Technical Assistance

Technical assisstance definition: targeted, customized support to help individuals and organizations build their knowledge, ability, and capacity to achieve specific goals and outcomes.

Proposal Development Support

By request, experts will assist applicants who are developing a full proposal. This support is available to all applicants, including under-resourced communities (such as small towns, rural communities, and community-based organizations) and communities historically marginalized, underserved, or underrepresented.

Services include

• Assistance navigating the federal government grant system.
• Informing proposal ideas or content through subject matter expertise on climate resilience, nature-based solutions, and geospatial data and tools.
• Developing timelines to meet the submission deadline and for proposal implementation.
• Assistance developing budget narratives and completing required budget forms.
• Reviewing draft proposals and consulting on areas for improvements. For example:
  • Suggesting approaches to help make the proposal compelling;
  • Providing clear background and context for the proposed effort;
  • Proposing draft text or graphics;
  • Identifying connections with and leveraging other resilience efforts;
  • Coordinating submission of letters of collaboration and support; and
  • Providing expertise around project evaluation.
• Reviewing the application packet and grant forms for accuracy and completeness.

To request proposal development assistance, please complete this form and you’ll be contacted to schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Informational Webinars

NOAA is offering a series of informational webinars about the application process. Applicants can join any or all of the following sessions without registering beforehand. The sessions will also be recorded and available for later viewing.

The Mechanics of Writing a Full Proposal for the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge
October 24, 2023 at 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

View this recorded webinar to learn more about the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge application template and other required forms, the federal grants system (eRA), the budget items that federal funds can and cannot cover, and the technical assistance being offered during the proposal period and post-award period.

How to Develop a Compelling Grant Proposal
October 30, 2023 at 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

View this recorded webinar to learn valuable strategies for impressing and earning the trust of grant reviewers. See this related resource for more information: How to Develop a Compelling Grant Proposal – Key Points.

Meaningful Community Engagement – Part One
November 6, 2023 at 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

View this recorded webinar to learn about how to incorporate meaningful community engagement into a grant proposal. Participants will explore how to work alongside communities in developing proposals and hear tips on what to consider when designing projects that strengthen relationships with communities. See this related resource for more information: Checklist For Writing Grant Proposals that Encourage Meaningful Community Engagement.

Meaningful Community Engagement – Part Two: Tribal and Indigenous Community Considerations
November 30, 2023 at 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

View this recorded webinar to learn about specific and appropriate consultation and engagement with tribal nations and Indigenous communities prior to and during the initial stages of project proposal development, and even beyond the project's timeline.

Diving into the Digital Coast
December 5, 2023 at 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (East Coast-friendly time)

View this recorded webinar to explore Digital Coast resources that may be relevant to your project, including data, geospatial tools, and training on coastal hazard risks, adaptation strategies and their effectiveness, risk communication, and community engagement. See this related resource for more information: Digital Coast Products.

Diving into the Digital Coast
December 13, 2023 at 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (West Coast- and Pacific-friendly time)

View this recorded webinar to explore Digital Coast resources that may be relevant to your project, including data, geospatial tools, and training on coastal hazard risks, adaptation strategies and their effectiveness, risk communication, and community engagement. See this related resource for more information: Digital Coast Products.

NOAA Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program
January 10, 2024 at 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

View this recorded webinar to learn more about the opportunity to host a fellow to help with your project. The fellowship’s goal is to advance the challenge’s priorities of equity and enduring capacity by directly supporting marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented communities, and providing on-the-job experience, education, and training to develop the next generation of coastal climate resilience leaders. This session will give you additional information on requesting and hosting a fellow. See this related resource for more information: NOAA Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program Frequently Asked Questions.

Monitoring and Measuring Performance
January 18, 2024 at 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

View this recorded webinar to learn about general approaches to monitoring and measuring performance and specific measures to consider including in your project proposal. See this related resource for more information: Considerations for Including Performance Measurement Activities in Your Application. See these slides for additional information.

Additional Assistance from NOAA

During the application period, direct assistance from NOAA can include

• Discussions of technical assistance opportunities to support a funded proposal;
• Instruction on the eligibility of specific activities;
• Direction on accessing and interpreting climate data, models, and tools, including geospatial and socioeconomic information;
• Guidance on mechanisms for geospatial data and services acquisitions associated with funded proposals;
• Connection to subject matter experts and resources within and outside of NOAA; and
• Introductions and suggestions for regional contacts as potential partners.

Request NOAA assistance by emailing resiliencechallenge@noaa.gov.

Visit the Digital Coast and the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit for data, tools, and other resources supporting climate resilience planning and actions; see this list of helpful Digital Coast resources. Visit the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge homepage for resources related to the competition’s priorities that are helpful when developing a proposal.

Assistance for Funded Proposals

NOAA will work with successful applicants to explore the type of NOAA technical assistance that may be helpful.

• Direct support related to a specific need. Examples: Connecting to subject matter experts and resources within and outside of NOAA for consultation on adaptation planning; assistance accessing and applying climate, geospatial, and socioeconomic data and tools; acquiring geospatial data or services; and helping applicants understand and use results from data analyses or modeling.
• Workforce development in the form of training and train-the-trainer opportunities on relevant topics and skills, such as facilitation, strategic planning, adaptation planning, risk communication, nature-based solutions, and coastal inundation mapping. NOAA may also provide community-based fellows to work under the leadership of interested collaboratives.
• Support to convene partners in ways that ensure community engagement in the planning, design, and implementation of adaptation efforts.
• Sharing lessons learned and approaches taken by collaboratives and projects to expand the impact of investments among and beyond the resilience challenge awards.

Contact NOAA at resiliencechallenge@noaa.gov to discuss the possibilities. In the full proposal, applicants are strongly encouraged to identify known technical assistance needs for project implementation, but this information is not a requirement.