A Cooperative Institute to Improve Mesoscale and Stormscale High Impact Weather Forecasts, Watches, And Warnings Through The Use Of, And Enhancement Of, Weather Radar | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity about?

This opportunity from the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) supports the creation of a single Cooperative Institute (CI) focused on improving high impact weather forecasting, watches, and warnings at the mesoscale and stormscale. The core aim is to strengthen the science and operational value of weather radar and radar-enabled methods, then translate those advances into better prediction and decision support for rapidly evolving hazardous weather.

2) Which NOAA office is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

3) What type of award is NOAA planning to make?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates substantial NOAA involvement, including close collaboration, shared planning, and ongoing interaction with NOAA scientists and facilities.

4) How many awards does NOAA anticipate making?

NOAA anticipated making one award to establish a single Cooperative Institute dedicated to this topic area.

5) What is the estimated total funding level?

The estimated total funding level listed in the announcement is $15,000,000.

6) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

7) What hazardous weather is this institute intended to address?

The institute is intended to improve detection, prediction, warning, and decision support for hazardous weather such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flash flooding, and other rapidly evolving high impact events.

8) What is the central technical focus of the institute?

A central theme is improving the science and operational value of weather radar and radar-enabled methods, and then translating those advances into measurable gains in forecasting and warning performance.

9) What are the major research and development themes the CI must cover?

The CI is expected to organize and conduct an integrated program spanning five themes: (1) weather radar research and development, (2) stormscale and mesoscale modeling research and development, (3) forecast improvements research and development, (4) climate change impacts as they relate to extreme weather events, and (5) social and socioeconomic impacts research.

10) What is included under the weather radar research and development theme?

This theme includes improvements to radar observations, data quality, and data processing, and may include new radar capabilities or enhancements that increase the usefulness of radar for identifying and tracking hazardous weather features.

11) What is meant by stormscale and mesoscale modeling R&D in this notice?

It refers to work that improves numerical modeling of weather systems at the scales where many high impact events develop, evolve, and intensify (mesoscale and stormscale).

12) What does forecast improvements R&D emphasize?

It focuses on translating advances in radar and modeling into measurable gains in forecasting performance, including warning lead time, accuracy, and reliability.

13) How does climate change research fit into this institute?

One theme calls for research on the impacts of climate change as they relate to extreme weather events, aimed at understanding how changing climate conditions may influence the frequency, intensity, or character of high impact weather affecting communities.

14) Why does the opportunity include social and socioeconomic impacts research?

The notice highlights that forecast and warning value is not only technical. It also depends on communication, public response, risk perception, equity considerations, and the economic consequences of weather hazards and warning decisions.

15) Is physical proximity to NOAA facilities required?

Yes. A defining requirement is physical proximity to NOAA facilities in Norman, Oklahoma, to enable regular, direct interaction with NOAA scientists.

16) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is restricted to non-federal public or private nonprofit universities, colleges, and research institutions that offer accredited graduate-level degree programs in NOAA-related sciences and that are within commuting distance of Norman, Oklahoma.

17) Are for-profit organizations eligible?

No. The eligibility described is limited to non-federal public or private nonprofit universities, colleges, and research institutions meeting the graduate-program and commuting-distance requirements.

18) If there are multiple partner institutions, do all partners have to be within commuting distance of Norman?

No. If a CI proposal includes multiple partner institutions, only the lead institution (the applicant organization where the CI will be established) must meet the commuting-distance requirement. However, the institute is still expected to coordinate resources and capabilities across non-governmental partners.

19) What does NOAA expect in terms of coordination among partners?

The opportunity places strong emphasis on coordination. The CI is expected to serve as a hub that aligns and coordinates resources among participating non-governmental partners and facilitates sustained collaboration with NOAA.

20) What are the workforce development expectations?

The CI is intended to actively promote involvement of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in NOAA-funded research, helping develop the next generation of scientists and practitioners in relevant areas such as radar meteorology, high-resolution modeling, forecast improvement methods, and the human dimensions of weather risk.

21) What are the key dates listed in the announcement?

The opportunity was posted on November 16, 2010. The application deadline was February 11, 2011. The archive date was March 13, 2011.

22) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The funding is listed under CFDA 11.432 (NOAA Cooperative Institutes).

23) Where are the evaluation criteria described?

The announcement notes that evaluation criteria and competitive selection procedures are provided in the full notice.

24) Is there any required guidance applicants should consult before preparing a proposal?

Yes. The announcement directs applicants to consult the Cooperative Institute Interim Handbook (referenced as available at www.nrc.noaa.gov/ci) before preparing a proposal, indicating expectations around CI standards for governance, collaboration, and program execution.

25) What is the overall goal of establishing this Cooperative Institute?

The overall goal is to establish a long-term, highly collaborative research institute closely integrated with NOAA's Norman, OK weather research environment, improving how radar and high-resolution modeling are used to detect, predict, and warn for dangerous weather, while accounting for climate influences and real-world social and economic outcomes tied to forecast and warning performance.