Unsolicited Research Program
The Unsolicited Research Program is designed to fund innovative research projects that can significantly advance scientific knowledge and result in practical water quality solutions. The program routinely receives 10% of WRF’s allocated research budget each year.
The next Unsolicited Research Program Call for Pre‑proposals will open in 2026.
Overview
Projects funded under the Unsolicited Research Program are selected through a two-stage competitive process:
Stage 1: WRF issues a call for pre-proposals. Submitted pre-proposals are evaluated by WRF's Research Advisory Council (RAC). A short list of proposers will be invited to submit full proposals for review and consideration.
Stage 2: Applicants whose pre-proposals were short listed in Stage 1 submit full proposals to compete for funding. The full proposals are evaluated and approved by the RAC.
The total budget available for all projects funded under the Unsolicited Research Program in 2024 was $1,805,347. Funding ranges from $25,000–$175,000 for individual projects.
Selection Criteria
Pre-Proposals will be selected based on:
- Technical and Scientific Merit
- Project Originality
- Technical Approach
- Significance and Value of Research
- Project Schedule and Qualifications of Key Personnel/Organizational Capacity
Note that the selection criteria for the full proposals may be different and will be provided to all shortlisted pre-proposers at the time of pre-proposal selection notification.
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2024
2024
Funding Available
$1,805,347
Pre-proposals Received
164
Top Pre-proposals Topics
CECs (e.g., PFAS), Advanced Treatment/Water Reuse, Drinking Water Quality (e.g., pathogens), Wastewater Treatment, Desalination, Biosolids, Cyanobacteria, Intelligent Water Systems, Resource Recovery, Stormwater/Green Infrastructure
Projects Awarded
- Optimizing BAC Performance for Chemical Peaking in Potable Reuse (5322)
- Pilot-Scale Adsorption of PFAS in RO Concentrate from Potable Reuse Systems (5323)
- A New Rulebook for Effluent Organic Matter (EfOM): Redefining Optical Surrogates for Carbon-based Advanced Treatment (CBAT) in Potable Water Reuse (5324)
- Headworks Reservoir Complex Direct Potable Reuse Pilot (5325)
- Treatment Mitigation of the Chemical Peaking of Low Molecular Weight Organic Contaminants in Potable Reuse (5326)
- Utility Business Models for Managing Water Demand Reduction (5327)
- Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment of PFAS-Contaminated Sludge (5328)
- Evaluation and Management of PFAS-Enriched Solids Dewatering Streams (5329)
- Development of a Novel Low-Cost Boron Doped Diamond Microfluidic Cell for Rapid Online PFAS Destruction, Detection and Quantification in Water (5330)
- Nanobubbles for Mitigating Membrane Fouling: A Novel Approach to Anti-fouling and De-fouling (5331)
- Developing Aromatic DBPs as Improved Metrics for DBP Exposure (5332)
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2022
Funding Available
$984,390
Pre-proposals Received
102
Top Pre-proposal Topics
Advanced Treatment/Water Reuse, CECs (e.g., PFAS), Drinking Water Quality (e.g., pathogens), Biosolids, Intelligent Water Systems, Resource Recovery
Projects Awarded
- Give Membranes the Virus Removal Credit They Deserve, Using Rapid In-Field Molecular-Based Methods (5209)
- Real-Time Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in RO-Based Potable Reuse (5210)
- Understanding the Value Proposition for Thermal Processes to Mitigate PFAS in Biosolids (5211)
- Enhanced Aeration and Scum Recovery for Physical Removal of PFAS from Wastewater (5212)
- Inactivation of Biofilm-bound Opportunistic Pathogens in Premise Plumbing Using UVC LEDs (5213)
- Direct In Situ Measurement of PFAS Transformation & Leaching from Land-Applied Biosolids (5214)
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2020
Funding Available
$642,674
Pre-proposals Received
138
Top Pre-proposals Topics
PFAS, Drinking Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Water Quality, Harmful Algal Blooms, Advanced Water Treatment, Nutrients
Projects Awarded
- Rapid Detection and Quantitation of Active Microorganisms (5100)
- Real-Time Carbon Management of Water Resource Recovery Facilities Using In-Situ Bio-electrochemical Sensors (5101)
- Application of Novel Method to Estimate Total PFAS Content in Water (5102)
- Microwave Regeneration of PFAS-Exhausted Granular Activated Carbons (5103)
- Use of DNA Nanostructures as Viral Surrogates in Potable Reuse Applications (5104)
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2018
2018
Funding Available
$354,090
Pre-proposals Received
120
Top Pre-proposals Topics
Water Treatment Processes (Treatment Intensification), Microbes & Pathogens, Constituents of Emerging Concern, Reuse, Stormwater
Projects Awarded
- Partial Denitrification Anammox as Alternative Pathway to Achieve Mainstream Short-Cut Nitrogen Removal (5027)
- Fate of Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) and Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens in Full-Scale Activated Sludge Processes and the Optimization of Activated Sludge Processes for Reduction of ARGs (5028)
- Environmental Persistence and Disinfection of Lassa Virus and SARS-CoV-2 to Protect Worker and Public Safety (5029)