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Division announces $6.5M in watershed funding, FY26 procurement shift and grant deadlines
Summary
Division staff said $5 million and $1.5 million pots are available through the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust, restated a likely Oct. 15 application deadline, and previewed a move to more targeted, procurement-style FY26 research RFPs to focus science toward management questions.
Division staff and Tech Team leaders announced funding and process changes intended to focus research funding toward management priorities.
Ben Seyrman (Division/tech-team remarks) said the Division recently released $5,000,000 and an additional $1,500,000 through the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust for projects and urged wetland managers and project leads to apply. Staff indicated applications are open and said they would circulate links; the transcript notes an application due date of October 15 to be confirmed by staff.
Marissa Weinberg explained that contracting for some FY25 grants was delayed by staff turnover and by adjustments required after House Bill 335, which prompted changes to contracting language; she said those FY25 contracts are now executing. Looking ahead, she said the Tech Team will change the FY26 funding approach from an open 'hot topics' call to a procurement-style RFP that specifies research questions and outcomes (Marissa cited brine-fly research as an example of a targeted RFP topic). She encouraged attendees to volunteer for a subcommittee to help craft the FY26 research questions ahead of the December 10 meeting.
“We're gonna ask for more specific research,” Weinberg said, describing the planned procurement RFP for targeted brine fly research. Division staff also asked interested participants to e-mail if they want to serve on the subcommittee drafting RFP questions.
Presenters clarified current Tech Team grant pool size (about $500,000 per year for the tech team hot-topics grants, noting amounts can fluctuate) and said some funds were withheld this year for a mineral-extraction study with USGS. Staff said additional details and confirmed deadlines will be distributed by email.
