Tailored Collaboration Program
The Tailored Collaboration (TC) Program is a matching program designed to support utility-specific/regional issues. It provides an opportunity for subscribing utilities to partner with WRF on regional research projects or projects that address issues of interest to a significant subgroup of WRF subscribers. Each year, 20% of WRF’s budget is allocated to this program.
The TC call for pre-proposals is now open. Pre-proposals are due by 5 pm ET on June 3, 2024. Submitters will be notified about the outcome of pre-proposal review within two months of the submission deadline. Short-listed research teams will be given approximately 45 days to complete and submit their full proposals. The final funding decisions will be made by mid-November.
Learn what others are saying about the Tailored Collaboration Program
How a taste & odor event prompted the City of St. Louis to turn to WRF's TC program
Learn about several topics the City of Calgary has addressed through this program
Learn how a collaborative effort is investigating biofilter optimization
Overview
Projects funded under the TC Program are chosen annually through a two-stage competitive process:
Stage 1: WRF issues an annual call for pre-proposals. Submitted ideas are evaluated and approved by the Tailored Collaboration Review Committee (TCRC).
Stage 2: Applicants whose pre-proposals were approved in Stage 1 are invited to submit full proposals to compete for funding. The full proposals are evaluated and approved by the TCRC.
Applicants can apply for a 1:1 match of up to $150,000 in WRF funds.
Program Details
- Each TC proposal must be sponsored by a utility that has paid its WRF subscription
- Cash match is required in order to submit a proposal to the program
- WRF will provide a 1:1 match, up to $150,000, for every $1 in cash that a subscriber or group of subscribers provides toward the project.
There is no minimum in-kind contribution required.
Selection Criteria
Proposals are selected based on:
- Topic breadth and applicability
- Originality
- Technical approach
- Budget
- Management plan
- Qualifications of key personnel
Process
First, submit a pre-proposal according to the Tailored Collaboration Program pre-proposal guidelines. Those who submit the best pre-proposals will be invited to submit full proposals.
Pre-proposal Guidelines
Visit WRF's Proposal Guidelines page to access supporting documentation, deadline requirements, and information regarding where to send your pre-proposal for the Tailored Collaboration Program.
Pre-proposal Submission
After you've downloaded and filled out the required documents, visit our proposal management system to submit your pre-proposal.
Awarded Projects
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2023
- Determining the Role of Spectral Imaging as an Early Warning System for Presence/Significance of Algal Blooms (5266)
- HTL Aqueous Stream Anaerobic Co-Digestion and Ammonia Recovery to Enhance the Technical and Economic Viability of HTL Technology for Biosolids Treatment (5267)
- Lithium Treatment Strategies in Drinking Water (5268)
- Understanding the Factors Affecting PFAS Variability in the Potomac River Watershed
- Pop-Up Hyporheic Zones (PUHZO): A Novel Modular Technology to Treat Phosphorus in Urban Drool and Dry-Weather Creeks
- Balancing Carbon Management, Energy Production, Nutrient Removal and Densification
- Evaluation of Adsorptive Medias for Optimizing Siloxane Removal from Biogas
- RT-ddPCR for EBPR Biomonitoring (5273)
- Evaluating the Full-Scale Impacts of Densified Activated Sludge on Disinfection Efficacy; Connecting Water Quality and Disinfectant Dose-Response
- Characterization and Pilot Testing of Microwave Reactivation for PFAS-laden Granular Activated Carbons (5275)
- PFAS Fingerprinting for Source Identification Using Machine Learning (5276)
- Cal-Val Guide To Treatment Credits For Indirect Potable Reuse In California (5277)
-
2022
- A Simple and Cost-Effective Alternative Analytical Method for Monitoring and Optimizing Chloramine Chemistry in a Distribution System (5215)
- Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP) Rehabilitation Emissions Study (5216)
- Evolution and Characterization of Water Quality in Quarry Lakes (5217)
- Inactivation of Amoeba-Internalized Legionella pneumophila by UV-LED and Multi-Barrier Approaches (5218)
- Performic Acid Disinfection in Wastewater Effluent and CSOs in Context of Disinfection Byproducts and Future Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Viruses (5219)
- Sewer Methane Methods for Everyone (5220)
- Impact of Solid Stream Treatment on Microplastics in Biosolids (5221)
-
2021
- Impact of UV Treatment on Microbial Communities in a Full-Scale Drinking Water Distribution System (5151)
- Identifying Service Line Materials without Excavation: Distinguishing LSLs from Non-LSLs (5152)
- Evaluation of Bench-Scale Methods to Predict Drinking Water PFAS Removal Performance of Ion Exchange and Novel Adsorbents at Pilot- and Full-Scale (5153)
- Autonomous In Situ Monitoring of Harmful Algal Blooms (5154)
- Developing Strategic Consumer Messaging for Microplastics in Drinking Water Supplies (5155)
-
2020
- Post-Wildfire Distribution System Water Quality Impacts and Potential Responses (5106)
- Understanding Pyrolysis for PFAS Removal (5107)
- Acid+ Digestion (5108)
- Application of Finite Element Analysis in the Design of Large-Diameter Buried Pressure Pipes: Special Cases (5109)
- Filtration Process Control for Pathogen Removal and Climate Change Adaptation (5110)
- Stuyding the Fate of PFAS through Sewage Sludge Incinerators (5111)
-
2019
- Managing Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP) to Extend Asset Life (5069)
- Application of Nanobubble Technology in Water Treatment (5070)
- Demonstration of Progressive Carbon Efficient Nitrogen with Biological Phosphorous Removal in a Conventional BNR Facility (5071)
- Mitigation Strategy Plan for Direct Greenhouse Emissions from BNR Processes in New York City (5072)
- Understanding and Improving Reuse Biofilter Performance during Transformation from GAC to BAC (5092)
Please contact Dr. Kenan Ozekin by phone (303.734.3464) or email with questions about the Tailored Collaboration Program.