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Desalination and Water Purification Research Program: Research Projects

Federal funding opportunity R26AS00052 from Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior).

Apply on Grants.gov →Application closes September 29, 2026

Posted
July 29, 2026
Closes
September 29, 2026
Award ceiling
$800,000
Award floor
$100,000
Program funding
$5,700,000
Expected awards
15
Cost sharing
No
Instrument
Cooperative Agreement, Grant
Assistance listing
15.506
Category
Natural Resources
Archives
December 28, 2030

Program funding history

Awards made under Assistance Listing 15.506 across FY2024–FY2026, from public federal spending records.

FY2024 obligated
$3.3M
FY2025 obligated
$300,460
FY2026 (to date) obligated
$0
Awards in window
72

Top recipients: The Regents of the University of Colorado, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Harmony Desalination Corporation, Texas State University, Vanderbilt University

Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed July 2026

Synopsis

The Bureau of Reclamation"s Desalination and Water Purification Research (DWPR) Program aims to increase water supplies by reducing the costs, energy requirements, and other barriers to adoption of treating impaired water for beneficial uses. This NOFO invites proposals from eligible applicants to conduct innovative laboratory and pilot-scale water treatment research. Strong applications will demonstrate widespread applicability and benefits of the proposed research and provide a pathway for technology commercialization. This initiative supports the Bureau of Reclamation's mission to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public by providing water managers with new and innovative technologies and approaches to develop additional water resources and increase water supply flexibility. The DWPR Program demonstrably advances Trump administration priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14154 (January 20, 2025): Unleashing American Energy (E.O. 14154) and Secretarial Order 3418, and aligns with other priorities and requirements, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14332 (August 7, 2025): Improving Oversight in Federal Grantmaking (E.O. 14332).

Who can apply

Foreign entities are not eligible for funding. Federal agencies are not eligible to apply. The program office will review all proposed projects to determine whether the application is an eligible activity under the NOFO and can proceed to merit review evaluation. Applicants can apply for two categories of projects under this NOFO:Laboratory-Scale Projects. Laboratory-scale projects are typically bench-scale studies involving small flow rates. These projects are used to determine the viability of a novel process, new materials, or process modifications. Laboratory-scale projects can also include modeling studies, decision support tools, literature and technology reviews, etc. that address objectives identified in the Program Goals section. Research at this stage can involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty. These projects should be completed within 24 months of award. Pilot-Scale Projects. Pilot-scale projects test a novel technology or process at a sufficiently large scale to determine the practicality of implementing the technology. These projects should involve flow rates above 1 gallon per minute and use natural water sources rather than synthetic or laboratory-made feed water. Pilot-scale studies are used to generate data over a sufficient time period that can be used to estimate the operational requirements (e.g., labor, chemical addition, power requirements) of the process and show performance with respect to finished water quality goals. Pilot-scale projects are generally preceded by laboratory studies (funded previously by the DWPR Program or others) that demonstrate technology feasibility. These projects should be completed within 36 months of award.Projects not eligible for funding under this NOFO include, but are not limited to:Proposals for planning activities eligible under the WaterSMART: Water Recycling and Desalination Planning funding opportunity,Proposals for the construction of permanent research facilities or infrastructure, andProposals…

How to apply

Applications go through the official government listing. Grants Radar links you straight to the source — applying is free.

View on Grants.gov

Agency contact: Bureau of Reclamation · [email protected] · tbd

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