NIDIS Coping with Drought Research Competition
What Is the Coping with Drought Research Competition?
Since 2007, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) has funded more than 70 innovative drought research projects through the Coping with Drought research competition. Research through the Coping with Drought competition assesses impacts of drought on agriculture, ecosystems, and water resources and develops decision support tools for regional, state, and local use. This research contributes to the understanding of how communities become aware of drought threats and how they can improve preparation and planning. The projects incorporate consultation with stakeholders, and focus on information that is most useful for decision-making to reduce vulnerability; models and tools that bring this information to decision makers; and strategies for improving NIDIS’ engagement with communities in preparedness.
FY25 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competition: Understanding and Assessing Drought in a Changing Climate
In August 2024, NIDIS announced up to $4 million in funding for 8 two-year projects as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 NIDIS Coping with Drought: Understanding and Assessing Drought in a Changing Climate competition. This competition seeks projects focused on improving drought indicator performance to account for non-stationarity with the goal of more accurate drought assessments that support communities in preparing for, mitigating, and responding to drought.
In Fiscal Year 2025, approximately $2 million will be available for the first year of funding for up to 8 new awards, pending budget appropriations. It is anticipated that most awards will be at a funding level between $50,000 and $250,000 per year over 2 years for a total of up to $500,000.
This competition addresses needs identified in the NOAA/NIDIS Drought Assessment in a Changing Climate Technical Memorandum, based on a technical workshop co-hosted by NIDIS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate Hubs. The Technical Memorandum captures the input from more than 100 subject matter experts, who during the meeting identified priority actions and outstanding research questions across fifteen focus areas. This Technical Memorandum is the focus of the Fiscal Year 2025 NIDIS Coping with Drought grant competition, which seeks projects to advance a key focus area: “Improving Drought Indicator Performance.”
The application period closed on December 9, 2024. NIDIS will announce awardees in summer 2025.
Previous Coping with Drought Competitions
The Coping with Drought competition is typically offered every one to two years. Themes may differ for each competition and are informed by needs and emerging issues identified by a broad range of stakeholders across the United States. Explore featured NIDIS-supported research from previous Coping with Drought competitions below.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competition
NIDIS awarded $1.95 million in funding for projects to support tribal drought resilience as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This investment will help tribal nations address current and future drought risk on tribal lands across the Western U.S. while informing decision-making and strengthening tribal drought resilience in a changing climate.
These new funds will support projects by tribal nations to help understand and mitigate drought impacts to the land, water supply, traditional foods, and cultural practices.
The funding supports four projects led by tribal nations that own lands within the American West, including the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington, the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation in Montana, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competitions
For the FY 2022 Coping with Drought competitions, NIDIS funded twelve 2-year projects across two research areas: Ecological Drought (7 projects) and Building Tribal Drought Resilience (5 projects).
The competitively selected projects total $6,269,035 over 2 years, including $5,697,148 in cooperative agreements and $571,887 in other awards.
FY 2022 Coping with Drought: Ecological Drought Projects
FY 2022 Coping with Drought: Building Tribal Drought Resilience Projects
Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competition
For the FY 2020 Coping with Drought competition, NIDIS funded five 2-year projects that aim to improve our understanding and use of drought indicators, thresholds and triggers, and drought impact reporting to inform decision-making to prepare for and respond to drought. NIDIS encouraged applicants to focus on industry and economic sectors beyond agriculture (e.g., tourism and recreation, navigation, water utilities, manufacturing, ecosystem services, and public health).
FY 2020 Coping with Drought Projects
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competition
For FY 2019, the Coping with Drought research competition focused on projects within the NIDIS Regional Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWS). Individual topics to be addressed included business and decision calendars, water markets, and drought triggers and indicators.
Featured FY 2019 Coping with Drought Projects
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competition
For FY 2018, the Coping with Drought research competition focused on science communication and understanding behavioral changes due to forecasts, decision calendars, improved and varied communication techniques, and innovative collaborations in water-scarce and water-stressed environments.
Featured FY 2018 Coping with Drought Projects
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007–2016 NIDIS Coping with Drought Competitions
The Coping with Drought research competition began in 2007. Explore featured NIDIS-supported research projects from FY 2007–FY 2016. Or, see a complete list of past projects.