Office of Research
BAA: Establishing Consortia to Advance Energy-Water Security
The primary objective of the National Science Foundation’s Energy Water Security Initiative (EWSI) is to secure American energy and national infrastructure resilience by producing measurable reductions in vulnerabilities where water scarcity threatens energy production, baseload stability, and industrial water extraction. This effort aims to accelerate deployment of technical solutions, with a priority focus on the systemic crisis within the Colorado River Basin.
This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is soliciting Phase 1 projects to develop consortia to produce measurable reductions in vulnerabilities where water scarcity threatens reliable energy production, baseload stability, and industrial water extraction. This effort prioritizes accelerating deployment of technical solutions, with a priority focus on the Colorado River Basin. Priority program outcomes are (1) Water for Energy Reliability and Reservoir Resilience and (2) Energy-Water Efficiency and Industrial Success.
The NSF Energy Water Security Initiative seeks to develop the critical framework needed for research and development and accelerated, high-impact deployment. This initiative implements a two-phase program. Phase 1 awardees receive resources to develop consortia comprising multi-sector partnerships that can deliver on the goals of this initiative. Consortia should include regional partners and provide the collaborative infrastructure needed to accelerate development and deployment of technical capabilities. Phase 2 awardees will receive significant resources to expand the scale of projects leading to rapid completion and deployment of secure, public-domain technologies.
Application Instructions
Please submit as one combined pdf labeled with PI’s Lastname, Firstname:
- A one‐page letter of intent with a description of proposed aims and approach.
- If the final application requires a statement of broader impacts, please summarize your plans to address the specific requirements on an additional page.
- CV (not biosketch) of the PI including past grant funding.
to limitedsubs@uw.edu by 5:00 PM Thursday, July 30, 2026. Late pre-proposals will not be considered. Proposals are due to the sponsor 8/6/2026 so you will need to have your materials in to the Office of Sponsored Programs by 8/3/2026 (3-day deadline) if given the go‐ahead by the Limited Submissions review committee.
Inquiries and Contact Information
Investigators who identify a grant, award or fellowship program that restricts the number of applications that can be submitted from an Institution should immediately contact their Chairperson, Associate Dean for Research (or Dean, if no ADR) and the Office of Research (see below) if they intend to prepare a response. Failure to do so, or to meet the deadlines for submission of pre-proposal, will preclude submission of the application through the Office of Sponsored Programs.
For general inquiries, or to request a listing of a limited submission opportunity that should be but is not already listed, please email us at limitedsubs@uw.edu.