Desalination and Water Purification Research Program for Fiscal Year(FY) 22 | R22AS00010

Opportunity Information: Apply for R22AS00010

The Desalination and Water Purification Research Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 22 is a discretionary federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, focused on science, technology, and applied research and development related to desalination and water purification. The opportunity is posted under Funding Opportunity Number R22AS00010 and is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the Bureau of Reclamation expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, collaboration on technical direction, review of progress, and coordination with program goals), rather than serving only as a pass-through funder.

This program is tied to CFDA 15.506 and is designed to support research entities working on technologies or approaches that improve desalination or water treatment outcomes, with the broader aim of strengthening water supply reliability through innovation. While the excerpt provided does not list specific topic areas or research priorities, the framing makes clear that the emphasis is on research and development in desalination and water purification, which can include technical advances, process improvements, and other R and D activities that help address water scarcity and treatment challenges.

Eligibility is intentionally broad for domestic applicants. Any responsible research entity can apply, including individuals, colleges and universities, for-profit organizations, private entities, state and local governments, administrators of federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), Tribal governments and Tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations. At the same time, there are clear exclusions: federal governmental entities are not eligible, and foreign entities are not eligible to apply or receive funding directly. Even with that limitation, the notice explicitly encourages applicants to draw on international expertise by partnering or collaborating in ways that do not involve direct awards to foreign entities. Examples of suggested international expertise sources include Israel, the Middle East Desalination Research Center, the European Desalination Society, Spain's Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, and other global academic and public institutions. In practical terms, that language signals that the program values proven global desalination experience and is open to applicants incorporating it through collaborations, advisory roles, data sharing, or other compliant arrangements, so long as the applicant and award recipient remain eligible.

From a funding standpoint, the listed award ceiling is $800,000, meaning an individual award under this notice can be funded up to that maximum amount. The posting notes "ExpectedAwards:" but does not provide a number in the supplied text, so the total number of awards cannot be inferred from the excerpt alone. The opportunity was created on July 7, 2021, with an original closing date of September 9, 2021, indicating it was a time-limited competition for FY22 funding.

For application logistics, the Bureau of Reclamation provides applicant support resources specifically aimed at navigating the Grants.gov submission process. The notice links to a "How to use Grants.gov" webinar hosted on YouTube (https://youtu.be/uhETFM21HM4) and a companion PowerPoint deck (https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/docs/GrantsGovApplicantGeneralOverview-USBR-7-2021.pdf). Those materials are intended to help applicants understand the federal online application workflow, common submission requirements, and practical steps to avoid errors that can lead to rejected or late submissions. In other words, beyond the technical merits of the proposed research, the agency is signaling that successful applicants should pay close attention to correct Grants.gov procedures and use the provided training resources to submit a complete, compliant package on time.

Overall, this NOFO funds desalination and water purification research through cooperative agreements administered by the Bureau of Reclamation, allows a wide range of U.S.-based applicants across academia, industry, nonprofits, and government (excluding federal agencies), prohibits direct funding to foreign entities while encouraging international collaboration, and offers awards up to $800,000 per project, with application support provided through official Grants.gov training materials.

• The Bureau of Reclamation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Desalination and Water Purification Research Program for Fiscal Year(FY) 22" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.506.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-07-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for R22AS00010

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