Colorado Water Center providing nearly $600,000 for research and outreach on statewide water issues
The Colorado State University Colorado Water Center is addressing the state’s most difficult water challenges by helping provide over half a million dollars in potential funding for CSU faculty, graduate students, and Extension professionals to conduct solutions-oriented research, education, and engagement.
As part of the only land grant institution in Colorado, the Colorado Water Center provides a framework to bring together the diverse stakeholders who are critical to solving water issues that impact the daily lives of all Coloradans.
“This year’s programs address water security and sustainable management issues across Colorado and provide a platform to educate the next generation of water leaders in the state,” said John Tracy, director of the Colorado Water Center.
The Center is requesting proposals for three separate programs. For general questions, as well as for CSU faculty wanting support connecting with Extension professionals to submit a proposal, and vice-versa, please contact John Tracy.
CSU Competitive Water Grants Program
This program is accepting proposals spanning disciplines – from the biological and physical sciences to engineering, human sciences and more – in order to foster collaboration between academic researchers and Extension professionals to make progress on stubborn water issues affecting the quality of life for people in Colorado, the U.S. and beyond.
Description: The grant program is funding projects that coordinate water research and outreach efforts to address Colorado’s most pressing water resource issues and lead to actionable science in the priority areas of: implementing the Colorado Water Plan; improving the sustainability of agriculture and municipal water systems; addressing household, community and ecological water security; and hydro-equity is both rural and urban environments.
This program requires academic faculty to work with Extension personnel to both improve our understanding of water resource issues, and create actionable science to ensure that this new knowledge can readily be adopted by water managers and users.
Available Funding: The maximum funding for this grant category is $75,000, where it is anticipated that two projects will be funded.
Eligibility: PI and co-PIs must be current CSU faculty members or technical staff. Each proposal must include at least one academic faculty member and one PI-eligible Office of Engagement and Extension staff member as PI or co-PI.
Proposal Deadline: March 31 at 5 p.m.
Description: The purpose of this type of grant is for individual graduate students to enhance their water resource scholarship and information transfer activities through collaboration with Office of Engagement and Extension personnel.
Graduate student applicants are also expected to submit proposals that benefit CSU’s graduate education programs and strengthen inclusive partnerships among the water community.
Funding Available: The maximum funding for this grant category is $10,000.
Eligibility: Applicants must be current CSU graduate students enrolled in a degree program related to water resources.
Proposal Deadline: March 31, 5 p.m.
USGS Graduate Student Grants Program
The Colorado USGS 104B Grants Program aims to develop the water workforce in Colorado by directly funding graduate students research into five of Colorado’s priority water challenges:
- Implementation of the Colorado Water Plan
- Sustainable agricultural and municipal water management
- Household, community, and ecological water security
- Increasing our understanding of hydro-inequity in both rural and urban environments
- Adaptation of water management practices in a changing climate
Eligibility: Students must be enrolled full-time in a degree program at one of Colorado’s public 4-year universities. Proposals must have a faculty advisor from the applicant’s institution.
Funding Available: All awards are limited to a maximum of $10,000 of federal funds, and a minimum of 7 projects will be awarded for the FY 2023 program.
Submission Deadline: March 24, 5 p.m.
Colorado Water Conservation Board Seed Research Program
The program will fund faculty and Extension personnel to conduct research, information dissemination, and graduate training programs addressing Colorado’s most pressing water challenges, with an emphasis on supporting the implementation of the Colorado Water Plan.
Eligibility: Full-time faculty, Extension personnel, and researchers at any institution of higher education in Colorado.
Funding Available: It is anticipated that 7 projects will be funded at amounts up to $50,000 each.
Submission Deadline: March 21, 5 p.m.
About the Colorado Water Center
The Colorado Water Center, one of 54 Water Resources Research Institutes created by the Water Resources Act of 1964, has served the greater Colorado community for nearly six decades. The Water Center leads interdisciplinary research, education and outreach to address complex and evolving water-related challenges in Colorado and beyond, fostering collaboration and inspiring the next generation of water leaders.