The NOAA Climate Program Office (CPO) has issued a funding opportunity under its FY2025 Atmospheric Chemistry, Carbon Cycle, and Climate (AC4) Program. This program seeks to fund research that advances understanding of the Earth System, focusing specifically on the urban atmosphere and the impacts of climate and air quality mitigation strategies. Proposals are encouraged to address processes influencing atmospheric trace gases and aerosols and to support carbon and pollution management by contributing to improved models and data.

The AC4 Program will accept proposals for research projects with budgets averaging $250,000 per year over a period of 2-3 years, with total anticipated awards ranging from 8 to 10. Proposals may be funded as grants; however, cooperative agreements may be issued if NOAA anticipates substantial involvement in project implementation, such as collaboration between NOAA scientists and recipients. Federal agencies are ineligible to receive these funds, but eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofits, commercial organizations, international entities, and state, local, and tribal governments. This opportunity does not have a cost-sharing requirement.

Key submission deadlines are as follows: Letters of Intent (LOIs) are strongly encouraged and should be submitted via email by September 18, 2024, though submission of an LOI is not required to proceed with a full application. The deadline for full applications is December 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, and applicants are urged to complete all necessary registrations well in advance. Required documents include project narratives, data management plans, diversity statements, budget tables and narratives, current and pending support, and vitae for all principal investigators (PIs). NOAA emphasizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in its funded activities and requires a DEIA statement to highlight how the project will advance participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

NOAA will review applications based on criteria including technical merit, qualifications, project costs, and the significance of expected contributions to NOAA’s climate research goals. Reviews will occur in two stages: an initial technical review by subject matter experts, followed by a program relevance assessment. Selection factors include geographical balance, research priority alignment, and participation of targeted groups.

Award notifications are expected in spring 2025, contingent on federal appropriations, with project start dates around September 1, 2025. For questions, applicants may reach out to the CPO or consult specific competition managers listed in the NOFO. Further details on submission requirements, NOAA policies, and guidance on Grants.gov are provided in the official announcement and on the CPO website.