IWW-USGS Grants Program

Through the federal Water Resources Research Act (Program 104(B)), the IWW receives federal matching funds to support water resources research and education activities in the Oregon. All faculty at Oregon universities and colleges are eligible to apply. IWW annually releases an RFP for these grants and organizes a selection committee to review proposals. Grants require a 2:1 match of non-federal funds. In recent years, IWW has supplemented the USGS funds with additional funding from the OSU Water and Watersheds Initiative.

IWW-USGS Call for Proposals for 2008 Funding

Proposals were due Friday, November 16, 2007 - click here to view the abstracts from successful proposals.

The Institute for Water and Watersheds (IWW) is pleased to announce its third annual call for proposals.  IWW is interested in supporting projects that assist state and local agencies who are responsible for examining issues related to long-term water and watershed management with a focus on creating sustainable solutions that balance stewardship of the resource with economic viability for local communities. Proposals should give evidence that the project will increase our knowledge about how resource demands and supplies can be balanced for the long term.  However, proposals will be accepted from faculty at Oregon universities and colleges on any topic that is related to critical water issues in the state.

Priority will be given to proposals directed towards the focus area, although creative proposals on other topics are highly encouraged.  Proposals are expected to leverage other resources and provide measurable impacts. Proposals may be made for (but are not limited to) projects such as:

• Important unsolved technical questions related to water resource management identified in the IWW five year report to the USGS as listed in Attachment  B
• Pilot test of hypotheses in preparation for larger proposal
• Innovative curriculum development
• Water and watershed research projects
• Supplementary funds to leverage existing projects
• Conferences, workshops, and/or seminars
• Delivery of service to an Oregon watershed advocacy group (must be done in partnership with watershed council(s) or similar groups)
• Undergraduate or graduate student participation in research or outreach activity.

Proposals that anticipate requiring the use of analytical services are encouraged to use the IWW Collaboratory.  Please contact the Collaboratory Manager Kathryn Motter at 541-758-8764 for more information.

Proposals should be no longer than 5 single-spaced pages, 12-point font, exclusive of resumes and attachments.  See Attachment A for details about what information must be included in the proposal.

We anticipate the availability of funding from the US Geological Survey State Water Resources Research Institute Program to provide funds for this 2008 call.  We anticipate funding projects up to $30,000 this year.  All projects require a 2:1 match of non-federal funds.  For example, a $10,000 grant requires $20,000 in matching non-federal funds.  This match can be made in multiple ways including “forgiven overhead” (on both the USGS and matching funds) since no overhead is provided to the faculty’s institution through these grants.  In addition, OSU faculty may apply for matching funds through the Provost’s Initiative for up to one-half of the match.  For example, OSU faculty may match the USGS amount 1:1 with funds from the Provost’s Initiative, but will still be required to show a 2:1 match on the project.  The remaining portion of the matching funds must be satisfied in other ways.  The Provost’s Initiative funds are not available to non-OSU faculty unless they are partnering with OSU faculty on a project. 

Criteria for evaluation will include:

• Extent to which the project addresses focus area or other critical water issue in Oregon
• Scientific or scholarly merit
• Likelihood of success
• Likelihood for substantial and demonstrable impact (e.g., leverages external funding, increases range of water curriculum, extends range or type of outreach, etc.)
• Degree to which project promotes collaboration with additional scientists or external partners
• Degree to which project provides support for undergraduate and graduate student research

Proposals are due Friday, November 16, 2007 by 5:00 p.m..  Please, do not submit late proposals or any appurtentant attachments. Applicants will be notified of awards by mid-January 2008.  We anticipate that funds will be available in March 2008, although because of delays with the federal budget process, it is possible that grant funds will not be available until later in the spring.

Submission instructions:

Forward your proposal in electronic form (pdf) to:
todd.jarvis@oregonstate.edu

Institute for Water and Watersheds
210 Strand Ag Hall
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon 97331

Direct questions to Todd Jarvis at 541-737-4032 or e-mail above.