Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 21 SOI 0010
The grant opportunity, titled "Identifying and Applying Engineering With Nature (EWN) Solutions to Inland Locations of the Central United States" (Funding Opportunity Number W81EWF 21 SOI 0010), is a Department of Defense effort managed through the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and aligned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineering With Nature initiative. It is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.630 (Science and Technology and other Research and Development). The posted award ceiling is $750,000, with one award expected. The opportunity was created March 11, 2021, and originally closed May 10, 2021. The work is described as CESU-funded, indicating it is intended to be carried out within a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units framework, with eligibility listed broadly as "Others" subject to the additional eligibility details in the full notice.
At its core, the project is meant to build a coordinated research-and-development and demonstration pipeline for nature-based and nature-inspired engineering approaches in inland environments of the Central United States, especially the Great Plains and other agricultural regions. The program is explicitly focused on understanding and addressing interconnected system drivers that shape inland water and infrastructure outcomes, including agricultural processes, inland rivers and reservoir water quality, weather and climate extremes, and the energy-water nexus. The structure is phased: Year 1 is intended to stand up the program foundation and deliver early outputs, while Years 2 and 3 (if funded) would scale the enterprise, deepen the research portfolio, and broaden partnerships and engagement activities.
The first major requirement (Objective 1) is to establish a collaborative EWN research and development enterprise focused on inland systems in the Central U.S. This objective is about prioritizing and then launching a set of coordinated, multidisciplinary R&D projects that expand the existing EWN portfolio into inland contexts. The solicitation lays out specific topic areas the project set should cover: identifying EWN opportunities in the Great Plains region; applying EWN in agricultural landscapes and sectors; developing EWN solutions for hydrologic challenges in inland rivers and reservoirs; evaluating how weather extremes and climate change affect EWN project performance and resilience; assessing water-quality benefits (direct or indirect) attributable to EWN interventions; and exploring EWN opportunities where water management and energy systems intersect. The emphasis is not simply on individual studies, but on building a suite of projects that collectively target clear endpoints that advance EWN science and practice. In Year 1, the expectation is that USACE EWN researchers and the selected team will initiate roughly 3 to 5 EWN R&D projects, with an eye toward producing transferable methods, tools, and lessons that can be adopted more widely.
The second requirement (Objective 2) is to identify and actively pursue field-demonstration projects, recognizing that real-world demonstrations are essential to validating and refining EWN solutions. These demonstrations are framed as applied research projects that connect the technical work from Objective 1 to on-the-ground implementation, monitoring, and learning. A key feature is that demonstrations should expand collaboration beyond the core award team and USACE researchers to include additional partners, which could include local, state, regional, or other stakeholders depending on the site and problem. The notice gives an illustrative example: a pilot EWN demonstration designed to address hydrologic challenges in inland rivers and reservoirs. Demonstration selection is expected to be deliberate and systems-based, considering constraints and opportunities at the basin or system level and weighing factors such as environmental conditions, partner collaboration, feasibility for monitoring and modeling, access to informative existing or newly collected data, public interest, and contributions of collaborative funding. The Year 1 deliverable target is to identify and actively pursue 2 to 3 field demonstration projects.
The third requirement (Objective 3) is to launch and operate a communication platform that improves public communication and accelerates knowledge sharing across the EWN network. This objective treats communication as a core workstream rather than an afterthought, with an expectation of timely and regular delivery of products and engagement activities that support EWN strategic outcomes for public benefit. The solicitation lists a broad set of acceptable products, including workshops and symposia, news stories, videos or documentaries, graphics, case study reporting, technical notes, and peer-reviewed journal articles. The selected team is expected to work closely with EWN leadership and researchers to produce most, and potentially all, of these outputs. The Year 1 production targets are specific and measurable: at least two workshops or symposia, one video, two to three technical notes, and two journal articles. These products are also positioned as vehicles for education and outreach, suggesting the program values both practitioner uptake and broader public understanding.
In terms of the team profile, the opportunity is clearly designed for a multidisciplinary group capable of integrating natural sciences, engineering, and applied monitoring/modeling. The notice signals that a competitive application would bring expertise spanning agricultural science and engineering, biogeochemistry, stream and wetland restoration, numerical modeling, water-quality monitoring, ecosystem restoration, and hydrodynamics and sediment transport modeling. It also calls for demonstrated experience designing and implementing Engineering With Nature strategies in inland settings, conducting ecological monitoring and modeling of restoration projects, integrating human-use benefits into infrastructure planning and delivery, advancing beneficial use of dredged sediment where relevant, quantifying benefits derived from restoration efforts, and modeling riverine and reservoir systems. Taken together, the opportunity is best understood as an effort to build a sustained, collaborative pipeline that moves from concept and analysis to field validation and then to products that support technology transfer and broader adoption of EWN approaches across inland waters of the Central United States.Apply for W81EWF 21 SOI 0010
- The Department of Defense, Engineer Research and Development Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Identifying and Applying Engineering With Nature® (EWN) Solutions to Inland Locations of the Central United States" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 11, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2021. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Identifying and Applying Engineering With Nature (EWN) Solutions to Inland Locations of the Central United States."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is W81EWF 21 SOI 0010.
Which federal organization is offering and managing this opportunity?
This is a Department of Defense effort managed through the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and aligned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineering With Nature (EWN) initiative.
What type of award is this?
The opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.630 (Science and Technology and other Research and Development).
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The posted award ceiling is $750,000.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on March 11, 2021, and originally closed on May 10, 2021.
What does it mean that the work is described as CESU-funded?
