June 9, 2023

Dear Colleagues:

The National Science Foundation Office of International Science and Engineering is pleased to inform the community that NSF and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) are partners on a new multilateral research initiative on climate change led by Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund. The 2023 International Joint Initiative for Research on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Competition represents a collaboration among research funders from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States to leverage international expertise to tackle the global challenges caused by climate change. Climate change has been recognized as the single most important threat to the future well-being and prosperity of our planet and all who inhabit it.

The program aims to further the design and implementation of co-produced adaptation and mitigation strategies for vulnerable groups―those groups currently most impacted by the effects of climate change owing to both physical vulnerability and socioeconomic vulnerability. The program will support research that is both interdisciplinary and trans-sectoral on participatory contextually and culturally appropriate mitigation and adaptation responses to at least two vulnerabilities stemming from climate change, as identified in the Sixth Assessment Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Projects must respond to the needs of those most impacted by the effects of climate change, such as communities in low- and middle-income countries or indigenous territories, or groups that are vulnerable due to their geographic, social and/or economic circumstances. All projects are required to partner with participating community(ies) in the co-creation, implementation and ownerships of the research and outcomes, and to develop approaches related to policy implementation and knowledge mobilization.

Led by Canada, the program is supported by funding agency partners from the eight countries listed above (consortium partners). The program adopts a consortium approach to funding. Each consortium partner will fund researchers within a project team who are eligible to receive funding from them. NSF intends to fund researchers eligible to receive NSF or NEH funding. A minimum of three countries must be represented among the co-PIs on the project team, and the team must be eligible to receive funding from at least two Consortium Partners. At least one co-PI must be eligible to receive funding from Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund.

Timeline

May 2, 2023 - Notices of Intent submitted to the Convergence Portal (mandatory)
July 15, 2023 - EOI Due to NSF for projects eligible for NSF or NEH funding
September 12, 2023 - Full proposals due
February 2024 - Notice of funding decisions and submission of recommended proposals to NSF
March 2024 - Start of awards

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

All proposals to the International Joint Initiative competition, including those from teams with U.S. investigators, must be submitted to Canada’s Convergence Portal by a PI/co-PI eligible to receive funds from NFRF.

Eligible expenses may vary across a project team. U.S. team members should consult the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) on eligible expenses as well as indirect/direct costs limitations. Applicants are expected to review the documentation from the relevant Consortium Partner(s) to ensure the proposed project meets all eligibility requirements of each funding partner.

Expression of Interest (EOI)

To ensure eligibility for funding from NSF, any project team with U.S. researchers who believe they are eligible for NSF or NEH support are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to NSF following the instructions at https://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/IntlCollaborations/NSF-NFRF.jsp.

The EOI submission includes the following information:

• Proposed Project Title.
• Names, email addresses, and departmental and institutional affiliations of the U.S. based researchers.
• Bottom-line estimates of total funding (including indirect costs) to be requested from NSF and/or NEH in US Dollars.
• Estimated number of postdocs (U.S.), estimated number of students supported (U.S.), and estimated number of salary months requested (U.S.).
• Summary of the proposed research outlining how it addresses the objectives of the 2023 International Joint Initiative for Research on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Competition.

NSF welcomes EOI submissions up until July 15, 2023.

Merit Review

Consult the program announcement, linked above.

Funding Decisions

NFRF multidisciplinary review panels will agree on a list ranking all proposals based on their overall merit. The ranked list will be used in discussions with consortium partners to determine which applications will be funded. Applications will be funded in their ranked order from highest score to lowest. An application in the list will only be skipped in cases where one consortium partner has no budget remaining to award to it. Funding decisions may be subject to budget limits.

U.S. researchers on teams with well-reviewed proposals that will be recommended for funding will be contacted by NSF and asked to submit the team’s proposal through the Research.gov system to enable NSF to process a funding decision.

NSF has committed $5 million, subject to appropriation, to support participation of NSF-eligible team members in the International Joint Initiative. NEH has added $500,000 to support humanities scholars involved in these collaborative projects. NSF anticipates supporting 7-10 U.S. teams at up to $700,000 per award in total for three years. NSF funding will be awarded in accordance with the terms and conditions detailed in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). For details on funding levels of other consortium partners, see the program announcement, linked above.

Post-Award Considerations

• Awardees will be expected to comply with the award conditions and reporting requirements of the agencies from which they receive funding.
• Awardees are expected to acknowledge NSF, NEH, and other funding partners in any reports or publications resulting from the award.
• NSF will consider requests for no-cost extensions for U.S. PIs using standard procedures.
• In accordance with NSF standard procedures, awards will be publicly announced.

Questions about this DCL may be directed to Dr. Wenda Bauchspies, wbauchsp@nsf.gov Program Director Office of International Science and Engineering.

Data Protection Considerations

NSF, NEH, and SSHRC will share relevant information and data—whether in connection with the proposal and award process, or thereafter during the post award process. Data are expected to be shared between NSF, NEH, and SSHRC to enable the secure and efficient processing of full proposals for the 2023 International Joint Initiative for Research on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Competition. Data shared include proposal attachments, anonymized peer reviews, and panel comments. NSF, NEH, and SSHRC are committed to maintaining data confidentiality, protection, and privacy and intend to fully abide by their own applicable laws and policies concerning the sharing of data in our collaborative activities.

Resources
Informational Webinar
Slides from Informational Webinar

Signed
Kendra Sharp, Head
Office of International Science & Engineering, NSF

Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo), Chair
National Endowment for the Humanities

Margaret Martonosi, Assistant Director
Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, NSF

Simon Malcomber, Acting Assistant Director
Directorate for Biological Sciences, NSF

Susan S. Margulies, Assistant Director
Directorate for Engineering, NSF

Alexandra R. Isern, Assistant Director
Directorate for Geoscience, NSF

Sean Jones, Assistant Director
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, NSF

Silvia Butterfield, Acting-Assistant Director
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, NSF

James Luther Moore, Assistant Director
Directorate for STEM Education, NSF