Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program | NOAA NWS NWSPO 2020 2006160

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2020 2006160

The Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research (CSTAR) Program is a National Weather Service (NWS) funding opportunity designed to support applied research and development that directly improves day-to-day forecasting and warning operations. Run through the NWS Office of Science and Technology Integration within NOAA (U.S. Department of Commerce), CSTAR is built around the idea that the NWS warning and forecast mission is strengthened when operational forecasters work closely with outside experts, particularly researchers in universities and other academic settings. The program focuses on research that can move efficiently from the lab or literature into practical tools, methods, and services that forecasters can use, with an emphasis on outcomes that enhance forecast accuracy and the quality and timeliness of warnings for environmental hazards.

A defining feature of CSTAR is the collaborative structure: proposals are expected to connect academic expertise with operational forecasting needs, creating a bridge between basic/applied science and operational implementation. This is meant to be a cost-effective pathway for "research-to-operations" transition, where work is not only scientifically sound but also operationally relevant, testable in real forecasting contexts, and positioned for adoption by the NWS. The opportunity explicitly mentions engaging university researchers and students, signaling that workforce development and hands-on applied experience are also part of the program's value, alongside the technical improvements to forecasts and warnings.

This particular announcement is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, indicating that NOAA/NWS anticipates an active partnership role during the project period rather than a hands-off grant relationship. The research topics to be proposed are not open-ended; they are tied to priorities identified by the NWS to support field forecasting operations. In other words, applicants should align their work with NWS-defined needs and practical operational challenges, rather than proposing purely exploratory research without a clear operational endpoint.

In terms of funding scale, the competition has approximately $600,000 total available, intended to support three to five new projects. The stated award ceiling is $150,000, and the agency anticipated up to five awards. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 11.468 and falls within the funding activity category of environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development. The funding opportunity number is NOAA NWS NWSPO 2020 2006160. The original posting dates indicate it was created on September 6, 2019, with an original closing date of November 20, 2019. Eligibility is noted as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the full announcement text, so applicants would need to confirm eligible institution types and any specific conditions in the eligibility section of the notice.

Overall, CSTAR is best understood as an applied, operations-focused R&D program: it funds collaborations that aim to turn meteorological and environmental science advances into practical forecasting improvements, with the NWS setting the priority topics and expecting close coordination between researchers and operational forecasters to maximize the chance of real-world adoption.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, 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.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 06, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 20, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NWS NWSPO 2020 2006160

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