Desalination and Water Purification Research Program: Research Projects

About this funding opportunity

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).

Topic areas: Energy and Environment.

Funding amount

This cooperative agreement provides $100K-$800K in funding, up to $800K per award.

Deadline

Applications are due Sep 29, 2026. Confirm the exact closing time on the official program page before applying.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Public Authorities
• NGOs
• Large Company
• University
• SME
• Individuals
• Other

Eligibility

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, and

Proposals for the testing of established water treatment processes for the purposes of generating site specific information.

Agency

Desalination and Water Purification Research Program: Research Projects is administered by Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), listed via Grants.gov.