Dear Colleagues,
The University of California Office of Research & Innovation, Research Grants Program Office seeks applications for two available grant categories, CA Climate Action Seed Grants and CA Climate Action Matching Grants. The CA Climate Action Research Grants are intended to spur innovative applied research that addresses California's climate goals, ensures that local communities are prepared and resilient, and prevents future disasters. Proposals for both grant categories must be synergistic with the State of California's climate action priority or priorities. The California Climate Adaptation Strategy, in particular, presents a holistic vision for the state with the following outcome-based priorities:
- Strengthen protections for climate vulnerable communities
- Bolster public health and safety to protect against increasing climate risks
- Build a climate resilient economy
- Accelerate nature-based climate solutions and strengthen climate resilience of natural systems
- Make decisions based on the best available climate science
- Partner and collaborate to leverage resources
CA Climate Action Seed Grants
Funding Level: $500,000 - $2,000,000 total costs over two years, including 10% cap on indirect costs (IDC).
- Applied climate action research addressing specific CA climate action priorities.
- Actionable outcomes within 1 –3 years.
- Specific plans for leveraging this grant to sustain or further develop the project with additional funding during or after the term of the award.
- Any complementary expertise of research collaborators from the lead or other academic / research institutions in California that will enhance the proposal outcomes.
- Optional: Plans for engaging community/end-user partners that have the potential to utilize, benefit from, license or invest in the research outcomes.
CA Climate Action Matching Grants
Fund Level: $2,000,000 - $10,000,000 total costs over two years, including 10% cap on indirect costs (IDC).
- Applied climate action research addressing specific CA climate action priorities.
- Large-scale interdisciplinary applied climate action research projects that will produce actionable outcomes in the short term and leverage concurrent matching support to realize scale or achieve maximum impact.
- Actionable outcomes within 1 –3 years.
- The complementary expertise of the research collaborators from the lead or other academic / research institutions in California that will enhance the proposal outcomes.
- Plans for engaging community/end-user partners that have the potential to utilize, benefit from, license or invest in the research outcomes.
- An evaluation plan for monitoring the research, implementation, and dissemination
- Documented commitment of required matching resources, cash and/or in-kind, from non-state sources (e.g., federal, foundation, industry, or other private entities).
- Description of how a project may be positioned to scale for broader adoption.
Grant Submission
All applications under this funding opportunity must be submitted through the RGPO SmartSimple
portal: https://rgpogrants.ucop.edu/s_Login.jsp
Step 1: Applicants are required to submit a letter of intent (LOI) by 12:00 noon PT on January 17, 2023 using the online SmartSimple application system. The Applicant PI will be notified by February 7, 2023 of their LOI approval and permission to move forward. LOI approval will grant access to the full application materials in SmartSimple.
Step 2: Full proposals should be submitted through the Applicant PI's campus Contracts and Grants or Sponsored Projects Office. Proposals must be submitted in SmartSimple by 12:00 noon PT on April 6, 2023 for seed grants and by 12:00 noon PT on May 4, 2023 for matching grants.
Eligibility Considerations
The lead organization (“Applicant Institution”) must be from the University of California system, California State University system, or California private colleges and universities.
- At least one collaborating California research institution is required for the Matching Grant category and encouraged for the Seed Grant category. Eligible collaborating organizations include other eligible Applicant Institutions as well as community colleges and non-degree granting research institutions. Collaborating research institutions from outside of California may participate in the project using non-state resources.
- At least one California-located or registered “community/end-user partner,” as appropriate to the research scope, is required for the Matching Grant category and encouraged for the Seed Grant category. Community/end-user partners can include industry, state or local agencies, California communities, community organizations, labor, tribal groups, or other public and private organizations working to advance climate resilience, adaptation, or mitigation.
For more information and to review the full application requirements, please visit the program website at the following link: https://uckeepresearching.org/california-climate-action/
Check the Frequently Asked Questions at: https://uckeepresearching.org/faq/
You may also submit any questions online at https://uckeepresearching.org/connect-california-climate-action/ or by email at climate@ucop.edu
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)