Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2014 2003851
Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2014 2003851
- The Department of Commerce in the education environment science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.468 Applied Meteorological Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 20, 2013 and posted on Aug 20, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 31, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $125,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program is a NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) funding opportunity designed to strengthen forecast and warning capabilities for weather and water hazards by supporting collaborative research between NWS and academic institutions. The program focuses on practical, operations-relevant advances that help the broader hydrometeorological community deliver better forecasts, longer warning lead times, and more useful decision support. In short, CSTAR aims to move promising science and technology into tools, methods, and systems that can improve real-world NWS operations.
A central theme of CSTAR is "Warn on Forecast" for high-impact events. This area is about shifting from primarily observing storms and then warning, toward predicting hazardous phenomena early enough to issue short-fuse warnings before impacts occur. The goal is more lead time and better confidence for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods, and other rapidly evolving hazards, which in turn gives emergency managers and other decision makers more time to act. Achieving this requires stronger data assimilation approaches and numerical weather prediction models that can resolve storm-scale (convective-scale) processes, especially improving forecasts of when and where convection will initiate and intensify.
Another major focus is building a Next Generation Forecast System. Under this theme, CSTAR supports development of an advanced forecast framework that produces many environmental fields and explicit uncertainty information at high spatial and temporal resolution, organized as a four-dimensional (space and time) gridded database. The idea is that operations and partners increasingly need not only a single forecast, but a quality-controlled, best-available depiction of current conditions and future possibilities. This forecast database is intended to support core NWS services directly and also serve as an input to external decision support systems that translate weather and water information into impact- and action-oriented guidance.
CSTAR also emphasizes an Integrated Observing and Analysis System. This theme targets the upstream foundation of forecasting: combining observations from many platforms (for example, radar, satellite, surface networks, aircraft, and other sensors) with modern analysis and assimilation techniques to produce the best possible estimate of the current state of the atmosphere and related environmental conditions. A robust observing-and-analysis system is framed as essential infrastructure for future forecasting approaches, including Warn on Forecast and the next generation 4D forecast database, because the quality of any forecast depends heavily on how well the system captures the starting point.
Decision Support Information Systems form another pillar of the program. Here, the NWS vision is described as evolving from simply distributing forecasts and data products toward more interactive sharing of environmental information that directly supports decisions. That includes improving how weather and water information is delivered, tailored, and integrated into workflows used by community leaders, public safety partners, and the public. Projects under this theme generally align with making information more actionable, easier to interpret, and better aligned with how people actually use it under time pressure.
Finally, CSTAR explicitly includes the integration of social science into weather and water research and operations. This reflects the recognition that forecast improvements only translate into public benefit when products and services match user needs and are understood and trusted. Work in this area can involve assessing how different groups perceive risk, how they interpret uncertainty, what drives protective action, and how to measure the value and effectiveness of decision support services. The intent is to bring social science methods into the research-to-operations pipeline so the NWS can better evaluate customer needs and improve service design.
In addition to these broad themes, the announcement notes that individual NWS Regions and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) service centers maintain specific science priorities within these categories, shaped by local factors such as topography, weather regimes, and mission needs. That means proposed projects are expected to connect not only to the national themes, but also to regionally or center-relevant operational priorities.
Administratively, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NOAA NWS NWSPO 2014 2003851; CFDA 11.468 Applied Meteorological Research) was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, with an expected total funding level of about $500,000 and approximately five awards anticipated. The ceiling per award was listed at $125,000, with no stated award floor, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applicants were limited to accredited higher education institutions, including both public/state-controlled and private universities. The posting date was August 20, 2013, with an original and final closing date of October 31, 2013, and the opportunity archived November 30, 2013. The listed point of contact for access issues was Christopher Hedge at NOAA/NWS in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NOAA NWS Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program
1) What is the CSTAR Program?
The Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program is a NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) funding opportunity intended to strengthen forecast and warning capabilities for weather and water hazards by supporting collaborative research between NWS and academic institutions. The emphasis is on practical, operations-relevant advances that can be transitioned into real-world NWS tools, methods, and systems.
2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to move promising science and technology into operationally useful capabilities that help deliver better forecasts, longer warning lead times, and more useful decision support for the broader hydrometeorological community.
3) What types of hazards and forecasting challenges does CSTAR aim to improve?
CSTAR targets improvements related to weather and water hazards, especially high-impact and rapidly evolving events. The program description highlights tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods, and other short-fuse hazards where earlier and more confident warning decisions can reduce impacts.
4) What does "Warn on Forecast" mean in the CSTAR context?
"Warn on Forecast" is described as a shift from primarily observing storms and then warning, toward predicting hazardous phenomena early enough to issue short-fuse warnings before impacts occur. The intent is to increase warning lead time and confidence for high-impact events.
5) What scientific or technical improvements are implied as important for Warn on Forecast?
