Climate Variability and Predictability | NOAA OAR CPO 2018 2005492

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR CPO 2018 2005492

The Climate Variability and Predictability grant opportunity is a discretionary NOAA research program run through the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), specifically the Climate Program Office (CPO). It is designed to strengthen the scientific foundation behind how the climate system works and how well it can be monitored and predicted, with the practical goal of helping the nation make better decisions in the face of climate variability and long-term change. NOAA frames this work as central to public safety, economic stability, health outcomes, and national resilience, since shifts in climate patterns can influence extreme weather, water availability, coastal risks, and other impacts that affect communities and key sectors.

This opportunity focuses on the Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP) Program, which emphasizes process-level understanding of the climate system. In practice, that means supporting research that digs into the mechanisms that drive climate behavior across timescales, including natural variability and how it interacts with ongoing climate change. The program explicitly supports a mix of approaches such as observations, modeling, analysis, and field studies. The intention is not only to generate new scientific insight, but to translate that insight into improvements in climate models and prediction skill, so scientists and decision-makers can better anticipate future conditions and associated risks.

The funding is structured as a grant (FundingInstrumentType: Grant) under the Department of Commerce, with an activity focus spanning environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 11.431. The award ceiling is $300,000 per award, with an expected 10 awards indicated in the source information. The original posting lists a creation date of March 19, 2018, and an original closing date of May 18, 2018, which signals a time-bound competition for proposals during that cycle.

A notable feature of the CVP Program is how it positions funded research within a broader ecosystem of operational and collaborative science. NOAA describes this as "mission-critical" research that can be performed not only within NOAA, but also across other federal laboratories, NOAA Cooperative Institutes, academic institutions, and private sector research organizations. While the eligibility line is summarized as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," the intent is that a range of research-performing entities may be able to apply, provided they meet the specific eligibility rules laid out in the full announcement.

The program also places strong emphasis on coordination with major scientific bodies and community research agendas, including the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), particularly the CLIVAR and GEWEX programs, as well as the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). That coordination matters because it helps ensure that individual projects contribute to larger national and international priorities, shared datasets and field efforts, and collectively agreed research questions about the coupled ocean-atmosphere system, energy and water cycles, and predictability. For applicants, this typically implies that proposals are expected to connect clearly to broader scientific frameworks, demonstrate how they advance predictive understanding, and show how results could improve modeling and forecasting capabilities that NOAA and partners rely on.

Overall, this opportunity is aimed at researchers who can contribute to better understanding and prediction of climate variability and change by improving the science behind observations and models. The key deliverable NOAA is ultimately pushing toward is better climate prediction and better-informed decisions, grounded in rigorous, process-based climate research. Specific topic areas, required components, evaluation criteria, and administrative details are referenced as being provided in the full announcement text.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Climate Variability and Predictability" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.431.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 19, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 18, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA OAR CPO 2018 2005492

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