News & Press

Grants will support collaborative research and development on resource recovery of valuable materials and removal of harmful contaminants

CHICAGO, IL, March 19, 2025 – Current, the nonprofit water innovation hub, announces its next wave of grants to support collaborative research and development (R&D) projects that advance innovative water and wastewater solutions.

The initiative — called Great Lakes ReNEW Use-Inspired R&D and Translation Grant Program — offers competitive funding to accelerate the development of technologies for the selective separation and recovery of valuable materials and the removal of harmful contaminants from wastewater, as well as water reuse solutions and water technology testbed development. Technologies may be applied across diverse waste streams, including but not limited to municipal, agricultural, food and beverage, mining, data centers, and semiconductor manufacturing.  

Current anchors Great Lakes ReNEW, which in January 2024 was awarded up to $160 million over 10 years from the U.S. National Science Foundation to develop and grow a water-based regional innovation engine. 12 regional R&D projects funded by ReNEW are already underway, led by global research and industry leaders from across the Great Lakes Region. 

Proposals for the Great Lakes ReNEW Use-Inspired R&D and Translation Grant Program must include two co-leads, preferably from different institutions to encourage collaboration. One co-lead must be affiliated with a member of the Current Research Consortium (CRC) or the Current Industry Consortium (CIC) at the time of submission. There is no limit on the number of proposal submissions per institution. Startups are encouraged to partner with an eligible institution to participate.

Co-leads not located within ReNEW’s region of service — Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin — may still participate as long as a co-lead is from an eligible institution. 

“ReNEW’s mission of driving our region towards a circular blue economy will drive American manufacturing forward, turning waste into wealth and strengthening supply chain security for the Great Lakes region and beyond,” said Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and Great Lakes ReNEW. “Water security is national security, and by accelerating technologies that we can rapidly translate to market, we’re not only tackling some of our region’s most complex challenges—we’re creating jobs and building stronger collaborations between our 60+ coalition partners, industry leaders, and startups.”

Applications are set to officially open on March 28, 2025. Applicants must submit a concept paper by May 2 to be invited to submit a full proposal. Funding awards will be announced in August and begin in March 2026. 

For more information on the RFP and submission guidelines, please visit this link.

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Press Contact:
Jara Kern (847) 323-6796
jara@mharris.com

About Current
Current is an independent nonprofit water innovation hub, founded in Chicago in 2016. Our mission is to grow a circular blue economy, accelerate water innovation, and solve pressing water challenges. We bring together corporations, advocates, researchers and governments to develop water management policies and test new technologies— projects that would be too risky or even impossible without sustained collaboration. Current has helped to raise more than $58 million to support water innovation and economic development in the region; launched the first real-time water quality monitoring tool for Chicago waterways; drafted a blueprint to build a thriving blue economy in Illinois, and supported the commercialization of more than 40 water startups. Learn more. 

Note: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. 2315268. 

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