Requests for Proposals

Pending availability of federal funds, we expect the Lake Champlain Sea Grant (LCSG) request for proposals (RFPs) to be released in the late fall of even-number years. Other Sea Grant RFPs are issued occasionally and will be shared on this page, and Vermont Water Center and Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC) RFPs will also be listed on this page.

Open RFPs:

Lake Champlain Sea Grant Competitive Call for Research Proposals - NOW OPEN

Award Period: February 1, 2026 - January 31, 2028

Q&A session for applicants: 1pm, March 19 (optional Zoom session)

Letters of intent due: April 18, 2025 (Required to be eligible to submit full proposal)

Full proposals due: May 23, 2025

Funding recommendations communicated: September 2025

Information and Forms Related to RFP

Note: 90-2 Form not required with submission of full proposal.

Request for Proposals (PDF)

RFP Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (PDF)

LCSG Data Sharing and Management Policy and Plan (PDF)

90-4 Budget Form (Zip file with fillable XLSM)

NOAA Budget Narrative Guidance

NEPA Questionnaire (DOCX) and Instructions (PDF)

Summary

Lake Champlain Sea Grant requests proposals for research in the Lake Champlain basin that align with our Strategic Plan in the areas of:

  • Environmental literacy and workforce development
  • Healthy coastal ecosystems
  • Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
  • Resilient communities and economies

Lake Champlain Sea Grant strives to fund scientists from diverse backgrounds and achieve outcomes for diverse and underserved communities; please see the announcement for research topics.

Researchers may request up to $100,000 in federal Sea Grant funds for one-year projects or $200,000 for two-year projects to cover direct and indirect costs. Federal support must be matched with non-federal funds at the rate of $1 in non-federal matching funds for every $2 requested of federal Sea Grant funds (i.e., a 50% match). We expect to allocate approximately $900,000 in federal Sea Grant funds to support research projects selected from this research competition. 

LCSG strives to fund scientists from diverse backgrounds and achieve outcomes for diverse and underserved communities. Institutions of higher education, state and local government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and businesses that conduct research in the Lake Champlain basin in New York and Vermont are eligible to respond to this request for proposals (RFP).  

Contact: gretchen.nareff [at] uvm.edu (Gretchen Nareff)

Previous RFPs:

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Institutes for Water Resources Annual State 104b Research Competition - NOW OPEN

The Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center welcomes graduate student and faculty research proposals focusing on critical water resources science and management needs in Vermont, including the Connecticut River basin and the Lake Champlain basin, from investigators based at an institute of higher education in Vermont. The Vermont Water Center especially welcomes proposals from professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color and from early-career professionals.

Proposals may support research, outreach, education, training, and other information-transfer activities focused on physical, biological, chemical, social (equity), or engineering aspects of water quality or quantity. Two types of proposals will be considered: Graduate Research and Faculty Research.

December 6, 2024: Deadline for submission of a letter of intent to the Vermont Water Center (vwrlsc [at] uvm.edu).
February 3, 2025: Deadline for proposal submission to the Vermont Water Center (vwrlsc [at] uvm.edu).

Find the Request for Proposals and more information on the Vermont Water Resources website.

Northeastern States Research Cooperative 2023 Request for Proposals - Closed

NSRC is pleased to announce the 2023 Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP aims to put science to work across the Northern Forest in support of a vibrant and thriving economy and culture, rooted in forest health. We expect to award nearly $5.5 million in funding for project awards that can begin in spring 2024. Research projects may range from small seed grants to three-year projects, with budgets ranging from $75,000 to $500,000. NSRC expects to fund between 15 and 25 projects in response to this RFP.
 
Timeline:

  • Letters of Intent due August 28, 2023.
  • Full proposals due September 26, 2023.
  • Notifications of funding decisions will be made February 2024.
LCSG Partnered Fellowship for Research on Coastal Adaptation and Resilience in the Lake Champlain Basin RFP - Closed

Project Period: August 1, 2023 - July 31, 2025

More information and application instructions

Social & Economic Impacts of PFAS in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Regions - Closed

Project Period: October 1, 2023 - March 31, 2025

More information and application instructions

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Institutes for Water Resources National Competitive Grants 104g and PFAS Competitions - Closed

The National Competitive Grants 104g program welcomes research on the following two topics: national-scale evaluation of water budget and socioeconomics.

The Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances Competitive Grants program welcomes proposals that explore the following three areas: media-specific methods, atmospheric sources, and processes oriented at molecular level. 

All applications must be submitted to the Vermont Water Center by April 27, 2023. More information: