding Opportunity Available

    Open: September 12, 2023
    Close: November 15, 2023, 4:00 PM (MST)

    (September 12, 2023) The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking proposals to receive funding for desalination and water treatment research projects. Up to $2 million is available for entities to submit proposals for laboratory-scale and pilot-scale research projects to increase water supplies by reducing the cost, energy consumption, and environmental impacts of treating impaired or otherwise unusable waters. Applicants must submit their proposals by 4:00 p.m. MST on November 15, 2023.

    View opportunity on grants.gov.

  • Desalination and Water Purification Research Program: Pitch to Pilot Funding Opportunity Available

    Open: April 19, 2023
    Close: June 20, 2023 4:00 PM (MST)

    (April 19, 2023) The Bureau of Reclamation released a funding opportunity through its Desalination and Water Purification Research Program. Reclamation is seeking to develop innovative and disruptive new technologies or processes. This unique funding opportunity is conducted in two-stages. Applicants are invited to submit their written research proposals by June 20, 2023, at 4 pm MDT. The submitted proposals will be reviewed and the highest scoring proposals will be invited to pitch their idea to a panel of experts. Up to $300,000 per applicant is available and approximately six to eight projects will be selected contingent on appropriations.

    View opportunity on grants.gov.

  • Desalination and Water Purification Research Program: Research Funding Opportunity Available

    Open: September 13, 2022
    Close: November 30, 2022 4:00 PM (MST)

    (September 13, 2022) The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking proposals to receive funding for desalination and water reuse research projects. Up to $2 million is available for entities to submit proposals for laboratory-scale and pilot-scale research projects to increase water supplies by reducing the cost, energy consumption, and environmental impacts of treating impaired or otherwise unusable waters. Applicants must submit their proposals by 4:00 p.m. MST on November 30, 2022. Read More →

    Funding Opporunity at Grants.gov.

  • Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot Funding Opportunity Available

    Open: May 26, 2022
    Close: July 12, 2022 4 PM (MST)

    The Bureau of Reclamation released the 2022 Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot. It is available on grants.gov as well as Reclamation's Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT on July 12, 2022.

    The objectives of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are to develop innovative and disruptive new technologies or processes to:

      • Reduce the costs, energy requirements, and/or environmental impacts of treating impaired and unusable water to standards necessary for an identified beneficial use.

      • Improve efficiency of water treatment processes—either by improvements to pre-treatment, post-treatment, monitoring, sensors, or other innovative process/technology.

      • Increase effectiveness of reverse osmosis/nanofiltration concentrate management by reducing cost, energy, and/or environmental impacts.

      •Treat brackish groundwater in a less energy-intensive way than current processes and technologies.

      • Address costs, energy usage, and/or environmental impacts of seawater desalination, including intakes and/or outfalls.

      • Improve the detection, characterization, monitoring, separation, or destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other contaminants of concern.

    Learn more at Grants.gov.

  • Desalination and Water Purification Research Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 22

    Open: July 07, 2021
    Close: September 9, 2021 4 PM (MDT)

    The Bureau of Reclamation has published the Desalination and Water Purification Research (DWPR) Program funding opportunity for DWPR Research Projects. This funding opportunity is available on grants.gov by searching for opportunity number R22AS00010. Funding is up to $250,000 per laboratory-scale project, and up to $800,000 for pilot-scale projects.

    DWPR funding plays a critical role in iterating an idea from the lab to a real-world demonstration, which yields products that serve the water treatment community and attract commercialization interest. Through DWPR, research sponsors partner with Reclamation to address a broad range of desalting and water purification needs. Reclamation is interested in research where the benefits are widespread and where private-sector entities are not able to make the full investment and assume all the risks. Reclamation is also interested in research that has a national significance—where the issues are of large-scale concern and the benefits accrue to a large sector of the public.

