Funder: The Water Research Foundation
Due Dates: Monthly through November (WRF staff project submissions) | Throughout the year (funding approvals)
Funding Amounts: Typically $25,000–$100,000; maximum $200,000 per project; project add-ons generally limited to $40,000
Summary: Supports timely, subscriber-relevant research addressing urgent water-sector challenges and emerging issues, including additions to ongoing projects.
Key Information: This is a staff-driven program: project concepts are developed and submitted by WRF staff.
Description
The Water Research Foundation’s Emerging Opportunities (EO) Program rapidly funds research addressing urgent, high-priority challenges facing WRF subscribers and emerging issues that may shape the water sector’s future. It supports timely research ideas developed by WRF staff, as well as additional work that strengthens ongoing research projects. The program prioritizes time-sensitive issues with immediate impact, broad applicability, and an identifiable, useful anticipated outcome or research solution.
Supported work spans drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, and utility management. Funded research has addressed wildfire impacts on water systems, PFAS treatment and removal, stormwater capture, microplastics, artificial intelligence, utility governance, nitrification risks, and water quality monitoring. WRF’s Executive Committee provides strategic oversight and guidance and reviews and approves projects for funding.
