Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR WPO 2022 2006969
The FY2022 Weather Program Office (WPO) Research Programs funding opportunity is a NOAA grant and cooperative agreement solicitation that supports research designed to strengthen weather and water forecasting and related public services. Run by NOAA's Weather Program Office (formerly the Office of Weather and Air Quality), the program looks for proposals that span a wide range of topics in weather, atmospheric composition, and earth system modeling and observations. The intent is to fund work that addresses science and technology gaps across multiple time scales, from short-fuse weather events measured in hours to longer-range outlooks on subseasonal and seasonal horizons. It also explicitly welcomes work that connects physical science advances to real-world decision-making, including research on fire weather and projects that incorporate social, behavioral, and economic science to improve how forecast information is communicated and used.
Funding is organized into six distinct competitions, collectively valued at about $16.5 million per year, reflecting NOAA's priority areas for improving forecasting skill, tools, and applications. The six competitions are: (1) Fire Weather and Atmospheric Composition (FWAC), which targets the science and tools needed to better understand and predict wildfire-related weather conditions and air quality impacts; (2) Climate Testbed (CTB), which focuses on developing, testing, and evaluating modeling and analysis approaches that can improve climate and climate-related prediction capabilities; (3) Weather Testbeds, which generally emphasize hands-on evaluation of new observing strategies, modeling components, and forecast techniques in realistic, quasi-operational environments; (4) the Joint Technology Transfer Initiative (JTTI), which is centered on moving promising research results toward usable, transition-ready capabilities and applications; (5) Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S), which aims to advance prediction skill in the challenging middle range between weather and seasonal climate outlooks; and (6) VORTEX-USA, the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment in the United States, which supports research tied to tornado-related processes, observations, and understanding of rotating storms and their precursors.
A major theme of the opportunity is accelerating the path from research to usable outcomes. NOAA is looking for projects that do more than publish findings; applicants are expected to produce outputs that are "transitionable," meaning prototype products, datasets, methods, or software that NOAA or partners could further mature into practical applications or operations. This emphasis is aligned with the Weather Forecasting and Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-25), which calls for strong engagement between NOAA and the external research community to address shared priorities and close key knowledge gaps that limit forecast performance and service delivery. In practical terms, NOAA wants proposals that demonstrate relevance to operational needs, show awareness of who would use the results, and outline a credible strategy for how the work could be adopted, sustained, or scaled beyond the research phase.
For any proposal that includes forecast model development, NOAA sets a clear requirement: improvements must focus on the Unified Forecast System (UFS). The UFS is NOAA's community-based modeling framework intended to unify weather-to-climate prediction systems, and this solicitation directs applicants to develop within that ecosystem rather than in stand-alone models. The work is also expected to be responsive to forecaster priorities that NOAA gathered through workshops, with a referenced list of top requests provided in NOAA materials. In other words, model and technique improvements should be driven by the problems forecasters face in practice, such as better representation of key processes, more reliable guidance in high-impact situations, improved precipitation and severe weather prediction, and other operationally meaningful capabilities.
NOAA frames project expectations using Readiness Levels (RLs), a 1-to-9 scale that tracks maturity from early-stage research (low RLs) through development and demonstration toward deployment (higher RLs). The notice explains that different competitions may favor different maturity stages depending on their objectives, and applicants should be prepared to describe the current maturity of their work and how the project would move it forward along the RL spectrum. At the same time, NOAA is explicit about a boundary condition: while the programs encourage acceleration toward operationalization and application, they do not directly fund the final transition into NOAA operations itself (described as the RL 8-to-9 step). Instead, funded teams are expected to coordinate with NOAA operational center representatives and develop a transition strategy if eventual operational implementation is a realistic goal.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity under the Department of Commerce, with awards made as grants and cooperative agreements. The CFDA number listed is 11.459. NOAA anticipated a relatively large award portfolio (expected awards listed as 56), with an award ceiling of $1.5 million per award. The opportunity was posted in late August 2021, with an original closing date in mid-November 2021. Eligibility is broadly indicated as "Others" with additional detail referenced in the full notice, which typically means the solicitation may be open to a mix of institutions such as universities, nonprofits, private entities, and other qualified organizations depending on the specific competition requirements.
Taken together, the core purpose of the FY2022 WPO Research Programs is to fund applied, high-impact research that improves NOAA-relevant observing and forecasting capabilities across weather, water, climate, and air quality, while keeping a strong focus on real operational needs. The programs are structured to encourage collaboration with NOAA and the broader community, use common frameworks like the UFS for modeling advances, and produce outputs that are ready to be tested, evaluated, and ultimately matured into tools that can improve forecasts and the public services built on them.Apply for NOAA OAR WPO 2022 2006969
- 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 "FY2022 Weather Program Office Research Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.459.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 24, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 17, 2021. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 56 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
FY2022 NOAA Weather Program Office (WPO) Research Programs - FAQs
What is the FY2022 Weather Program Office (WPO) Research Programs opportunity?
