Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes

The Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes (WaLCZ) program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a federal agency that funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. The WaLCZ program resides within NSF’s Directorate for Geosciences, specifically the Division of Earth Sciences. The program supports research on Earth’s near-surface environment and its responses to natural and anthropogenic changes. This research area includes hydrologic, geomorphic, and geochemical processes and their interactions that regulate the structure and function of the near-surface Earth. WaLCZ aims to enhance fundamental understanding of Earth surface processes through hypothesis-driven investigations that may operate within a single discipline or span multiple research domains. Supported research may involve topics such as weathering and soil development, water quality and availability, geochemical cycling, fluvial dynamics, and biotic-abiotic interactions in the Critical Zone. The program encourages the use of field, lab, and computational approaches, as well as interdisciplinary collaborations. Engineering design and applied case studies are not within the program's scope unless used to investigate fundamental scientific principles. Proposals are accepted at any time and must be submitted via either Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the most current NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Applicants are required to submit full proposals only, as letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Proposals must include field safety protocols when fieldwork is involved, mentoring plans for undergraduate participants, and data and sample management plans aligned with EAR division policies. If applicable, necessary permits and approvals must also be documented. The WaLCZ program offers Standard and Continuing Grants. The total anticipated funding available through this program is $23,850,000, with an estimated 60 to 80 awards expected. There are no restrictions on the number of proposals submitted per organization or per principal investigator. Eligible applicants include accredited U.S.-based institutions of higher education (both two-year and four-year), as well as U.S.-based nonprofit, non-academic organizations engaged in research or education. The program does not allow voluntary committed cost sharing, and matching is not required. Awards are made based on NSF’s merit review criteria, including intellectual merit and broader impacts. Projects are expected to integrate broader impacts, which may include public engagement, infrastructure development, or increasing participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. Applicants are encouraged to contact program officers for guidance on proposal topics, especially for interdisciplinary submissions. Key contacts for the program include Laura Lautz (llautz@nsf.gov, 703-292-7775), Justin E. Lawrence (jlawrenc@nsf.gov, 703-292-2425), Hendratta Ali (heali@nsf.gov, 703-292-2648), and general inquiries can be directed to walcz@nsf.gov or (703) 292-8550. Awards are subject to NSF’s standard conditions and reporting requirements, including annual and final reports submitted through Research.gov. The grant is offered on a rolling basis, meaning applications may be submitted at any time, and the program is not recurring on a fixed schedule.

Proposers are advised to consult with Program Officers when submitting interdisciplinary proposals and to include detailed field safety and mentoring plans.