W81EWF-23-SOI-0023: Evaluation of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) and vegetation interaction for soil rehabilitation
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: ERDC Broad Agency Announcement (W912HZ26S0001). Status: Closes January 1, 2027 (55 days left). It is in our archive of Engineer Research and Development Center notices from 2023.
Engineer Research and Development Center offered grants of up to $85,000 to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make one award worth $170,000 in total. Applications closed on August 14, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed June 13, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$85,000
- Total funding$170,000
- Expected awards1
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | June 13, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | August 14, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | September 13, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
This opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU).
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering awards averaged $1.1 million; this notice allows up to $85,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (69% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a form of biomediated geotechnical soil improvement that has been proposed to enhance the strength and hydraulic conductivity characteristics of soils and has been considered for a range of geotechnical applications (DeJong et al. 2006; 2014; 2022). MICP enhances geotechnical properties through the bacterial precipitation of calcite, which can act as a binding agent between particles in a soil mass. Although lab and field scale research has increasingly shown potential positive impact on engineering properties and applications, little is known about the interaction of an MICP-treated soil mass with vegetation and vegetative regrowth, which are important aspects for usability and sustainability of soil improvement techniques on many flood control infrastructure projects. Prior research has shown that MICP treated soils exhibited seedling growth but heavily treated MICP soils exhibited sparse vegetation growth (Ghasemi & Montoya, 2022). These findings suggest that a balance is needed between the biomediation to increase engineering properties and the concentration of MICP that inhibits vegetation growth. Understanding this balance is important for informing the potential for MICP implementation, particularly in light of the increasing importance of nature-based engineering solutions and ensuring that engineered infrastructure is nature-inclusive.
Who has won Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering (12.630) awarded $1.3 billion across 1,101 grant awards, an average of $1.1 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battelle Memorial Institute | Ohio | 1 | $82.6 million |
| Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium | District of Columbia | 1 | $78.2 million |
| University of California San Diego | California | 4 | $53.1 million |
| Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Connecticut | 4 | $38.1 million |
| The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 3 | $35.0 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, W912HZ26S0001, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is W81EWF-23-SOI-0023 still open?
No. It closed on August 14, 2023. A newer notice is open: W912HZ26S0001, closes January 1, 2027 (55 days left).
Who can apply for Evaluation of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) and vegetation interaction for soil rehabilitation?
Engineer Research and Development Center accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Evaluation of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) and vegetation interaction for soil rehabilitation?
Closed August 14, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $85,000 each. About $170,000 in total for one award.
Who has won Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Battelle Memorial Institute, Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium, University of California San Diego. The program made 1,101 awards worth $1.3 billion in that time.