About the Challenge

The focus of this grant program is on collaborative projects that increase the resilience of coastal communities to extreme weather (e.g., hurricanes and storm surge) and other impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and drought. Approximately $575 million is available. Funded projects will address risk reduction and regional collaboration and equity, and build enduring capacity for adaptation.

Funding is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, a historic, federal government-wide investment that is advancing NOAA’s efforts to build Climate-Ready Coasts. This page is focused on the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, which is administered by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management.

An applicant’s first step was to submit a letter of intent. This was done as a time-saver for all, as applicants were able to submit an initial project summary, which was reviewed by a team of experts using the program’s evaluation criteria. Hundreds of letters of intent were submitted; of those, 120 were invited to submit a full proposal.

Overview Video

Ver video en español.

Applicant Information

Only those applicants whose letters of intent were selected by NOAA are eligible to submit an application. The deadline for submitting the full application is Tuesday, February 13, 2024.

Timeline

• August 28, 2023 – Required letters of intent were due.
• October 13, 2023 – Applicant notification of letter of intent outcomes.
• February 13, 2024 – Application packages are due.*
• Summer 2024 – NOAA notifies successful applicants.

*NOTE: Only those applicants who submitted a letter of intent and who were selected by NOAA to submit an application package are eligible to apply.

Resources

• NOAA technical assistance is available for organizations applying for and receiving a grant. Many technical assistance options are available, including data, tools, training, and access to NOAA expertise. Visit the technical assistance page to learn more.
• Application Guidance
• Notice of Funding Opportunity
  • Summary in English and Spanish
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Program Priority Resource List
• Budget Resources
  • Budget Template
  • Budget Narrative Guidance
  • Required Grant Forms
• Full Application Evaluation Criteria—Track One and Track Two
• For organizations who have never applied for a federal grant, you must register with these three systems (see below). Please do so as soon as possible, as this process can take up to two months.
  • SAM.gov
  • Grants.gov
    • Grants.gov Guidance
  • eRA.nih.gov
    • Note: Here’s a video to help you with this last registration process.
  
  

  For more information or to ask questions, contact NOAA at resiliencechallenge@noaa.gov.