It is a NOAA grant and cooperative agreement solicitation that supports research designed to strengthen weather and water forecasting and related public services. It is run by NOAA's Weather Program Office (formerly the Office of Weather and Air Quality).
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The core purpose is to fund applied, high-impact research that improves NOAA-relevant observing and forecasting capabilities across weather, water, climate, and air quality, with a strong focus on operational needs and usable outcomes.
What kinds of research topics are encouraged?
The solicitation looks for proposals spanning a wide range of topics in weather, atmospheric composition, and earth system modeling and observations. It also welcomes work that connects physical science advances to real-world decision-making.
Does the program support both short-term weather and longer-range prediction research?
Yes. The intent includes addressing science and technology gaps across multiple time scales, from short-fuse events measured in hours to subseasonal and seasonal outlook horizons.
Is research related to decision-making and communication of forecasts allowed?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly welcomes projects that connect advances in physical science to decision-making, including work that incorporates social, behavioral, and economic science to improve how forecast information is communicated and used.
Is fire weather included in the scope of this opportunity?
Yes. Fire weather is explicitly mentioned as a welcomed topic area, and one of the six competitions is focused on fire weather and atmospheric composition.
How is funding organized within the WPO Research Programs opportunity?
Funding is organized into six distinct competitions, collectively valued at about $16.5 million per year, reflecting NOAA priority areas for improving forecasting skill, tools, and applications.
What are the six competitions in this solicitation?
The six competitions are: (1) Fire Weather and Atmospheric Composition (FWAC), (2) Climate Testbed (CTB), (3) Weather Testbeds, (4) Joint Technology Transfer Initiative (JTTI), (5) Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S), and (6) VORTEX-USA.
What does the Fire Weather and Atmospheric Composition (FWAC) competition focus on?
FWAC targets the science and tools needed to better understand and predict wildfire-related weather conditions and associated air quality impacts.
What does the Climate Testbed (CTB) competition focus on?
CTB focuses on developing, testing, and evaluating modeling and analysis approaches that can improve climate and climate-related prediction capabilities.
What does the Weather Testbeds competition focus on?
Weather Testbeds generally emphasize hands-on evaluation of new observing strategies, modeling components, and forecast techniques in realistic, quasi-operational environments.
What does the Joint Technology Transfer Initiative (JTTI) competition focus on?
JTTI is centered on moving promising research results toward usable, transition-ready capabilities and applications.
What does the Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S) competition focus on?
S2S aims to advance prediction skill in the challenging middle range between weather forecasts and seasonal climate outlooks.
What does VORTEX-USA focus on?
VORTEX-USA (Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment in the United States) supports research tied to tornado-related processes, observations, and understanding of rotating storms and their precursors.
What does NOAA mean by "transitionable" outputs?
NOAA is looking for outputs that go beyond publications and are "transitionable," such as prototype products, datasets, methods, or software that NOAA or partners could further mature into practical applications or operations.
How important is the research-to-operations emphasis in this opportunity?
It is a major theme. NOAA is looking for projects that accelerate the path from research to usable outcomes, demonstrate relevance to operational needs, identify likely users, and present a credible strategy for adoption, sustainment, or scaling beyond the research phase.
What law is this emphasis on collaboration and transition aligned with?
The solicitation notes alignment with the Weather Forecasting and Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-25), which calls for strong engagement between NOAA and the external research community to address shared priorities and close key knowledge gaps that limit forecast performance and service delivery.
If a proposal includes forecast model development, are there specific modeling requirements?
Yes. For any proposal that includes forecast model development, improvements must focus on the Unified Forecast System (UFS). The solicitation directs applicants to develop within the UFS ecosystem rather than in stand-alone models.
What is the Unified Forecast System (UFS) in the context of this solicitation?
The UFS is NOAA's community-based modeling framework intended to unify weather-to-climate prediction systems, and this opportunity requires model development work to align with that framework.
Are proposed improvements expected to reflect forecaster needs?
Yes. The work is expected to be responsive to forecaster priorities NOAA gathered through workshops, and applicants are expected to connect proposed improvements to practical problems forecasters face.
What kinds of forecaster-driven problems are mentioned as examples?
Examples described include better representation of key processes, more reliable guidance in high-impact situations, improved precipitation and severe weather prediction, and other operationally meaningful capabilities.
What are NOAA Readiness Levels (RLs), and why do they matter here?
Readiness Levels are a 1-to-9 scale used to describe the maturity of work, from early-stage research (low RLs) through development and demonstration toward deployment (higher RLs). Applicants should describe current maturity and how the project will move it forward along the RL spectrum.
Do these programs fund the final step of transitioning research into NOAA operations?
