USGS Grant Applications

Apply for funding through the U.S. Geological Survey's Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) Program, authorized by section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984. WRRA is a Federal-State partnership allows KWRI to facilitate research through the Annual Base Grants, National Competitive Grants, and Coordination Grants. Information and resources regarding the most recent Request for Proposals for the 104b and 104g programs are listed below:

FY 2026 USGS 104B
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

On February 27, 2026, KWRI released the FY 2026 Request for Proposals for the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) 104b grant program. This program is targeted toward supporting water-related research efforts conducted by students at universities and colleges in Kentucky. Research priorities include Water Scarcity and Availability, Water Hazards and Climate Variability, Water Quality, Water Policy, Planning and Socioeconomics, Watershed and Ecosystem Function, Water Technology and Innovation, Workforce Development, and Water Literacy.

Of note are several changes from prior years:

The allocated program funding from the Water Resources Research Act has increased for this budget period.
Our maximum funding for two categories has increased: larger research grants ($25,000) and student research seed grants ($12,000).
The USGS anticipates an award date in advance of the start date to allow increased time for subaward processing.

The deadline to apply is April 2, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Applications submitted after this time will not be considered. Application materials are linked below. You are required to use the templates provided. Proposal submissions should be submitted to the Institute by email.

Request for Proposal

Instructions
Attachment C:

Budget Justification Template
Attachment A:

Proposal Template
Budget Justification

Example
Attachment B:

Budget Template
Attachment D:

"Covered UAS" Assessment Guide

FY 2026 USGS 104G
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) Program supports an annual National Competitive (104)g) Grant program in cooperation between the US Geological Survey and the Water Resources Research Institutes and Centers. The Kentucky Water Research Institute (KWRI) coordinates applications from universities or colleges in Kentucky.

An objective of the 104G program is to promote collaboration between the USGS and university scientists in research on significant national and regional water-resources issues. Proposals exhibiting substantial collaboration between the USGS and the applicant are strongly encouraged. Collaborative proposals should describe in detail the respective roles of the USGS and the applicant in the proposed work.

Funding for this program typically requires a 1:1 match over a three-year period. Competitive applications are typically divided by topic.

The USGS has indicated that for FY2026 they anticipate releasing two RFPs on two topics: PFAS and a yet to be determined topic. The anticipated release date is mid-April with a due date in mid-May.

If you are considering an application for these grants, Please contact kwri@uky.edu to begin coordination on the application.

For more information on the Water Resources Research Act Program and the grant programs, click here.

FY2025 Announcement

Water Resources Research Institutes [or Centers] have been established in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. The Institute in Guam also serves the Federated States of Micronesia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Institute in Hawaii also serves American Samoa.

The addresses of the 54 Institutes are available at https://water.usgs.gov/wrri/index.php. Responsibility for the administration of the Water Resources Research Act Program has been delegated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The 54 Institutes are organized as the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR). NIWR cooperates with the USGS in the administration of the Water Resources Research Act Program.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES

Priority 1: Economic value of Information of the USGS streamgage network and associated National Water Information System (NWIS). Applicants should review the National Hydrologic Warning Council 2006 report for a listing of benefits categories. For this proposal, USGS is most interested in categories (1) through (3) in the 2006 report; categories (4) and (5) are of significant but lesser interest. USGS appreciates that proposals may seek a tradeoff between examining multiple benefit categories at a reduced geographic scale versus a limited number of benefit categories at a national scale. While preference will be given to those proposals that provide a Nationwide assessment, please consider the minimum geographic scope to be Hydrologic Unit Code 12 (Hydrologic Unit Maps | U.S. Geological Survey).

Priority 2: Model Advancement and Machine Learning Integration
Explore methods to develop new hydrologic models in large, regional areas or, where possible, at the national level to enhance understanding of water availability. Provide information on promising modeling approaches to inform science questions specific to a region. Examples include:

Machine Learning Techniques for Water Quality Data: Apply AI and machine learning methods to harmonize water quality data across different sources, improving integration and accessibility for hydrologic modeling.

