Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes
🏛 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers and academic institutions seeking to advance fundamental scientific understanding of water, landscape, and critical zone processes. Eligible applicants typically include universities (public, private, research-focused), nonprofit research institutions, community colleges, and some for-profit organizations collaborating with academic partners. The program supports proposals with scientific merit that investigate interactions between water, geology, biology, and ecology at the Earth's surface and near-surface environment. Geographic scope is typically U.S.-based research, though international collaboration is permitted. Supported activities include field research, laboratory experiments, modeling studies, and theoretical investigations into hydrological, geomorphological, and biogeochemical processes at local to watershed scales.
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Program description
The Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes program supports research on the Earth’s near-surface environment and how that environment responds to change. The Program focuses on the complex interplay amongst and between hydrologic, geomorphic, and geochemical processes and how they regulate the structure and function of the Earth’s near surface. These processes drive weathering and soil development, control water availability and quality, and help regulate the Earth’s climate system, all of which are important for natural resource sustainability and mitigation of natural hazards. It is expected that the research funded in this program will advance fundamental knowledge in Earth surface processes, leading to transformational discoveries in Earth Sciences.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- NSF Form 424 (R&R) and supporting forms
- Project narrative (15 pages typical for single-PI grants)
- References cited section (not counted in page limit)
- Budget and budget justification
- Current and pending support documentation
- Biographical sketches of all senior personnel
- Letters of collaboration (if applicable)
- Data management plan
- Facilities and equipment description
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. National Science Foundation
- 📧 grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
- 📞 703-292-4203
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 47.050 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$640,746,599
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$399,999,980
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$220,735,035
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$106,638,563
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$82,550,071
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$74,280,323
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$73,335,203
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$68,622,497
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$64,462,832
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$63,916,877
Top States by Funding
- TX 4 awards $689.8M
- MA 16 awards $667.5M
- OR 5 awards $452.4M
- CA 12 awards $286.7M
- NY 7 awards $217.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 47.050). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,009,920,000 | |
| 2025 | $1,013,630,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $374,350 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this NSF grant?
Primarily researchers at U.S. universities and nonprofit research institutions. Ph.D.-granting institutions, primarily undergraduate institutions, and two-year colleges can apply. Some for-profit entities may be eligible if they partner with academic institutions. Researchers must be citizens, permanent residents, or foreign nationals authorized to work in the U.S.
Is there a deadline?
This program operates on a rolling deadline, meaning proposals can be submitted throughout the year. Check the NSF website for any specific solicitation deadlines or reopen dates, as rolling programs may have program-specific cutoff dates.
What types of research activities are supported?
Proposals should focus on fundamental research in water and landscape processes, including hydrology, groundwater-surface water interactions, weathering and erosion, biogeochemical cycling, ecosystem-landscape interactions, and critical zone science. Both field-based and laboratory research are supported.
How competitive is this program?
NSF research grants are highly competitive. Typical success rates range from 20-25% across NSF programs. Strong proposals require novel scientific questions, rigorous methodology, and clear broader impacts.
What is the typical funding range?
Individual research grants typically range from $200,000 to $500,000, though collaborative and larger projects may receive more. Award amounts and duration vary by proposal scope and complexity.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Frame your research around fundamental science questions about water and landscape interactions rather than applied management outcomes; NSF prioritizes advancing basic scientific knowledge
- Clearly articulate the broader impacts of your research, including contributions to education, workforce development, or applications to pressing societal challenges like climate adaptation or water security
- Build collaborations across disciplines (geology, ecology, hydrology, biology, chemistry) if your research spans multiple domains; interdisciplinary proposals are often more competitive
- Include detailed field and/or laboratory work plans with realistic timelines and budgets; reviewers scrutinize feasibility of proposed methods
- Propose use of cutting-edge tools (geophysics, remote sensing, genomics, stable isotope analysis, modeling) to strengthen competitiveness and show innovation in methodology
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications are often rejected for failing to clearly articulate the fundamental scientific questions being addressed and why the research advances knowledge in water, landscape, or critical zone processes. Weak broader impacts sections that describe only standard outreach activities (without demonstrating genuine integration of research and education) also hurt competitiveness. Finally, overly ambitious project scopes that exceed realistic timelines or budgets, or proposals lacking sufficient preliminary data to demonstrate feasibility, frequently receive unfavorable reviews.
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