Great Salt Lake Research Grants

The Great Salt Lake Research Grant program is administered by the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL), through the Great Salt Lake Program. The funding opportunity is designed to support scientific research that improves management and long-term understanding of the Great Salt Lake (GSL) ecosystem. The grant program operates with recommendations from the Research and Grants Subcommittee of the Great Salt Lake Technical Team and supports projects that provide practical, management-oriented knowledge for decision makers responsible for lake stewardship. Research deliverables produced under the program are intended to be publicly accessible for future dissemination and use by lake managers, researchers, and stakeholders. The program solicits proposals for one- or two-year research projects focused on priority management and ecological questions affecting the Great Salt Lake. The opportunity specifically emphasizes “hot topics” identified by the Great Salt Lake Technical Team. These topics include salinity extremes and their effects on species such as brine flies, brine shrimp, corixids, and vegetation; microbialite distribution and recovery; water budget and groundwater inflows; wetland hydrology; brine fly population dynamics; salt balance and erosion; phragmites and wetland vegetation management; lake bathymetry and sediment distribution; microbiome inventories; and dust characterization and mitigation. The solicitation also permits proposals outside the listed topic areas if they significantly improve understanding of the lake or support management needs. Applicants are expected to clearly demonstrate how their proposed work advances the goals and objectives of both the Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management Plan and the Great Salt Lake Commissioner’s Strategic Plan. Funding is available to support research activities conducted by universities, government agencies, and private consulting or research organizations. Previous award announcements indicate that the program has funded a wide range of applied ecological, hydrological, and environmental monitoring projects. Recent funded work included wetland vegetation restoration, groundwater inflow quantification, microbialite resilience studies, remote sensing for dust hotspot identification, and ecosystem inflow characterization. The grant program is highly competitive. The FY2026 cycle received 39 proposals requesting more than $4,175,000 in funding. Although specific award amounts and total available funding for the current cycle were not stated in the source material, the agency indicated strong interest in research that directly informs management actions and improves understanding of the lake’s ecological and hydrological systems. Applicants must submit proposals electronically as a single PDF attachment sent by email to the designated program contact. The source material states that no exceptions will be granted for late submissions. The application package includes a formal Request for Grant Applications document, fillable application forms, and a frequently asked questions resource. Applicants are expected to address the relevance and importance of their work to the Great Salt Lake, explain how the project builds on prior or current research, and demonstrate the anticipated management benefits. The submission process appears streamlined and centralized through direct email submission rather than through an online grant portal. Questions regarding the funding opportunity are also directed to the program manager identified in the solicitation materials. The application deadline for the current cycle was extended because of the federal government shutdown. Final applications are due by 5:00 PM on Friday, January 9, 2026. The source material states that proposals would be reviewed in December, and grantees would be announced by mid-January. Although the exact opening date for applications was not provided, the structure and historical references strongly indicate that this is a recurring annual funding opportunity. The opportunity supports one- or two-year project periods depending on the proposed research scope. No matching requirement or cost-share obligation was identified in the source material. The program is managed by Angela Gong, Great Salt Lake Program Manager for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. Questions and submissions are directed to agong@utah.gov, and the listed phone number is (385) 226-3333. The official PDF application materials were provided through the Utah FFSL website. The grant program prioritizes scientifically rigorous proposals with clear management applications, evidence of coordination with existing research, and practical value for informing future conservation, hydrological, ecological, and environmental management decisions related to the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.

Demonstrate direct management relevance to the Great Salt Lake; clearly explain how the project improves understanding of the lake ecosystem; connect proposed work to existing research efforts; align the proposal with the Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management Plan and the Great Salt Lake Commissioner's Strategic Plan; emphasize practical outcomes and publicly accessible deliverables.