Groundwater and Base Flow Predictions: Specifically apply machine learning techniques to predict transient groundwater levels or base flow to streams, enhancing the understanding of these critical hydrologic processes.

Causal Machine Learning Exploration: Investigate the use of causal machine learning to evaluate current or ongoing studies impacted by non-causal modeling. This approach should help quantify the extent of the problem associated with non-causal machine learning modeling and inform the development of more robust, process-based modeling frameworks.
FY2025 Announcement

The challenges and opportunities that link aquatic invasive species and water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of numerous aquatic invasive species on water quality, water quantity, and aquatic ecosystems. Research is needed to better identify and understand these interactions and to guide management decisions that will help to improve invasive species management and thus reduce effects of invasive species on water resources and aquatic ecosystems at local, regional, and national scales. 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):

Effects: Research that improves our understanding of the effects of aquatic invasive species on lakes, rivers, and associated tributaries in the upper Mississippi River basin, including changes to water quantity, water quality, and ecosystem dynamics.

Characteristics: Research that identifies physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of water bodies that infer resistance and resilience to the distribution, establishment, and effects of aquatic invasive species in the upper Mississippi River basin. Research is needed to better understand these interactions to guide management decisions that will improve invasive species management and result in positive effects on aquatic ecosystems.

Management: Research on assessment of the detection, spread, and management of aquatic invasive species in the upper Mississippi River basin and the connections to human dimensions, both socially and economically. Note that this does not include physical control of AIS.
FY2025 Announcement

Water Resources Research Institutes [or Centers] have been established in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. The Institute in Guam also serves the Federated States of Micronesia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Institute in Hawaii also serves American Samoa. The addresses of the 54 Institutes are available at https://water.usgs.gov/wrri/index.php. Responsibility for administration of the Water Resources Research Act Program has been delegated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The 54 Institutes are organized as the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR). NIWR cooperates with the USGS in the administration of the Water Resources Research Act Program.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES

The challenges and opportunities of understanding the effects of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances on water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of this group of man-made substances on water quality and the resultant exposure to humans, other organisms, and ecosystems. Research is needed to better understand these interactions and guide management decisions that will improve water resources at the regional or national scale.

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):

Media-specific methods: Enhanced methods for detection on specific media, with a clear indication of

new or different compounds, new or different methodological approaches, lower detection levels for specific media or compounds, especially with respect to EPA health guidelines for PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate).

Media of interest include (in ranked order): (1) Tissues/plasma, (2) sediment, (3) air or interfaces, (4) water.

Atmospheric sources: Improved understanding of atmospheric exchange in PFAS distribution and fate. This may include methods to determine transport of PFAS to the atmosphere and to subsequent receiving waters, such as a water method that determines "new" compounds based on their likelihood to occur in the atmosphere.

Processes oriented at the molecular level, physical or biological: Process-oriented research of PFAS fate, transport, and effects, with emphasis on molecular-level understanding of PFAS precursor transformation, sorption dynamics, or process-oriented research of mechanisms of PFAS bioaccumulation and(or) biological/ecological effects, or biodegradation of PFAS along source to receptor pathways and identification of mitigation methods and engage modeling and forecasting processes for prediction, prevention, and mitigation of environmental risk of exposure to PFAS in ecosystems and human population.

USGS Grant Applications

FY 2026 USGS 104B
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

FY 2026 USGS 104G
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Address

Mining and Minerals Bldg.
310 Columbia Ave., Lexington, KY 40506

Contact

859-257-1299

kwri@uky.edu

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USGS Grant Applications

FY 2026 USGS 104B REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Address

Mining and Minerals Bldg. 310 Columbia Ave., Lexington, KY 40506

Contact

859-257-1299

kwri@uky.edu

UK Directory

Equal Opportunity Employer

Privacy Policy

FY 2026 USGS 104B
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Mining and Minerals Bldg.
310 Columbia Ave., Lexington, KY 40506