    Eligible applicants include: Individuals/entrepreneurs, institutions of higher education, commercial or industrial organizations, private entities, state and local governmental entities, federally funded research and development centers, tribal governments and organizations, and non-profit organizations. Federal government and foreign entities are not eligible to apply.

    View Grant Opportunity at Grants.gov

  • FY 2021 DWPR Pitch to Pilot

    Open: April 16, 2021
    Close: June 3, 2021

    The Bureau of Reclamation has published the Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot funding opportunity. This funding opportunity is available on grants.gov by searching for opportunity number R21AS00424. Funding is up to $200,000 per project, and there is no cost share requirement.

    The objectives of this funding opportunity are to develop innovative and disruptive new technologies or processes to reduce the costs, energy requirements, and/or environmental impacts of treating impaired and unusable water to standards necessary for an identified beneficial use.

    Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) works with Reclamation researchers and partners to develop innovative, cost-effective, and technologically efficient ways to desalinate and treat water. DWPR funding plays a critical role in iterating an idea from the lab to a real-world demonstration, yielding products that serve the water treatment community and attract commercialization interest.

    Eligible applicants include: Individuals/entrepreneurs, institutions of higher education, commercial or industrial organizations, private entities, state and local governmental entities, federally funded research and development centers, tribal governments and organizations, and non-profit organizations. Federal government and foreign entities are not eligible to apply.

    View Grant Opportunity at Grants.gov

  • FY 2020 DWPR Pitch to Pilot

    Open: May 4, 2020 - 4pm MDT
    Close: June 17, 2020 - 4pm MDT

    Reclamation is interested in research where the benefits are widespread but where private-sector entities are not able to make the full investment and assume all the risks. Reclamation is also interested in research that has a national significance—where the issues are of large-scale concern and the benefits accrue to a large sector of the public.

    Eligible projects are pilot-scale technologies or processes that incorporate or are innovative and disruptive technologies involving flow rates above one gallon per minute and that need to be tested using natural water sources rather than synthetic or laboratory-made feed water. These projects are typically used to determine the technical, practical, and/or economic feasibility of a process. Preliminary costs can be developed for capital and operation and maintenance costs. The description of the technology or process should identify the uniqueness and the disruptive nature of the technology or process itself and/or the testing of it.

    The objectives of this FOA are to develop innovative and disruptive new technologies or processes to:

      • Treat brackish groundwater in a less energy-intensive way than currently available.

      • Reduce cost, energy, and/or environmental impacts of reverse osmosis/nanofiltration concentrate.

      • Improve the efficiency of the water treatment process–either by improvements to pre-treatment, post-treatment, monitoring, sensors, or other innovative process or technology.

      • Reduce costs, energy usage, and/or environmental impacts of seawater desalination, including intakes and/or outfalls.

      • Reduce costs, energy requirements, and/or environmental impacts of treating impaired and unusable water to standards necessary for an identified beneficial use.

    The funding opportunity is available at Grants.gov FOA number BOR-DO-20-F014. Applications are due by June 17, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. MDT. Selected applications will be invited to participate in the Pitch to Pilot event on September 24 - 25, 2020.

    Eligible applicants include individuals/entrepreneurs, institutions of higher education, profit organizations, state and local governmental entities, non-profit organizations, federally funded research and development centers, and tribal governments and organizations. No cost-share is required, but it is highly encouraged.

    News Release
    View Grant Opportunity at Grants.gov

  • DWPR FOA Archive FY 2020 DWPR Laboratory Scale and Pilot Scale Projects FOA
    FY 2019 DWPR Pitch to Pilot FOA
    FY 2019 DWPR Laboratory Scale and Pilot Scale Projects FOA
    FY 2018 DWPR Laboratory Scale and Pilot Scale Projects FOA
    FY 2017 Research & Laboratory Scale Projects FOA
    FY 2017 Pilot Scale FOA
    FY 2017 Full Scale FOA

Last Updated: 9/11/24