No. While the programs encourage acceleration toward operationalization and application, they do not directly fund the final transition into NOAA operations (described as the RL 8-to-9 step). Teams are expected to coordinate with NOAA operational center representatives and develop a transition strategy if operational implementation is a realistic goal.
What type of federal assistance instruments are used for awards?
Awards are made as grants and cooperative agreements under a discretionary funding opportunity within the Department of Commerce.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 11.459.
How many awards were expected, and what was the award ceiling?
NOAA anticipated an award portfolio with expected awards listed as 56, and the award ceiling is $1.5 million per award.
What is the approximate total funding level mentioned for the six competitions?
The six competitions are collectively valued at about $16.5 million per year.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it originally due?
The opportunity was posted in late August 2021, with an original closing date in mid-November 2021.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is broadly indicated as "Others," with additional detail referenced in the full notice. This typically implies the solicitation may be open to a mix of institutions such as universities, nonprofits, private entities, and other qualified organizations, depending on specific competition requirements.
What is NOAA ultimately trying to improve through these research programs?
NOAA is aiming to improve forecasting skill, tools, and applications, strengthen observing and forecasting capabilities across weather, water, climate, and air quality, and improve the public services built on those forecasts.
Is collaboration with NOAA and the broader community encouraged?
Yes. The programs are structured to encourage collaboration with NOAA and the broader community and to produce outputs ready to be tested, evaluated, and matured into practical tools.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: Tanzania Malaria Case Management and Surveillance Activity
Previous opportunity: DoD Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health, Clinical Research Development Award
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for NOAA OAR WPO 2022 2006969
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (NOAA OAR WPO 2022 2006969) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Integrated Research on Coastal and Ocean Acidification and Harmful Algal Blooms Apply for NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2006992 Funding Number: NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2006992 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| FY2022 Marine Debris Prevention Apply for NOAA NOS ORR 2022 2007022 Funding Number: NOAA NOS ORR 2022 2007022 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Environmental Literacy Program: Increasing community resilience to extreme weather & climate change Apply for NOAA SEC OED 2022 2006995 Funding Number: NOAA SEC OED 2022 2006995 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Harmful Algal Bloom Control Technologies Incubator Apply for NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2007023 Funding Number: NOAA NOS NCCOS 2022 2007023 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| FY2022 National Sea Grant College Program Special Projects Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007012 Funding Number: NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007012 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2023 2007040 Funding Number: NOAA OAR SG 2023 2007040 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $89,000 |
| Climate Program Office (CPO), Regional Integrated Science and Assessments (RISA) FY2022 Apply for NOAA OAR CPO 2022 2007019 Funding Number: NOAA OAR CPO 2022 2007019 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,180,000 |
| FY 2022 US Marine Life Observations: Coordinated Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Activities to Ensure Resilient, Productive Ecosystems and Human Communities in the Face of Change Apply for NOAA NOS IOOS 2022 2007005 Funding Number: NOAA NOS IOOS 2022 2007005 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Competition for a Cooperative Institute to Support Water Resources Apply for NOAA NWS NWS CIPO 2021 2007043 Funding Number: NOAA NWS NWS CIPO 2021 2007043 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $360,000,000 |
| Early Stage Propagation Strategies for Aquaculture Species Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007054 Funding Number: NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007054 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Early Stage Propagation Strategies for Aquaculture Species Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007053 Funding Number: NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007053 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Fiscal Year 2022 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007042 Funding Number: NOAA OAR SG 2022 2007042 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $162,000 |
| FY22 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program Apply for NOAA NOS ONMS 2022 2007101 Funding Number: NOAA NOS ONMS 2022 2007101 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $42,000 |
| Coral Reef Conservation Program Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2022 2007044 Funding Number: NOAA NOS OCM 2022 2007044 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Masters Student Fellowship Apply for NOAA OAR OAP 2022 2007070 Funding Number: NOAA OAR OAP 2022 2007070 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $32,000 |
| FY2022 NOAA Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grant Program Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2022 2007121 Funding Number: NOAA NMFS HCPO 2022 2007121 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| NOAA SBIR FY 2022 Phase I Apply for NOAA OAR OAR TPO 2022 2007117 Funding Number: NOAA OAR OAR TPO 2022 2007117 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Proposed Cooperative Institute for Earth System Research and Data Science Apply for NOAA OAR CIPO 2022 2007108 Funding Number: NOAA OAR CIPO 2022 2007108 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $565,800,000 |
| 2022 BREP Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2022 2007151 Funding Number: NOAA NMFS FHQ 2022 2007151 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| NOAA Ocean Acidification Program Education Mini-Grant Program Apply for NOAA OAR OAP 2022 2007166 Funding Number: NOAA OAR OAP 2022 2007166 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment, Natural Resources, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $40,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "NOAA OAR WPO 2022 2006969", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.