This inception report of the i-Five project presents the research that is planned in the project. Central in project is the evaluation of innovative instruments and institutions (i-3's) for implementing the Water framework directive (2000/60/EC; WFD). Moreover, the transplantability and adaptability of the i-3's for other contexts will be analyzed. In France, the implementation of the WFD in the Thau basin will be studied. Interesting aspects of this implementation process include collaboration between the water sector and land-use planning sector and the cooperation between the authorities and different research projects. In Germany, three area cooperations in the Weser basin will be evaluated, which are novel ways for organizing public participation. In addition, the issue of financing and coordination between governance scales will be analysed. In the Netherlands, the implementation of the WFD Explorer in the Dutch part of the Meuse basin and in particular the area of the waterboard Brabantse Delta will be evaluated. The WFD Explorer is a decision support system for the implementing the WFD. The project will result in a Quick scan method. This method will show the potentials as well as the potential obstacles of the different i-3's, and will help decision-makers to adopt or adapt the i-3 to their own context or to develop their own home-grown i-3.