Opportunity Information: Apply for G25AS00484
The FY2025 Water Resources Research Act Program National Competitive Grants announcement for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) funding opportunity authorized under Section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended by several subsequent public laws. Under this authority, the Department of the Interior supports research through a nationwide network of Water Resources Research Institutes (WRRIs). These Institutes exist in every US state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Guam, with Guam also serving the Federated States of Micronesia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii also serving American Samoa. In practice, this means the program is structured around a formal Institute system rather than being open for direct submission by any individual organization outside that network.
Eligibility is narrowly defined at the applicant level: awards can only be made to the WRRIs established under Section 104(a) and listed by USGS. However, the program still creates a pathway for a wide range of researchers because any investigator at a US institution of higher education may apply as long as they apply through one of the WRRIs. The Institute acts as the official applicant and administrative home for the proposal. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by the university where the WRRI is located, and the submission package must include the full proposal along with standard federal forms (SF-424 and SF-424B) and the required budget forms. The announcement also notes that proposals may request matching funds from an Institute, but that decision is entirely up to the Institute Director, so matching support is possible but not guaranteed and should be coordinated locally.
The announcement includes several clear restrictions that define what will not be funded. Projects focused on health effects research involving human subjects are not eligible, which effectively steers applicants away from clinical, epidemiological, or other human-subjects-based PFAS health studies. Oceanography research is also excluded, although estuarine research is explicitly allowed, so coastal and river-estuary interface PFAS work may be appropriate while open-ocean studies would not be. Proposals that do not align with the program objectives, as outlined in the full announcement, are also ineligible, which signals that PFAS work must be tied to the water resources mission and the stated priorities rather than being PFAS-related in name only. In addition, Institutes or Centers that have not met reporting requirements on prior USGS awards are barred from receiving new funding, which makes compliance history a threshold eligibility issue.
Federal participation is allowed but carefully limited. Federal employees are encouraged to collaborate with university investigators, but they cannot serve as the principal investigator (PI); they may participate only as co-PIs. Just as important, federal employees and federal agencies cannot receive federal funds under these awards for any purpose, and they also cannot be counted as a source of matching funds. This preserves the program focus on supporting research capacity and activity housed in the WRRI and university environment rather than providing pass-through funding to federal entities.
Like most federal assistance programs, awards are subject to federal responsibility and eligibility checks. USGS will review the System for Award Management (SAM) Exclusions database for the applicant entity and key project personnel before making an award. If an entity or key personnel appear in SAM.gov as ineligible or otherwise excluded, USGS cannot make an award to them as long as that exclusion applies to this program. In practical terms, applicants should ensure their institutional SAM registration status is current and that there are no exclusions affecting either the applying Institute entity or the key individuals named in the proposal.
Key administrative details from the opportunity listing include that it is a discretionary grant program administered by USGS (CFDA 15.805; natural resources activity category). The funding opportunity number is G25AS00484, and the opportunity is titled "WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT PROGRAM NATIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS FY2025 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT For PER - AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS)." The original closing date is September 30, 2025, and the listed award ceiling is $309,000. The notice was created on August 15, 2025. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing, so applicants would need to consult the full announcement or USGS program communications for any additional context on typical award counts, project periods, and review criteria.Apply for G25AS00484
- The Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT PROGRAM NATIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS FY2025 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT For PER – AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.805.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-08-15.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-30. (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 $309,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is the FY2025 Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) Program National Competitive Grants announcement focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). It is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under Section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (as amended).
2) What is the official opportunity title?
The opportunity is titled: "WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT PROGRAM NATIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS FY2025 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT For PER - AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS)."
3) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is G25AS00484.
4) What CFDA program does this fall under?
The listing identifies CFDA 15.805.
5) Which agency administers the program?
The program is administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), within the Department of the Interior.
6) What is the program structure and who can apply as the applicant?
Awards can only be made to Water Resources Research Institutes (WRRIs) established under Section 104(a) and listed by USGS. The WRRI is the official applicant and the administrative home for the proposal.
7) If my organization is not a WRRI, can I still participate?
Direct submission by organizations outside the WRRI network is not allowed. However, investigators at U.S. institutions of higher education may apply through a WRRI, with the Institute serving as the applicant.
8) Where do WRRIs exist?
WRRIs exist in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Guam also serves the Federated States of Micronesia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii also serves American Samoa.
9) Who submits the application in Grants.gov?
Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by the university where the WRRI is located.
10) What forms and components are required in the submission package?
The submission package must include the full proposal, standard federal forms SF-424 and SF-424B, and the required budget forms.
11) What is the application deadline?
The original closing date listed is September 30, 2025.
12) When was the notice created?
The notice was created on August 15, 2025.
13) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $309,000.
14) How many awards will be made?
The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing. Additional context may be available in the full announcement or through USGS program communications.
15) Are matching funds required?
The announcement notes that proposals may request matching funds from an Institute, but matching support is not guaranteed. Any matching arrangement is up to the Institute Director and should be coordinated locally with the WRRI.
16) Can federal employees participate on the project?
Yes. Federal employees are encouraged to collaborate with university investigators, but they cannot serve as the principal investigator (PI). They may participate only as co-PIs.
17) Can federal agencies or federal employees receive funds under this award?
No. Federal employees and federal agencies cannot receive federal funds under these awards for any purpose.
18) Can federal participation count as match?
No. Federal employees and federal agencies cannot be counted as a source of matching funds.
19) What types of PFAS projects are explicitly not eligible?
Projects focused on health effects research involving human subjects are not eligible. This excludes clinical, epidemiological, or other human-subjects-based PFAS health studies under this opportunity.
20) Is oceanography research eligible?
No. Oceanography research is excluded under this opportunity.
21) Is estuarine research eligible?
Yes. Estuarine research is explicitly allowed, which may include PFAS work at river-estuary interfaces and similar coastal transition zones, as long as it aligns with program objectives.
22) What happens if a proposal does not align with the program objectives?
Proposals that do not align with the program objectives (as outlined in the full announcement) are ineligible. PFAS topics must be tied to the water resources mission and the stated priorities, not merely PFAS-related in name.
23) Can an Institute be barred from receiving funding due to past performance or compliance issues?
Yes. Institutes or Centers that have not met reporting requirements on prior USGS awards are barred from receiving new funding under this program.
24) Are there federal responsibility or eligibility checks prior to award?
Yes. USGS will review the System for Award Management (SAM) Exclusions database for the applicant entity and key project personnel before making an award.
25) What if the applicant entity or key personnel are listed as excluded in SAM.gov?
If the applicant entity or key personnel appear in SAM.gov as ineligible or otherwise excluded, USGS cannot make an award to them as long as the exclusion applies to this program.
26) What should applicants do regarding SAM registration and eligibility?
Applicants should ensure the institutional SAM registration status is current and confirm there are no exclusions affecting the applying Institute entity or the key individuals named in the proposal.
27) What category is this opportunity listed under?
The listing identifies the activity category as natural resources.
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