ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) is now accepting applications for the Scholarship Exchange Experience for Innovation & Technology (SEE IT) program. Supported by The Water Research Foundation (WRF), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), SEE IT scholarships provide travel support for utility personnel to visit other utilities with innovations of interest, providing hands-on interaction and information to accelerate technology adoption at their own facilities. LIFT SEE IT Applications are due March 12, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. ET. Winners will be notified by the end of April 2021.
Applicants to the SEE IT program may apply to visit innovations that include new technologies and processes, or novel approaches to service, operations, and finance. LIFT has identified 13 technology focus areas as priorities, although applicants are not necessarily limited to these topics. Scholarship recipients will be required to record and share their experiences with peer utilities and others.
Should COVID-19 travel restrictions remain in 2021, any trip that is awarded in this round of applications would be postponed until it is safe to travel. Alternatively, applicants may consider using SEE IT funds to undertake “virtual trips” to facilities of interest and using the SEE IT scholarship funds to create video recordings of their experiences.
The application for LIFT SEE IT can be found here. If you have questions about the SEE IT program or the application process, please contact David Morroni, LIFT Program Coordinator, at dmorroni@waterrf.org.