Funding Innovation Workshop 2018

In November 2017, The Water Research Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association held a workshop that used the project #4642 framework as a base and took a deep dive into funding innovative thinking, projects, and programs with limited budgets and ongoing strains on existing employee capacity.

Representatives from utilities that are building or had an interest in building innovation within their utility interacted with national and international industry leaders. The workshop, funded under project #4739, included expert presentations and activities for participants to identify tips and tricks for successfully turning an idea into a budget line item, opportunities for potential partnerships, and solutions for overcoming barriers.

​Additionally, The Water Research Foundation interviewed a few of the experts to get their recommendations on implementing innovation programs. 

*There are multiple videos included in the playlist below. Click on the button in the top left corner of the video player (next to "1/3") to access all of the videos.

Conference Presentations

Partnering with the Private Sector to Fund Innovative Projects - John Mastracchio, CFA at Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. talks about innovation from the perspective of capital financing and the role that private financing may be able to play in funding innovative projects.

Start Small & Simple… 8 Tips for Innovation Success - Colin Chapman, Innovation Research & Development Manager at Queensland Urban Utilities, outlines a practitioner’s view on converting innovation to utility success in his presentation entitled, “Start Small & Simple… 8 Tips for Innovation Success.