Desalination and Water Purification Research Program

The objectives of this NAA/TAP funding opportunity are to provide funding for drought relief actions/projects that mitigate drought impacts for designated federally recognized tribes within the Colorado River Basin (see Eligibility section for list of tribes), and which advance Presidential and Department of the Interior Priorities within the Basin.Proposals should meet one or more of the following objectives:Mitigate drought impacts,Increase drought resiliency,Reduce reliance on declining water sources,Increase the efficiency of water deliveries,Mitigate the loss of tribal water or water related resources,Address drinking water shortages or,Advance Presidential or Department of the Interior Priorities in these areasReclamation Plans to make Fiscal Year 2025 funds available for proposals selected for this NOFO:Maximum award per tribe: $1,000,000No cost share is statutorily required; however, partnering and collaboration, including through cost sharing, is encouraged.The NAA/TAP 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). Funding Opportunity Number: R26AS00021. Assistance Listing: 15.519. Funding Instrument: CA,G. Category: NR. Award Amount: $50K – $1M per award.

Industrial Water Reuse Request for Proposals (RFP): NAWI-4-2026 is sponsored by National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) / U.S. Department of Energy. This RFP seeks proposals for pilots and demonstrations of onsite solutions for treating and reusing water within a specific unit process, treating wastewater from one process for use in other processes (with an emphasis on leveraging advanced treatment technologies to “upgrade” water quality), or utilizing “nuisance water” or wastewater from one facility for high-value applications in an adjoining facility. It targets high-priority, non-traditional water sources at U.S. industrial sites, including cooling water, process and rinse water, and wastewater treatment effluent. Produced water treatment desalination aligns well with upgrading water quality from non-traditional sources.

Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) is sponsored by U.S. Department of the Interior - Bureau of Reclamation. The DWPR Program provides financial assistance for research and development projects in desalination and water treatment that lead to improved technologies for converting unusable water sources into usable supplies, including produced waters from oil and gas activities. This NOFO invites proposals for innovative laboratory and pilot-scale water treatment research.