The MWRRC invites proposals for Fiscal Year 2020 funding under Section 104(b) of the Water Resources Research Act.
Investigators from any Maryland institution of higher education are eligible to apply.
The Maryland version of the RFP: RFP-MWRRC-104b-2020_rev1. For investigators’ use in proposal preparation, the RFP attachments are also provided in MS Word Format (docx).
Applications must be received by January 5, 2020, 11:59 p.m.
The Center will consider proposals in three general categories.
Traditional Research Projects
Any topic related to water resources in Maryland will be considered. Cooperative programs involving U.S. Geological Survey personnel are encouraged (Click here for list of personnel in the USGS Water Center for MD/DE/DC). All proposals submitted to the MWRRC will receive external peer review.
It is expected that the total MWRRC contribution will be $16,000 to $35,000. Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. Prospective PIs are encouraged to contact the Center director if they have questions about matching funds.
Proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed by January 5, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.
Research proposals are to be submitted by email to the Center Director, Dr. Kaye Brubaker, kbru<at>umd.edu. Include “2020 104(b)” in the subject line. Instructions for proposal preparation are available in PDF form (RFP-MWRRC-104b-2020_rev1). Worksheet templates are available in MS Word Format (docx).
Targeted Research Topic for FY 2020: Fish Passage
An opportunity exists for a qualified researcher or team to work in partnership with Maryland agencies on the topic of fish passage in streams. Due to changing geomorphic and hydraulic conditions, many barriers exist today throughout the State. State agencies have invested heavily in projects intended to improve fish passage at barrier or blockage locations. However, the long-term success of these projects has been varied. The goal of the FY2020 partnership is to investigate the hydraulic and geomorphic factors associated with good passage, marginal passage, and non-passage. Various data are available from state and federal agencies.
Proposals in response to this topic should demonstrate (a) knowledge of fishery issues in Maryland and (b) creative ideas for characterizing the hydraulic and geomorphic properties of stream reaches associated with different levels of fish passage or non-passage. Although monitoring and restoration/retrofit are not within the scope of the 2020 call, it is anticipated that the results will be applicable to future monitoring protocols and design, and PIs are encouraged to think in broad terms about such potential applications.
Agencies are prepared to support the research with staff time, which will be offered as in-kind cost-share and can be use to satisfy the 104(B) program’s non-federal cost-share requirement. Details remain to be determined; for planning purposes, PIs who propose research on this topic may include $5,000 as the estimated in-kind agency contribution in their budgeting. If a proposal to this topic is selected for funding, the Center and the agencies will work with the PI to finalize their budget before the MWRRC’s FY 2020 request is forwarded to the USGS.
Seed Grants
Seed grants range from $3,000 to $6,000. This program solicits proposals aimed at developing exploratory projects, with the deliverable being a major proposal for submission to another agency. Funds are to be used for preliminary experiments or for faculty release time.
Non-federal matching funds are required in the ratio of 2:1 matching:MWRRC. Indirect costs are not allowed on the project, but waived indirect costs can be used as matching funds. Proposals must be fully executed by the institutional office of research. All proposals must be filed by January 5, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Those that are selected for funding by the MWRRC will be forwarded to the USGS.
Seed grant proposals are to be submitted by email to the Center Director, Dr. Kaye Brubaker, kbru<at>umd.edu. Include “2020 104(b)” in the subject line. Instructions for proposal preparation, tailored to the MWRRC, are available in PDF form (RFP-MWRRC-104b-2020_rev1). The budget and budget explanation appendices are available as worksheets/templates in MS Word Format (docx).
Summer Graduate Student Support
A major mission of the Water Resources Research Institutes and Centers is to help develop the new generation of water experts and leaders. The MWRRC is interested in interacting with a broad spectrum of students conducting research relevant to the State’s water resources. As a step toward accomplishing this goal, the Center accepts proposals for Graduate Research Fellowships of $6,000 each for Summer 2020. All areas related to water resources research will be considered. The student’s advisor is expected to arrange matching funds (2:1 matching:MWRRC) for the fellowship awards. The funds may be used as either summer salary/stipend or fellowship; students are encouraged to discuss arrangements with their advisors and prepare a budget in accordance with their institution’s practices. Awards are made competitively.
Follow this link for Details on Summer Graduate Fellowships. Applications must be received at MWRRC by January 5, 2019, 11:59 p.m.
For further information, contact Dr. Kaye Brubaker kbru<at>umd.edu
The number of projects supported in each category will depend on the quality of the proposed work, response to specific research areas of interest, and availability of funds.
An updated version of the Maryland RFP has been posted; it contains specifics on proposal format and length, which were mistakenly omitted from the first posting.