NOAA’s Weather Program Office: Funding Research to Improve Weather Forecasts

Advancing weather forecasting and numerical weather prediction capabilities is essential for reducing the societal, economic and environmental impacts of high-impact weather phenomena. New discoveries and outputs from weather research empower the scientific community with the ability to measure and predict meteorological variables, essential for improving weather forecasts and effectively delivering life-saving information to the public.

Within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), NOAA’s Weather Program Office (WPO) funds research to improve weather forecasts, save lives, and reduce property damage. Its mission is to work throughout the weather enterprise to foster research that can be transitioned into operational weather forecasts, bridging the gap between NOAA’s weather forecast improvements and the public’s growing forecast needs.

This presentation will provide an overview of WPO, its individual programs, and funding opportunities. It will specifically highlight how WPO uses Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) to further its vision to power a Weather-Ready Nation through its support of competitively-funded and innovative science. While WPO manages other funding opportunities, competitive NOFOs are its main funding mechanism. This presentation will provide important information about the WPO programs actively soliciting proposals, as well as the typical cycle of submission guidelines and key deadlines for each program’s funding competition.