Sustainable Agricultural Water Futures in the Colorado River Basin

The Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy invites proposals for research related to the future of agriculture in the Colorado River Basin. Proposals should explore approaches to preserve the most productive agricultural lands; increase agricultural revenues and outside funding for water efficiency improvements; maximize ecosystem and economic benefits from both lands remaining in agriculture and lands going out of production; enhance the economic viability of agricultural communities despite a hotter, drier future; or facilitate mutually beneficial water sharing arrangements. Proposals should study impacts within the seven U.S. and two Mexican Colorado River Basin states.

RFP Schedule

• February 1–March 1, 2022: Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete an informal, pre-bid consultation (contact Erin Rugland, erugland@lincolninst.edu, to schedule)
• March 1, 2022: RFP submission due at 11:59 p.m. MST
• April 12, 2022: Selected applicants notified of award
• October 3, 2022: Intermediate summary/progress report due*
• April 12, 2023: Final deliverable due*

*flexible and can operate on a shorter timeline

Proposal Evaluation

The Babbitt Center will evaluate proposals based on five equally weighted criteria:

• Relevance of the project to the RFP’s theme of innovation for agricultural futures
• Rigor of research methodology
• Capacity and expertise of the team and relevant analytical and/or practice-based experience
• Potential impact and usefulness of the project for agricultural producers, land managers, and/or agricultural communities
• Potential for results to transfer to a variety of contexts, even if the proposal focuses on one region