The Department of Commerce and NOAA announced a $1 million Notice of Funding Opportunity for competitive grants to help improve regional climate data and information products for the Arctic region. These grants are funded through the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history—as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

“As a nation, we face the challenges of climate change,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Arctic region, which is warming faster than anywhere in our nation, demands immediate action. As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, this funding will provide communities with data and tools to make informed decisions that can build climate resilience and strengthen our economy and national security."

This investment builds on NOAA’s expertise and longtime support for Arctic research. The imminent release of NOAA’s 18th Arctic Report Card underscores this commitment. The Arctic Report Card will provide critical updates on key measurements of the physical and biological changes in the Arctic, which is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the global average. The most recent National Climate Assessment also notes that Alaska is warming at a rate that is two to three times faster than the lower 48 states.

The funding provided by NOAA through the Inflation Reduction Act will support the development and co-production of new products and decision-support tools made in partnership with Alaskan communities and will provide these communities with increased access to much-needed data and information collected by NOAA. In doing so, the funding will help fulfill commitments set forth in the 2022 National Strategy for the Arctic Region and its implementation plan.

“With this call for proposals, NOAA is helping to improve climate data for all Alaskans, including Indigenous and rural communities,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator. “Providing communities with environmental information that allows them to make informed decisions in the face of a changing climate is the foundation of creating a more climate resilient nation.”

“We want to empower local communities with better access to observed data and encourage the development of data-driven products to help them adapt and prepare for the challenges posed by a rapidly changing environment,” said NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing, Arctic Research Program Director (ARP), Sandy Lucas, Ph.D. “We are excited that our applicants will be able to submit new and innovative proposals that utilize the publicly available observational data of Alaska and the Arctic region collected by NOAA and ARP.”