Climate Program Office (CPO) Adaptation Sciences: Interdisciplinary research, engagement and capacity building to advance adaptation and resilience in islands of the Caribbean and the Pacific | NOAA OAR CPO 2023 2007539

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What agency is offering this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), within NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). It is managed by the Climate Program Office (CPO), specifically within the Climate and Societal Interactions Division (CSI).

2) Which NOAA program is this competition supporting?

The competition supports NOAA's Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program, which funds interdisciplinary, regionally focused climate adaptation work designed around real decision-making needs.

3) What is the overall purpose of the Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program?

The purpose is to connect climate science to practical preparedness, adaptation, and resilience decisions. The program emphasizes human-centered research approaches, sustained engagement with partners, and capacity-building so that communities and sectors can better manage climate risks.

4) What is the FY 2023 topical or geographic focus of this particular competition?

The FY 2023 focus is on islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Proposals are expected to improve understanding of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities while also strengthening adaptive capacity and the use of that knowledge in planning.

5) What kinds of climate risks and stressors does NOAA expect projects to address?

The opportunity highlights both "acute" shocks and "chronic" stressors that island communities often experience together. Examples of acute shocks include hurricanes, extreme rainfall, marine heatwaves, drought, or flooding. Examples of chronic stressors include sea-level rise, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, ecosystem degradation, and long-term resource constraints.

6) What does NOAA mean by cascading or compounding impacts in island contexts?

NOAA emphasizes that acute shocks and chronic stressors can interact across timescales and create cascading impacts that strain essential systems people rely on for daily life, livelihoods, health, and local economies. Projects are expected to consider how risks evolve and compound, not just single hazards in isolation.

7) Is this opportunity focused on producing climate data, or on applied decision-making?

The opportunity is centered on actionable, solution-oriented adaptation research. It prioritizes work that tailors, communicates, and embeds climate information into planning and risk management processes, rather than producing climate data in isolation.

8) What is meant by "interdisciplinary adaptation research" in this notice?

NOAA is looking for research that goes beyond describing climate hazards and explains how those hazards translate into impacts through social, economic, cultural, and governance conditions. This signals that proposals may need to integrate climate and environmental science with social science, behavioral science, economics, and governance.

9) What role do partnerships and stakeholder engagement play in this competition?

Projects are expected to be partnership-driven and designed with stakeholders, practitioners, and rightsholders so that research outputs can be used in planning and risk management. Sustained engagement and practical capacity-building are central expectations.

10) What does the notice indicate about collaboration across NOAA programs?

This opportunity sits within CSI, which includes both the Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Program and the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program. CSI indicates it wants increased collaboration and integration across these program areas so NOAA investments build stronger, longer-lasting capacity.

11) What types of organizations or partners does NOAA expect to be involved?

The notice states that NOAA's broader research enterprise increasingly includes not only academic partners, but also the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and practitioners. This reflects an expectation that funded teams can work across disciplines and institutions.

12) What subject areas or lines of effort does Adaptation Sciences highlight as a fit?

Examples mentioned include: international collaboration to advance adaptation and resilience; climate impacts on fisheries and practical pathways for adaptation in fishing communities; and water-resource challenges and opportunities in coastal communities.

13) Which sectors are explicitly named as relevant for island-focused adaptation decision-making?

The notice describes connecting climate information to decision-making across sectors such as human health, disaster risk reduction, water resources, coastal and marine ecosystem management, food security, and infrastructure.

14) What are the two main outcomes NOAA is seeking from funded projects?

NOAA frames the goals around two outcomes: (1) building understanding of the drivers and conditions that shape adaptation across temporal and spatial scales (for example socioeconomic context, adaptive behaviors, risk perception, public awareness, and education); and (2) identifying and expanding effective ways to use scientific information to support preparedness and planned adaptation that delivers clear social and economic value.

15) What kinds of deliverables does NOAA appear to be encouraging?

The notice signals interest in actionable products and approaches such as decision-support tools, adaptation pathways and scenarios, planning frameworks, co-produced indicators, training and knowledge exchange, or other deliverables that make climate information easier to apply under real-world constraints.

16) How is justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEIJ/DEI) treated in this opportunity?

DEIJ/DEI is encouraged as an integrated part of both proposal design and project execution, not an add-on. The notice explicitly calls for attention to communities often most exposed and least resourced, including low-income communities, communities of color, Indigenous and Tribal communities, communities overburdened by pollution, and people facing limited economic or social opportunity or disenfranchisement.

17) Does the notice provide working definitions of "diversity" and "inclusion"?

Yes. Diversity is described as the mix of attributes that help organizations meet objectives. Inclusion is described as creating a culture where each person is connected to the broader effort. The notice also states that centering equity and inclusion can strengthen the quality and usefulness of the work.

18) What kind of award instrument is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity using a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically implies NOAA expects a more active partnership role during the award period than would be expected under a standard grant.

19) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA listing?

The funding opportunity number is NOAA OAR CPO 2023 2007539. It is listed under CFDA 11.431.

20) What are the key dates mentioned in the notice?

The original posting date was September 30, 2022. The original application closing date was January 11, 2023.

21) What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The award ceiling listed is $300,000.

22) How many awards did NOAA expect to make?

NOAA expected to make about 13 awards.

23) Who is eligible to apply based on the summary provided?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice. This typically suggests that multiple organization types may be eligible, but applicants should confirm the exact eligibility requirements in the complete funding announcement.

24) What types of project approaches appear most aligned with the opportunity?

Projects most aligned are island-focused, interdisciplinary by design, grounded in local and regional partnerships, and structured to produce usable knowledge for resilience planning. The opportunity prioritizes work that explains how climate risks evolve and compound, how people and institutions perceive and respond, and how climate information can be translated into practical strategies that reduce vulnerability while delivering tangible social and economic benefits.