Request for Applications: EREF Research Grants

Deadline Date: December 01, 2024

Donor Name: Environmental Research & Education Foundation

Grant Size: Not Available

The Environmental Research & Education Foundation is pleased to announce its Research Grants.

Priority Areas

• EREF has identified 3 key Priorities:
  • Climate Change Impacts/Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
    • Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions, including direct measurement, modeling, data & methodology
    • Impacts & reduction strategies from materials management collection & disposal options
    • Impact of materials management activities, including how they related to broader emissions in manufacturing/re-manufacturing 
  • Emerging Contaminants:
    • Potential impacts of emerging contaminants on materials management operations including leachate disposal/treatment, composting facility operations, anaerobic digestion facilities and digestate management
    • Fate and transport/environmental and health impacts from emerging contaminants, including those managed by materials facilities
    • Best practices/effective management strategies during materials collection and disposal
  • Advancing Materials Circularity & Recycling:
    • Evaluation/efficacy of policies that impact materials management or circularity
    • Assessment of trade-offs between environmental burdens associated with circular priorities
    • Understanding barriers/benefits experienced across the value chain

Duration 

• Typical project durations are about 2 years.
• Note: It should be noted that proposed research in excess of $300,000 or longer than 3 years should contain sufficient details that justify the need for the higher than average amount requested and longer project duration.

Eligibility Criteria

• Non-U.S. Institutions: There are no restrictions in regards to geographic location.  Any U.S. or non-U.S. institutions are eligible to apply.
• Non-Academic Institutions: Proposals will be accepted from non-academic institutions provided the principal investigators are qualified to conduct the research.
• Multiple Institutions: Submissions may include multiple institutions.
• Who Can Serve as a Principal Investigator: Principal investigators (PI) must be qualified to do the work proposed and should be experts in the subject matter referenced in the pre-proposal/proposal.  Typically this would include full-time faculty at academic institutions, post-doctoral employees, and principals or senior personnel at non-academic institutions.  Graduate students are not eligible to be principal investigators. However, graduate students are encouraged to consider applying to EREF’s scholarship program.
• Multiple Pre-Proposal Submissions: Pre-Proposal submissions are limited to two (2) submissions per principal investigator during a particular submission period.  Beyond this, the PI cannot be listed as a PI or co-PI on other submissions that round, but may be listed as a supporting investigator on other submissions.
• Repeat Submittals: Pre-proposals that did not receive an invitation to submit a full proposal may re-submit a revised version of the original pre-proposal once, and thereafter, approval must be obtained by EREF beforehand.  In the event a research topic is very closely related to a prior submittal by the same entity, EREF staff will make any determinations regarding whether or not a submitted proposal constitutes a re-submittal.
• Ovehead Costs: EREF will not pay indirect or overhead costs in excess of 25% of direct costs.  For non-academic institutions, the definition of overhead can vary. However, typically this refers to payment that denotes a time and materials rate multiplier of 1.25. Please contact EREF if your firm does not fit this model to discuss defining an appropriate overhead definition.
• Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is encouraged, but is not required.  For clarity, any cost sharing should not be listed in in the “Amount Requested” line of the pre-proposal form.  Only the amount requested from EREF should be listed.  If cost sharing will be a part of the proposal, the amount of the cost share and where it comes from can be noted in the full proposal if one is requested.
• In Kind Services and Additional External Funding: Because the amount of funding for research is limited, EREF encourages submitting parties to form partnerships with other funding sources (real-dollars or in-kind services).  Parties should identify the sources and amounts of external funding in their submissions. It is preferred that real dollars from external sources be managed through EREF rather than going to the research institution directly.  Note that in such instances this does not reduce the amount of these funds that go to the research institution.
• Including Educational Objectives/Efforts in Research Proposals: Pre-proposals do not need to contain specific or direct educational objectives.  There is no special consideration given to proposals when such objectives are included. If the proposed research includes substantial efforts related to education, these may be deemed an educational project. 
• Educational Projects: Grants are typically not provided to support the development of educational projects.  However, collaborations or partnerships with entities seeking to develop educational materials for sustainable solid waste management, including conferences or events, which advance the Foundation’s educational mission may be considered.  It is preferred that this be done with EREF being a primary stakeholder/partner in the event and that utilizes a revenue model that covers expenses for the project.  To be considered, proposed concepts should be discussed with EREF and should include:
  • a description of how the concept is unique or provides a value-add to the solid waste field, 
  • how EREF might be included as a partner/stakeholder, and 
  • how it relates to EREFs mission.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Thus, EREF will typically avoid funding proposals prepared with the following aims:
  • To directly commercialize and/or patent a particular technology or process
  • To provide venture capital or operating funds for start-up companies
  • To provide funds that primarily aid in the formation or initialization of community programs (e.g. recycling programs, re-use projects, etc)
  • To directly support lobbying activities
  • To fund conferences or events, except as noted under “Educational Projects”
  • To conduct research or evaluations with an extremely narrow scope.  Examples include projects that impact a small portion of the solid waste stream, benefit a single entity or community, or that cover a very small geographical area (e.g. a single county or town).

For more information, visit EREF.