The Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy invites proposals for original research in the U.S. that evaluates the suite of tools, practices, and processes the Babbitt Center has identified as crucial to water sustainability and to connecting land use and water management. This evaluation may assess a category of tools or rigorously evaluate a specific tool.

RFP Schedule

• Prior to May 15: Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a pre-bid informal consultation (contact Erin Rugland at 480-323-0778 or erugland@lincolninst.edu)
• May 15, 2022: RFP submission due at 11:59 p.m. PDT
• June 1, 2022: Selected applicants notified of award
• November 30, 2022: Intermediate summary/progress report due*
• May 1, 2023: Final deliverable due*

*This date is 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 evaluating tools for land and water integration;
• rigor of research methodology;
• capacity and expertise of the researcher(s) and relevant analytical and/or practice-based experience;
• potential impact and usefulness of the project for practitioners integrating land and water management; and
• potential for results to transfer to a wide variety of contexts, even if the proposal focuses on one community.

The geographic focus of this RFP is U.S. communities. Preference will be given to submissions relevant to arid- and semi-arid regions of the U.S. International scopes will be considered so long as they include a component of U.S. research, such as a comparative study between a U.S. community and an international community.

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

The Lincoln Institute's C. Lowell Harriss Dissertation Fellowship Program assists PhD students, primarily at U.S. universities, whose research complements the Institute's interests in land and tax policy. The program provides an important link between the Institute's educational mission and its research objectives by supporting scholars early in their careers.

For information on present and previous fellowship recipients and projects, please visit C. Lowell Harriss Dissertation Fellows, Current and Past