Timeline:

• June: RFP issued to watermelon research community
• August 31: Proposals DUE to NWA
• September: Proposals shared with NWA Research Committee
• October: NWA Executive Committee determines grant awards based on committee
recommendations
• November: Grant award winners announced

Submission Requirements

Each proposal should include:
1. Cover letter- including a brief review of the proposal and request for funding
2. Details of the project- including the objectives/goals for the project
3. Timeline- including
a. Start and end dates
b. Dates for project reports that will be submitted to the Association
c. Date that the Association will receive a final report with results
Note: Multi-year projects will be considered, but funding will only cover a single year.
4. Amount of money requested (for 2025 only)
5. A listing of all parties involved with the project, including Lead Investigator and any other
researchers. If multiple research facilities are involved, provide contact information for each,
and information on fund distribution where applicable.
6. Addendum- a single page layman’s brief on what the project is designed to accomplish
7. Submit the proposal by email to george@nwawatermelon.com in a Word or PDF format by
August 31, 2024.

Additional Recommendations

1. Additional consideration will be given to a proposal that has ‘matching’ funds, which will allow
the investigator(s) the opportunity to expand the research beyond our budget capacity.
2. There is no limit (minimum or maximum) that a proposal may request. However, previous NWA
grant awards typically range from $5,000-$25,000.
3. Our focus is to search for more immediate solutions to the most pressing pest & disease
pressures – the biggest threats to yield, quality, profitability and sustainability.
4. Questions on the process should be sent by email to george@nwawatermelon.com

Additional requirements

• Grant awardees will be asked to provide a 250 word layman’s brief of project accomplishments
for publication in NWA’s quarterly magazine, the Vineline, for distribution electronically to
NWA membership and the broader public. One or two pictures to go with the summary of
accomplishments are encouraged.
• Grant awardees are required to provide a midyear status update on their project, preferably in
or around the month of June. This update does not need to be formal and can be submitted via
email to the NWA.
• Grant funding provided through this RFP is for direct project costs only and cannot be used for
overhead or indirect expenses. Proposals including overhead costs will not be considered.