Funding Opportunity: NOAA Releases FY 2024 Climate Program Office Competitions

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Program Office (CPO) has released its fiscal year (FY) 2024 solicitation for approximately 90 new awards with a total of $9 million in available funds, which is less than the $11.1 million competed last year. The FY 2024 solicitation is operated through the Earth System Science and Modeling (ESSM) program within CPO. The six competitions for FY 2024 are:

  1. Atmospheric Chemistry, Carbon Cycle and Climate (AC4): Understanding Urban Air in a Changing Climate
    • This competition seeks to inform adaptation strategies against declining air quality related to climate change. Proposals should utilize data analysis and modeling of  existing or ongoing data collection focused on at least one of the following topics:
      • “Emission sources and atmospheric processes contributing to urban air quality  challenges in Salt Lake City and other urban areas;
      • Influence of NH3 on urban air quality;
      • Regional modeling that improves urban scale processes; and
      • Urban monitoring collaboration with local communities with increased risk of  the health impacts due to poor air quality on prototyping urban monitoring.”
    • NOAA expects to issue $800,000 in FY 2024 for this competition, with individual awards of a maximum of $450,000 over three years.
    • Letters of intent must be submitted by September 11, 2023.
  1. Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP): Advancing Understanding of Ocean Variability and Change in Support of NOAA’s Climate Ecosystems Fisheries Initiative
    • This competition seeks “coupled-or ocean-model process studies linked with  observational data analysis to better understand physical and biogeochemical ocean  processes for improved modeling and observing…in the context of climate variability  and change.” Applicants are encouraged to work with NOAA entities, including laboratories, centers, or Cooperative Institutes.
    • NOAA is seeking proposals that aim to advance understanding of:
      • “Variability and change, and the mechanistic drivers for ocean variables, indices,  and processes relevant to the management of species and ecosystems.”
      • “Sources of predictability and mechanisms of variability in the Earth system.” o “Large-, regional-, and small-scale processes (local and remote) and the scale  interactions between large-scale climate phenomena and small-scale ocean features.”
    • NOAA expects to issue $2 million in FY 2024 for this competition, with individual awards  ranging from $175,000 to $250,000 annually for three years.
    • Letters of Intent must be submitted by August 18, 2023.
  1. Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP): Advancing Understanding of Multi-year to Decadal Climate Variability and Predictability for US Climate Prediction
    • This competition is soliciting “data analysis and/or coupled-modeling studies focused on  the process-level understanding of the role of the ocean, land, atmosphere, and/or  cryosphere on multi-year to decadal timescales in a changing climate,” with two specific  priority areas, concerning impacts to U.S. states and territories:
      • “Mechanisms that govern variability of the coupled climate system and its  predictability on the multi-year to decadal timescale within long-term observation data and/or model data.”
      • “The relationship between the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation  (AMOC) and impacts on sea level, cryosphere, biogeochemistry, hydroclimate,  or others.”
    • Applicants are encouraged to work with NOAA laboratories, centers, or Cooperative  Institutes, or other programs affiliated with NOAA Research, including the National  Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the National Integrated Heat Health  Information System (NIHHIS), or the Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP) program.
    • NOAA expects to issue $2 million in FY 2024 for this competition, with individual awards ranging from $175,000 to $300,000 annually for three years.
    • Letters of Intent must be submitted by August 18, 2023.
  1. Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP): Advancing an Integrated NOAA Capability for Climate Predictions and Projections in Support of NOAA’s Climate Ecosystems Fisheries Initiative
    • This competition, in partnership with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)  Office of Science and Technology, is seeking proposals to “advance the regional implementations of the Modular Ocean Model (MOM6) and to perform research that lays the groundwork for the application of regional modeling data to seasonal to multi-decadal prediction and projection products and services.
      • Priority area A aims to “advance methodologies for the prediction of Large  Marine Ecosystems (LMEs).”
      • Priority area B aims to “accelerate the development of MOM6 configurations for  any of the following LMEs: Northeast Pacific, Great Lakes, Pacific Islands, and  Arctic Ocean.” Applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with NOAA  Research Laboratories or Cooperative Institutes, as well as NMFS Science Centers.
    • Applicants are encouraged to involve individuals from underserved communities in their projects, including through internships or K-12 engagements.
    • NOAA expects to provide $1.5 million annually under this competition, with awards for priority area A up to $190,000 annually for three years, and $275,000 to $300,000  annually for priority area B. Approximately five to eight projects are anticipated to receive funding.
    • Letters of Intent must be submitted by August 18, 2023.
  1. Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP): Process-Oriented Diagnostics for NOAA Climate Model Improvement and Applications
    • This competition is seeking proposals that aim to “address key issues in the representation of Earth system processes in CMIP6-era and developmental models to improve model fidelity,” focusing on areas of needed improvement in the existing MAPP  Model Diagnostic Task Force (MDTF) software. Projects should advance understanding of the sources of bias in models and clearly define plans to improve models. Applicants are encouraged to involve individuals from underserved communities in their projects,  including through internships or K-12 engagements.
    • Type 1 projects are for individual proposals to address processes relevant to specific  issues described in the competition information sheet.
    • Type 2 projects are for team proposals to address research areas detailed in the  information sheet and advance the overarching program goals. Type 2 proposals should  involve contributions from multiple institutions.
    • NOAA expects to issue $2 million per year under this competition, with Type I awards up  to $190,000 annually for three years and Type II awards up to $750,000 annually.  Approximately seven to nine projects are anticipated to receive funding.
    • Letters of Intent must be submitted by August 18, 2023.
  1. Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP): Early Career Award for Exceptional Research in Earth System Model Development and Application
    • This competition is restricted to early career researchers, and is seeking proposals to advance earth system modeling research relevant to the MAPP program and NOAA’s mission.
    • Applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements described in the information sheet to be considered as an early-career researcher.
    • NOAA expects to provide one award of up to $300,000 annually over four years.  • Letters of Intent must be submitted by August 18, 2023.

Key Dates and Deadlines: Letters of Intent must be submitted by August 18, 2023, for the CVP and  MAPP competitions. Letters of Intent for the AC4 competition must be submitted by September 11,  2023. Full proposals for all competitions must be submitted by November 17, 2023.

Award Information: NOAA anticipates granting 90 awards across all six competitions with total program funding of $9 million in FY 2024. Expected award amounts vary by each competition.

Eligibility: Institutions of higher education; non-profits; international organizations; and state, local, or tribal governments are eligible to apply.

Sources and additional information:

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