Request for Proposals: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances FY 2021 Competitive Grants

The Maryland Water Resources Research Center (MWRRC) announces the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2021 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances Competitive Grant Program by the U.S. Geological Survey under Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act, in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources.

Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

  • Research on the fate, persistence, transport, and impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances on changes to water quality and/or ecosystem dynamics, in water resources, including surface water and groundwater.
  • Social and/or economic assessment of the spread, detection, impacts, solutions, and management of PFAS in surface and/or groundwater

Any investigator at an institution of higher learning in Maryland is eligible to apply through the MWRRC. If a proposal from an institution other than the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) is selected for funding, the funds will be managed as a subcontract from UMCP. Projects will only be awarded if funds are appropriated to the USGS to support the program.

Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration, may request up to $250,000 in federal funds, and require a 1:1 (non-federal:federal) match. Proposals in PDF format must be emailed to the MWRRC Director Dr. Kaye Brubaker at kbru<at-symbol>umd.edu by 11:59 p.m., June 18, 2021 to allow adequate time for MWRRC to submit the proposals by the June 24 deadline for institutes. Only proposals submitted to MWRRC by June 18, 2021 will be transmitted to the National Grants Competition Proposal Peer Review Panel.

Additional information about research priorities, proposal content, format and review process are available in theĀ RFP.

PIs who intend to submit proposals under this program are asked to notify the Center as soon as possible (kbru<at-symbol>umd.edu) so that we may prepare for and assist with proposal preparation and processing.