It indicates the project is intended to be carried out within a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) framework.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," subject to additional eligibility details in the full notice.
What is the overall purpose of this project?
The project is meant to build a coordinated research-and-development and demonstration pipeline for nature-based and nature-inspired engineering approaches in inland environments of the Central United States, with particular emphasis on the Great Plains and other agricultural regions.
What geographic area is this project focused on?
The focus is inland locations of the Central United States, especially the Great Plains and other agricultural regions.
What kinds of challenges or system drivers does the program focus on?
The program focuses on interconnected system drivers influencing inland water and infrastructure outcomes, including agricultural processes, inland rivers and reservoir water quality, weather and climate extremes, and the energy-water nexus.
How is the work structured over time?
The structure is phased. Year 1 is intended to establish the program foundation and deliver early outputs. Years 2 and 3 (if funded) would scale the enterprise, deepen the research portfolio, and broaden partnerships and engagement activities.
What are the main objectives of the project?
There are three main objectives: (1) establish a collaborative EWN research and development enterprise focused on inland systems in the Central U.S.; (2) identify and actively pursue field-demonstration projects; and (3) launch and operate a communication platform to improve public communication and accelerate knowledge sharing across the EWN network.
What is Objective 1 about?
Objective 1 requires establishing a collaborative EWN research and development enterprise focused on inland systems in the Central U.S. It involves prioritizing and launching coordinated, multidisciplinary R&D projects that expand the EWN portfolio into inland contexts.
What topic areas should Objective 1 projects cover?
The solicitation specifies topic areas for the coordinated project set, including: identifying EWN opportunities in the Great Plains region; applying EWN in agricultural landscapes and sectors; developing EWN solutions for hydrologic challenges in inland rivers and reservoirs; evaluating impacts of weather extremes and climate change on EWN performance and resilience; assessing water-quality benefits attributable to EWN interventions; and exploring EWN opportunities at the intersection of water management and energy systems.
How many R&D projects are expected to be initiated in Year 1 under Objective 1?
In Year 1, the expectation is to initiate roughly 3 to 5 EWN research and development projects.
What is the intended outcome of the Year 1 R&D project set?
The Year 1 project set is intended to produce transferable methods, tools, and lessons that can be adopted more widely, while also advancing EWN science and practice in inland contexts.
What is Objective 2 about?
Objective 2 focuses on identifying and actively pursuing field-demonstration projects. These demonstrations are treated as applied research that links the technical work from Objective 1 to on-the-ground implementation, monitoring, and learning.
Why are field demonstrations emphasized in this opportunity?
Field demonstrations are framed as essential for validating and refining EWN solutions through real-world application, monitoring, and iterative learning.
How many field demonstration projects are targeted in Year 1?
The Year 1 deliverable target is to identify and actively pursue 2 to 3 field demonstration projects.
What kinds of partners are expected to be involved in demonstration projects?
Demonstrations are expected to expand collaboration beyond the core award team and USACE researchers to include additional partners, which could include local, state, regional, or other stakeholders depending on the site and problem.
What example of a demonstration project does the notice provide?
The notice provides an illustrative example of a pilot EWN demonstration designed to address hydrologic challenges in inland rivers and reservoirs.
How should potential demonstration sites or projects be selected?
Selection is expected to be deliberate and systems-based, considering basin- or system-level constraints and opportunities and weighing factors such as environmental conditions, partner collaboration, feasibility for monitoring and modeling, access to informative existing or newly collected data, public interest, and contributions of collaborative funding.
What is Objective 3 about?
Objective 3 requires launching and operating a communication platform to improve public communication and accelerate knowledge sharing across the EWN network. Communication is treated as a core workstream with expectations for timely and regular products and engagement activities.
What types of communication products are considered acceptable under Objective 3?
The solicitation lists many acceptable products, including workshops and symposia, news stories, videos or documentaries, graphics, case study reporting, technical notes, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
What are the Year 1 production targets for communication and outreach products?
The Year 1 targets include at least two workshops or symposia, one video, two to three technical notes, and two journal articles.
Is the selected team expected to produce all of the communication outputs?
The selected team is expected to work closely with EWN leadership and researchers to produce most, and potentially all, of the listed outputs.
What kind of team is this opportunity designed for?
The opportunity is designed for a multidisciplinary team capable of integrating natural sciences, engineering, and applied monitoring and modeling in inland environments.
What disciplines or technical areas are highlighted as relevant expertise?
The notice highlights expertise spanning agricultural science and engineering, biogeochemistry, stream and wetland restoration, numerical modeling, water-quality monitoring, ecosystem restoration, hydrodynamics, and sediment transport modeling.
What experience does the solicitation signal would strengthen an application?
It signals value in demonstrated experience designing and implementing EWN strategies in inland settings; conducting ecological monitoring and modeling of restoration projects; integrating human-use benefits into infrastructure planning and delivery; advancing beneficial use of dredged sediment where relevant; quantifying restoration benefits; and modeling riverine and reservoir systems.
What is meant by building a "pipeline" in this project?
Based on the description, the pipeline refers to a sustained, collaborative approach that moves from concept development and analysis, to coordinated R&D, to field validation through demonstrations, and then to products that support technology transfer and broader adoption of EWN approaches.
What types of environments and systems are central to the work described?
The work centers on inland environments in the Central U.S., including agricultural landscapes and sectors, inland rivers, and reservoirs, with attention to water-quality outcomes, hydrologic challenges, and broader system connections such as weather and climate extremes and the energy-water nexus.
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