Opportunity Information: Apply for NWS NWSPO 2009 2001607
Apply for NWS NWSPO 2009 2001607
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the disaster prevention and relief environment natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Remote Community Alert Systems Program 2009" 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 Jan 5, 2009 and posted on Jan 5, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2009 Applications must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before 5 p.m. EST March 27, 2009. Please Note It may take Grants.gov up to two (2) business days to validate or reject the application. Please keep this in mind in developing your submission timeline. Both hard copy and electronic proposals received after that time will not be considered for funding and will be returned to the applicant. The submission date on proposals submitted through Grants.gov will be the time and date indicator in the Grants.gov submission. For proposals submitted by hard copy, the submission date will be the time stamp on the received documents. Hard copy applications must be received by NOAA/ NWS no later than 5 p.m., March 27, 2009.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,130,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligible applicants are State Governments, U.S. Territories or Possessions and Tribal Communities. This restriction is needed to efficiently manage the potential number of applications.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Remote Community Alert Systems Program 2009 was a discretionary NOAA National Weather Service (NOAA/NWS) grant and cooperative agreement opportunity aimed at improving public safety in remote U.S. communities that are effectively underserved by commercial mobile service. The central purpose was to fund outdoor alerting technologies that can deliver emergency messages to residents who cannot reliably receive warnings through typical cellular networks. In practice, the program was meant to expand the reach of emergency communications in places where geography, sparse population, or infrastructure limitations make commercial mobile coverage limited or absent, leaving communities at higher risk during hazardous weather and other emergencies.
This opportunity was positioned as one element of the broader national Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act effort. NOAA emphasized that its role was complementary to other federal agency contributions, with a focus aligned to NOAA's mission goal of ensuring society has the weather and water information it needs. The program also encouraged collaboration across sectors, explicitly anticipating engagement from private industry and academia through projects led by eligible public entities, with the goal of advancing methods and technologies for disseminating urgent alerts beyond standard mobile pathways.
A key feature of the program was how it defined the target areas. The Federal Communications Commission definition of a remote area was used: a county with a population density of 100 persons per square mile or less, using the most recently available Census data at the time. The opportunity also clarified that "commercial mobile service" referred to services required to provide E911 under Section 20.18 of FCC rules. The phrase "effectively underserved" narrowed eligibility in practical terms to communities that do not actually receive commercial mobile service, and it allowed applicants to prove that lack of service using coverage maps, technical analyses, field tests, or other reasonable evidence. In other words, the program was designed for real-world coverage gaps, not just rural locations in general.
Funding for the program was estimated at $2,130,000 total, with an expectation of about 25 awards. Individual awards were anticipated to fall between $50,000 (floor) and $250,000 (ceiling). There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated, which lowered the barrier for communities with limited budgets to participate. The funding activity categories reflected the program's public safety and technical emphasis, including Disaster Prevention and Relief, Environment, Natural Resources, and Science and Technology/Research and Development. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity was 11.468, Applied Meteorological Research, which signals the NOAA/NWS connection and the program's link to warning dissemination and applied public safety outcomes.
Eligibility was limited to State governments, U.S. territories or possessions, and tribal communities. NOAA noted this restriction was intended to keep the potential application volume manageable, implying a targeted applicant pool that already has governmental responsibility for public alerting and emergency management functions. Other organizations such as private companies or universities were not listed as direct applicants in the eligibility summary, but NOAA's description made clear that projects could involve those sectors through partnerships or participation in implementation, research, or technology deployment.
Administratively, the opportunity was identified by Funding Opportunity Number NWS-NWSPO-2009-2001607 and was posted January 5, 2009. Applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2009, and the notice stressed that submissions had to be received and validated by Grants.gov by the deadline. Since Grants.gov validation could take up to two business days, applicants were warned to build that processing time into their schedule. Late proposals, whether electronic or hard copy, would not be considered and would be returned. The archive date was April 26, 2009, indicating when the opportunity was formally closed out in the listings.
For applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement, NOAA provided a contact point: Steve Drescher, Policy Advisor, at 301-713-0926, with guidance also referencing help for application download issues. Overall, the program can be understood as a focused, time-bound NOAA/NWS funding effort to help remote and underserved communities deploy reliable outdoor emergency alerting solutions where cellular-based warning methods were not dependable, thereby strengthening last-mile warning delivery in line with national WARN Act objectives.
Remote Community Alert Systems Program 2009 (NOAA/NWS) - FAQs
What was the Remote Community Alert Systems Program 2009?
It was a discretionary NOAA National Weather Service (NOAA/NWS) grant and cooperative agreement opportunity designed to improve public safety in remote U.S. communities that were effectively underserved by commercial mobile service.
What problem was this program intended to address?
The program targeted places where residents could not reliably receive emergency warnings through typical cellular networks due to geography, sparse population, or infrastructure limitations. Its focus was on filling real-world warning coverage gaps, not simply supporting rural areas in general.
What types of solutions or technologies was the program meant to fund?
The central purpose was to fund outdoor alerting technologies capable of delivering emergency messages to residents who cannot depend on commercial mobile coverage for warnings.
How does this program relate to the WARN Act?
The opportunity was positioned as one element of the broader national Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act effort. NOAA stated its role was complementary to other federal agency contributions and aligned with NOAA's mission of ensuring society has the weather and water information it needs.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to State governments, U.S. territories or possessions, and tribal communities.
Could private companies or universities apply directly?
They were not listed as direct applicants in the eligibility summary. However, NOAA anticipated collaboration and engagement from private industry and academia through projects led by eligible public entities (for example, via partnerships supporting implementation, research, or technology deployment).
How did the program define a "remote area"?
The program used the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) definition: a county with a population density of 100 persons per square mile or less, based on the most recently available Census data at the time.
What did "commercial mobile service" mean for this opportunity?
"Commercial mobile service" referred to services required to provide E911 under Section 20.18 of FCC rules.
What does "effectively underserved" mean in this program?
It narrowed the focus to communities that do not actually receive commercial mobile service in practice. The intent was to support locations with genuine service absence or severe gaps rather than areas that are merely rural or lightly populated.
How could an applicant demonstrate that a community was effectively underserved?
The opportunity allowed applicants to provide reasonable evidence such as coverage maps, technical analyses, field tests, or other similar documentation showing the lack of service.
How much funding was available in total?
Total funding was estimated at $2,130,000.
How many awards were expected?
NOAA expected to make about 25 awards.
What was the anticipated funding range per award?
Individual awards were anticipated to range from $50,000 (minimum) to $250,000 (maximum).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was stated.
What activity categories did the program fall under?
The funding activity categories reflected a public safety and technical emphasis, including Disaster Prevention and Relief, Environment, Natural Resources, and Science and Technology/Research and Development.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number was 11.468, Applied Meteorological Research.
What was the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number was NWS-NWSPO-2009-2001607.
When was the opportunity posted?
It was posted on January 5, 2009.
What was the application deadline?
Applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2009.
How were applications submitted?
The notice emphasized that submissions had to be received and validated by Grants.gov by the deadline.
Why did the announcement warn applicants about Grants.gov validation time?
Because Grants.gov validation could take up to two business days, applicants were instructed to account for that processing time to avoid missing the deadline.
What happened if an application was late?
Late proposals, whether electronic or hard copy, would not be considered and would be returned.
What was the archive date, and what does it indicate?
The archive date was April 26, 2009, indicating when the opportunity was formally closed out in the listings.
Who was the contact for help or more information?
Steve Drescher, Policy Advisor, was listed as a contact point at 301-713-0926. The announcement also referenced guidance for help with application download issues.
In plain terms, what was the overall goal of the program?
To strengthen last-mile warning delivery in remote and underserved communities by supporting reliable outdoor emergency alerting solutions where cellular-based warning methods were not dependable.
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