Great Salt Lake research grants: proposals due Nov. 13 for projects starting in 2027

The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands is accepting proposals for Great Salt Lake research projects until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, and says no exceptions will be made for late submissions. Proposals go by email as a single PDF to the division's Great Salt Lake program manager. Neither the page nor the request names a time zone. ^[1][2]

Applicants can seek up to $125,000 for a one-year project in state fiscal year 2028 or up to $200,000 for a two-year project spread over fiscal years 2028 and 2029. The division expects to award up to $380,000 for fiscal 2028 and up to $250,000 of fiscal 2029 money for the second year of two-year projects, and it may not award all of it. Overhead may not exceed 10% of a project budget. ^[2]

The call lists topics identified by the Great Salt Lake Technical Team, including salinity extremes, microbialites, the lake's water budget, brine flies, salt balance, phragmites and wetland vegetation, lake bathymetry, microbiomes, dust and birds. Proposals outside those topics will also be considered if they offer a significant gain in knowledge or management. ^[2]

Federal, state, tribal and local governments, communities, businesses, universities, colleges and nonprofits may apply. Research data and reports are to be publicly available, and grantees present findings at a public technical team meeting. ^[2]

The funding years run from July 1. The contract period starts July 1, 2027 or when the division approves the contract, whichever is later. Applicants will be told their funding status by the end of January 2027, and the division says that notice is not an official grant award. ^[1][2]