Applications (including all supporting documents) are due by Wednesday, May 21, 2025 by 11:59 PM EST.

The HIF Fellowship application consists of:

1. Research narrative (3 pages max.) describing the proposed research
2. One page proposed budget, including justification
3. One page maximum data management plan
4. CV of the Applicant (2 pages max.)
5. Graduate students must include a Letter of Support from their academic advisor

The RESEARCH STATEMENT is the most heavily weighted of the application materials. A successful application will clearly describe the proposed research, along with support tables and/or graphs, and include a timeline for proposed activities. Please provide:

• Clearly stated problem to be addressed with the proposed work.
• Research activities and their impact on the field.
• Adequate and detailed research plan.
• Appropriate documentation for the Track this proposal should be considered (see below).
• A description of the broader impact of the proposed work.
• A description and timeline of activities. Research must be completed within the 2025 calendar year.
• A brief Data Management Plan including details about: how data will be handled and published, how it will utilize CUAHSI Data Services (when appropriate). Data management should be compliant with FAIR guidelines. 

Applicants will indicate if their proposal should be considered as part of the Data Booster, Exploratory or Advanced Track. The tracks are described below:

Track 1 - Data Booster

• This proposal track is data-intensive and focuses on the publication of hydrologic data to be widely accessible and usable by others, including new datasets or the reformatting or rescue of legacy data that are not currently accessible.
• The research statement should include evidence for the need of the data published by this work, and identify current gaps this work could address.
• Outcomes can include, but are not limited to: data rescue, metadata development, data publication, data cloudification, data visualization, expansion of otherwise single-use datasets.
• “Data Booster” grant applications must result in data published in a trusted repository (e.g., HydroShare)

Track 2 - Exploratory

• This proposal track is for work in hydroinformatics that is in the early stages. 
• The research statement should include evidence for the need of this work and knowledge gaps this work will address.
• Outcomes can include, but are not limited to: training, tutorials and/or notebooks to navigate existing resources and datasets.

Track 3 - Advanced 

• This proposal is for a continuation of existing work in hydroinformatics.
• The research statement should include evidence of previous work and the need for these funds to continue the research.
• Outcomes can include, but are not limited to: software development, software publication, technical publication.

The BUDGET should be no more than one page and indicate the total estimated cost of the proposed activities. A one-paragraph description of the budget items should be included. If the cost exceeds $5,000, or if there are items necessary that cannot be supported by HIF (e.g., equipment), the description should indicate how these costs will be covered. Indirect costs are not covered by CUAHSI and can't be included in the proposed budget.

A LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT/COMMITMENT from the Applicant’s Advisor should indicate that they support the proposed research plan. The letter should be uploaded into the online application.

BROADER IMPACT from the proposed work should be included within the research statement. Does the applicant's work (both for the activities proposed for these funds and overall as part of their research work) articulate the potential to benefit water science communities beyond the basic science advancement? 

The Research Statement, Data Management Plan, Budget, and Applicant's CV should be assembled into a single PDF document and uploaded into the online application. The letter of support should be uploaded as a separate PDF document as indicated on the submission page.