Water Research Foundation: Grants & Rules

What it is and who runs it

As described on the official page on 2026-11-11, the Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the primary nonprofit research cooperative dedicated to advancing the science of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and recycled water. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional offices in Alexandria, Virginia, WRF is a 501(c)(3) research foundation governed by a Board of Directors representing water utilities, municipal agencies, consulting firms, and academic institutions.

WRF represents the consolidation of three historic research bodies. In 2018, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF, founded 1989) and the American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AwwaRF, founded 1966, later WRF) merged. This followed the integration of the WateReuse Research Foundation (founded 2000). Today, WRF operates under a “One Water” approach managing interconnected drinking, storm, and recycled water resources.

The foundation serves approximately 1,200 subscriber organizations globally. Operational solicitations and awards are administered by permanent WRF Research Managers alongside independent Project Advisory Committees (PACs) and a volunteer Research Advisory Council (RAC).

Eligibility (summary, with the official source)

As described in the official Water Research Foundation proposal guidelines (dated May 2026, verified 2026-11-11), WRF competitions are open to multi-disciplinary teams delivering peer-reviewed applied research. Eligible applicant institutions include:

Academic Institutions: Accredited colleges and universities worldwide.
Water Utilities: Municipal water authorities, wastewater reclamation departments, and public utility districts. Active subscriber utilities access specialized co-funding tracks.
Consulting and Engineering Firms: Environmental engineering firms, laboratories, and specialized contractors.
Government Agencies and Research Institutes: National laboratories, state agencies, and scientific institutes.

The principal investigator (PI) must be an employee of the applicant organization with primary responsibility for ensuring agreement compliance. Co-Principal Investigators may reside at partner institutions. For the Tailored Collaboration Program, proposals must be formally sponsored by an active WRF subscribing utility contributing cash match.

What it funds or requires

As described in the official Water Research Foundation proposal guidelines (dated May 2026, verified 2026-11-11), WRF funds applied research through four mechanisms:

Research Priority Program: The flagship competitive vehicle. WRF issues Requests for Proposals (RFPs) targeting industry challenges (such as PFAS removal, lead corrosion, and nutrient management), with awards typically between $100,000 and $400,000.
Tailored Collaboration Program: A subscriber-driven mechanism providing 1:1 matching foundation funds (up to program caps like $150,000) paired with utility cash match.
Facilitated Research Program: A pooled-funding mechanism allowing multiple utilities and agencies to tackle shared regional priorities.
Unsolicited Research Program: A biennial solicitation funding innovative concepts outside active RFPs.

Funded projects must satisfy stringent financial and administrative mandates:

15% Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Ceiling: WRF enforces a strict 15% cap on reimbursable indirect costs for all subrecipients, applying to the nominal rate regardless of an institution’s higher rate. Evaluating these rules is essential when comparing foundation indirect cost rates against full recovery.
Mandatory Cost-Sharing: Solicitations regularly require matching contributions, distinguishing between utility cash and allowable in-kind services under cost sharing rules in 2 CFR 200.306.
Federal Uniform Guidance: For federally co-funded awards (such as EPA cooperative agreements), subrecipients must follow Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and commercial cost principles (48 CFR Subpart 31.2), excluding all unallowable costs.
Financial Documentation: Submissions require entity financial statements, Statement of Direct Labor and Overhead, a signed IRS Form W-9 (or W-8BEN for foreign entities), and any current federal Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).

Application or compliance steps

As described in the official Water Research Foundation proposal guidelines (dated May 2026, verified 2026-11-11), applying for and managing a WRF grant involves seven operational steps:

Portal Registration: Applicants must register an organizational account in WRF “My Portal”; submissions outside this portal are ineligible.
Partnership and Co-Funding: PIs secure participating utilities for testing and execute signed Co-Funding Support Forms.
Proposal Preparation: Proposals must use letter paper (8.5 × 11 inches), 1-inch margins, minimum 12-point font, and unlocked PDF formatting, omitting WRF copyrighted logos.
Peer Review and Scoring: WRF Research Managers and independent Project Advisory Committees evaluate proposals on a 100-point scale across Technical Merit (30 pts), Problem Understanding (20 pts), Qualifications (20 pts), Deliverables/Communications (15 pts), and Budget/Schedule (15 pts).
Contract Execution: Selected researchers execute a Project Funding Agreement (PFA) within WRF’s 45-business-day negotiation window, responding to drafts within 10 business days.
Project Oversight: PIs submit quarterly reports and host an interim PAC progress meeting.
Final Review and Dissemination: Participating utilities review data conclusions, and final reports undergo peer review prior to public release.

Typical timeline phases (no calendar dates as facts)

As described in the official Water Research Foundation proposal guidelines (dated May 2026, verified 2026-11-11), projects progress through six standard phases:

Solicitation Phase: RAC sets research topics and releases open RFPs via My Portal.
Proposal Development Phase: Teams establish utility partnerships, assemble budgets, and submit PDF packages.
Evaluation Phase: PAC members score submittals against the 100-point rubric and conduct cost analyses.
Contracting Phase: WRF and recipient institutions execute the Project Funding Agreement within the 45-day window.
Execution and Reporting Phase: Investigators perform experiments, gather utility data, and submit periodic progress reports.
Peer Review and Closeout Phase: PAC approves final deliverables, utilities reconcile financial accounts, and WRF publishes the report.