The opportunity emphasizes stronger data assimilation approaches and numerical weather prediction models that can resolve storm-scale (convective-scale) processes. It specifically calls out improving forecasts of when and where convection will initiate and intensify.
6) What is the "Next Generation Forecast System" theme?
This theme supports development of an advanced forecast framework that produces many environmental fields and explicit uncertainty information at high spatial and temporal resolution. The output is framed as a four-dimensional (space and time) gridded database.
7) Why does CSTAR emphasize uncertainty information and a 4D gridded database?
The announcement explains that operations and partners increasingly need more than a single deterministic forecast. They need a quality-controlled, best-available depiction of current conditions and future possibilities, including uncertainty, organized in a way that can support NWS services and external decision support systems.
8) What is the "Integrated Observing and Analysis System" theme?
This theme focuses on combining observations from many platforms (for example, radar, satellite, surface networks, aircraft, and other sensors) with modern analysis and assimilation techniques to produce the best possible estimate of the current state of the atmosphere and related environmental conditions.
9) How does the observing-and-analysis focus connect to the program's forecasting goals?
The opportunity frames a robust observing-and-analysis system as essential infrastructure for future forecasting approaches, including Warn on Forecast and the next generation 4D forecast database, because forecast quality depends heavily on accurately capturing the starting state of the environment.
10) What are "Decision Support Information Systems" in this program?
Decision Support Information Systems are described as part of an NWS evolution from simply distributing forecasts and data products toward more interactive sharing of environmental information that directly supports decisions. This includes improving how weather and water information is delivered, tailored, and integrated into workflows used by community leaders, public safety partners, and the public.
11) What kinds of improvements fit under the decision support theme?
Based on the announcement language, projects under this theme generally align with making information more actionable, easier to interpret, and better aligned with how people use it under time pressure, especially in decision-making contexts.
12) Does CSTAR include social science, or is it only meteorology and modeling?
CSTAR explicitly includes integration of social science into weather and water research and operations. The rationale given is that forecast improvements only translate into public benefit when products and services match user needs and are understood and trusted.
13) What social science topics are mentioned as relevant?
The opportunity mentions assessing how different groups perceive risk, how they interpret uncertainty, what drives protective action, and how to measure the value and effectiveness of decision support services. The intent is to bring social science methods into the research-to-operations pipeline.
14) Do proposals need to align with regional or center-specific priorities?
Yes. The announcement states that individual NWS Regions and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) service centers maintain specific science priorities within the broad themes, shaped by factors such as local topography, weather regimes, and mission needs. Proposed projects are expected to connect to both the national themes and regionally or center-relevant operational priorities.
15) What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
The opportunity was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
16) What was the total expected funding level and number of awards?
The expected total funding level was about $500,000, and approximately five awards were anticipated.
17) What was the maximum award amount per project?
The ceiling per award was listed at $125,000.
18) Was there a minimum award amount?
No award floor was stated in the provided announcement summary.
19) Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
20) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants were limited to accredited higher education institutions, including public/state-controlled and private universities.
21) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number was NOAA NWS NWSPO 2014 2003851. The CFDA listing was 11.468, Applied Meteorological Research.
22) When was the opportunity posted, and what were the closing dates?
The posting date was August 20, 2013. The original closing date and final closing date were both October 31, 2013.
23) Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on November 30, 2013, and the final closing date listed was October 31, 2013.
24) Who was the point of contact listed for access issues?
The listed point of contact for access issues was Christopher Hedge at NOAA/NWS in Silver Spring, Maryland.
25) What kind of collaboration does CSTAR emphasize?
The program is described as supporting collaborative research between NWS and academic institutions, with the goal of producing outcomes that are practical and relevant to NWS operations.
26) How does CSTAR define success in terms of outcomes?
Based on the description, success is tied to operations-relevant advances that can be moved into tools, methods, and systems used in real-world NWS operations, ultimately improving forecasts, warning lead times, and decision support usefulness.
27) Does CSTAR focus only on producing forecasts, or also on how forecasts are used?
It includes both. In addition to forecast science and observing/analysis infrastructure, the program includes decision support systems and social science integration aimed at ensuring information is understandable, trusted, actionable, and aligned with real user needs.
28) What does the program mean by "high spatial and temporal resolution" outputs?
The announcement describes a next generation forecast framework that provides many environmental fields and uncertainty information at high resolution in both space and time, organized into a four-dimensional gridded database intended to support operations and decision support applications.
29) What kinds of observation platforms are mentioned?
The announcement gives examples including radar, satellite, surface networks, aircraft, and other sensors.
30) What is the intended benefit to decision makers and public safety partners?
The stated intent is to provide better forecasts, longer warning lead times, and more useful decision support, giving emergency managers and other decision makers more time to act during high-impact events.
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