Common mistakes

As described in the official Water Research Foundation proposal guidelines (dated May 2026, verified 2026-11-11), applicants frequently face rejection due to recurring errors:

Exceeding the 15% Indirect Cost Rate Ceiling: Proposing overhead based on institutional NICRA rates rather than capping indirect costs at 15%.
Late Portal Account Setup: Missing deadlines because organizational account requests were submitted too late.
Submitting Encrypted or Password-Protected PDFs: Triggering automated administrative rejection.
Missing Required Financial Schedules: Omitting entity financial statements, overhead breakdowns, or signed W-9/W-8BEN forms.
Weak Utility Engagement: Failing to integrate utility staff into project scopes and Co-Funding Support Forms.
Formatting Violations: Reducing font sizes below 12 points, exceeding page limits, or altering standard 1-inch margins.

Related programs (table)

As described on the official page on 2026-11-11, several organizations provide related funding across the water sector:

Program	Managing Entity	Primary Scope	Funding Model	Eligible Applicants
Water Research Foundation (WRF)	The Water Research Foundation	Applied “One Water” research across drinking, wastewater, storm, and reuse	Competitive RFPs ($100k-$400k+), utility match, 15% ICR cap	Universities, water utilities, consulting engineering firms worldwide
EPA Water Research Grants (STAR/ORD)	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency	Federal research on water reuse, lead exposure, and aquatic contamination	Federal grants and cooperative agreements ($1M-$5M+), full NICRA	U.S. academic institutions, state/local agencies, tribal entities
NSF Environmental Engineering	National Science Foundation (ENG/CBET)	Fundamental engineering science, pollutant mechanics, and water purification	Federal research grants ($300k-$600k+), full university NICRA	U.S. universities and nonprofit research institutions
Desalination and Water Purification Research	U.S. Bureau of Reclamation	Desalination technology, membrane pilot testing, and brine management	Federal cost-share grants with mandatory non-federal match (25%-50%)	Universities, utilities, private firms, non-profits
Water Resources Research Act Program (Section 104)	U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)	Regional watershed hydrology, water supply planning, and workforce training	Annual state base grants and national competitive grants	State Water Resources Research Institutes and university researchers

FAQ

What is the difference between the Research Priority Program and Tailored Collaboration?

The Research Priority Program is WRF’s primary competitive funding stream, featuring RFPs developed through the Research Advisory Council to address broad, industry-wide challenges. The Tailored Collaboration Program is a matching grant mechanism where an individual subscriber utility sponsors research focused on a regional challenge, pairing utility matching cash with WRF funds.

What is WRF’s maximum allowable indirect cost rate?

WRF enforces a strict 15% ceiling on authorized indirect cost rates (ICR) for all subrecipients, regardless of whether the organization holds a higher federally negotiated rate (NICRA). This ceiling applies directly to the nominal value of the indirect cost rate across all budget categories.

Are international universities and research institutes eligible to apply for WRF grants?

Yes. WRF accepts proposals from accredited universities, research organizations, and consulting engineering entities worldwide. International applicants must provide IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E in lieu of Form W-9 and submit comparable institutional financial statements.

How are WRF research proposals evaluated and scored?

Proposals are scored on a 100-point scale by WRF Research Managers and an independent Project Advisory Committee (PAC) across five criteria: Technical and Scientific Merit (30 points), Understanding the Problem and Responsiveness to RFP (20 points), Qualifications, Capabilities, and Management (20 points), Communication Plan and Deliverables (15 points), and Budget and Schedule (15 points).

Does WRF require utility participation on research projects?

While some specialized investigations may be university-led, WRF strongly values and frequently requires direct water utility participation. Utilities provide field testing facilities, water quality sampling, and operational data, and they must be given an opportunity to review their data and conclusions prior to publication.

Sources

The Water Research Foundation (WRF). Guidelines for Research Priority Program Proposals (May 2026). The Water Research Foundation (read 2026-11-11). https://portal.waterrf.org/core/media/media.nl?id=350043&c=9336228&h=8Plt54arIryvX-1alddYXDGtMziqlp1t7ThZLFBn_LZmAcXE&_xt=.pdf
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA Awards $6.4M for Research to Support National Water Reuse Efforts (October 4, 2022). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (read 2026-11-11). https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-awards-64m-research-support-national-water-reuse-efforts
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA Awards $1.9 Million to Water Research Foundation to Research Lead in Drinking Water (April 25, 2018). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (read 2026-11-11). https://www.epa.gov/archive/epa/newsreleases/epa-awards-19-million-water-research-foundation-research-lead-drinking-water.html
Office of the Federal Register & eCFR. 2 CFR Part 200: Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). eCFR (read 2026-11-11). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200
Office of the Federal Register & eCFR. 48 CFR Subpart 31.2: Contracts with Commercial Organizations. eCFR (read 2026-11-11). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-48/chapter-1/subchapter-E/part-31/subpart-31.2