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NSF releases updated priorities

On April 18, 2025, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released updated guidance on the priorities of the organization. You can learn more about these updated priorities, review a list of frequently asked questions, or submit your questions on this webpage.

Dear Colleague Letter: An Update to the NSF Arctic Observing Network (AON) Program

This letter is to inform the community of an important update to the Arctic Sciences Section's (ARC) Arctic Observing Network (AON) program. Now is an opportune time to conduct a comprehensive assessment of observing and research priorities to help ensure a robust and sustained Arctic Observing Network program at NSF over the coming decade that builds on past strengths.

Registration Open for Fall 2024 NSF Virtual Grants Conference

The Fall 2024 NSF Virtual Grants Conference is open for registration! The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will host the semi-annual event from December 9 – 12, 2024. This is an excellent opportunity to gain insights into NSF’s current issues, policies and procedures, and specific funding opportunities.

There is no cost to register and attend the Grants Conference. Register today!

Dear Colleague Letter: Request for Information on the CHIPS and Science Act Section 10343. Research Ethics

The U.S. National Science Foundation NSF is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to seek input to inform the development of the agency's response to Section 10343. Research Ethics in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-167). NSF welcomes feedback from interested parties. This includes representatives from non-profit organizations, philanthropies, industry, local, state, and tribal government offices/agencies, K-12 schools and districts, institutions of higher education, trade, and/or vocational schools.

Dear Colleague Letter: Nordic-U.S. Research Collaboration on Sustainable Development of the Arctic

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and NordForsk, the science funding body of the Nordic Council of Ministers, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Research Cooperation. The MOU provides an overarching framework to encourage collaboration among U.S., Nordic, and Canadian research communities and sets out the principles by which jointly supported activities might be developed.

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions and Historic Progress Supporting Tribal Nations and Native Communities Ahead of Third Annual White House Tribal Nations Summit

This week, President Biden will host the third annual White House Tribal Nations Summit of the Biden-Harris Administration. During the Summit, the Biden-Harris Administration will also release a comprehensive 2023 Progress Report for Tribal Nations, which outlines historic progress the Administration has made over the past year to deliver on the President’s commitment to supporting Indian Country and address the top concerns of Tribal communities...

White House Releases Implementation Plan for the United States’ National Strategy for the Arctic Region

The Biden-Harris Administration released the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSAR). The NSAR Implementation Plan (NSARIP) serves as a blueprint for an approach to realizing the vision set out in the NSAR and ensures continued collaboration with the wide array of stakeholders with interests in the Arctic.

Upcoming Deadlines for Participating in Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2024

ASSW 2024, which includes the Arctic Observing Summit (AOS), will be hosted in Edinburgh, Scotland during March 21-29, 2024. Proposals for AOS sessions and short statements are due Sep 1, 2023. Proposals for side meetings are due by Sep 30, 2023.

Dear Colleague Letter: Notice of Intent to Compete an Arctic Sciences Community Hub

The U.S. National Science Foundation has released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) on their intent to compete an Arctic Sciences Community Hub.

NSF Seeking Comments to Proposed Revisions in the PAPPG Related to Tribal Engagement

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently published proposed draft revisions to their Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG; NSF 24-1) related to how Tribes are to be engaged when research may have an impact on Tribal interests and resources. 

The public notice is published in the Federal Register and the draft PAPPG is available on the NSF Policy Office website. To facilitate review, this posted PDF of the draft PAPPG shows the proposed changes marked in yellow with explanatory comments in the margins.

NSF is accepting comments from interested parties until June 12, 2023. Comments may be submitted directly through the Federal Register link by clicking on the green button, “Submit a Formal Comment.” Tribal Leaders or their designees may also email comments directly to policy@nsf.gov.  

Dear Colleague Letter: Updates to the Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) Program

Since 2017, the Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) Program--one of NSF’s Ten Big Ideas-- has supported creative new directions for understanding and adapting to a rapidly changing Arctic. Projects funded through the NNA Program have made significant advances in Arctic-related research, education, workforce development, and the leveraging of science, engineering, and technology advances from a wide range of disciplines. Further, the NNA community has made important contributions regarding conducting community-engaged research and the co-production of knowledge.

NSF's Big Ideas ended as a unifying concept in FY 2023 as planned. Investments in these forward-looking research categories provided the groundwork for many new successes. Most of the Big Ideas will continue as core research programs or be superseded by new but related efforts. This Dear Colleague Letter announces the end of an active solicitation accepting new proposals to the NNA Program, as well as next steps for the NNA community.

National Science Foundation Funding Opportunity: Arctic Research Opportunities

The National Science Foundation (NSF) invites investigators at U.S. organizations to submit proposals to the Arctic Sciences Section in the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) within the Geosciences Directorate, to conduct research about the Arctic region.

The goal of this solicitation is to attract research proposals that advance a fundamental, process, and/or systems-level understanding of the Arctic's rapidly changing natural environment, social and cultural systems, and, where appropriate, to improve our capacity to project future change. The Arctic Sciences Section supports research focused on the Arctic region and its connectivity with lower latitudes. The scientific scope is aligned with, but not limited to, research priorities outlined in the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) five-year plan.

Greenland launches first national research strategy

The Government of Greenland has presented its first national research strategy. The document defines how research in Greenland should develop over the next eight years and in which areas investments should be concentrated. 

Arctic Report Card: Update for 2022

The 2022 Arctic Report Card (ARC2022) provides an updated annual view into the state of the Arctic by checking in on key vital signs—eight defining elements of the Arctic's climate and environmental system. This report also samples critical and emerging topics across the Arctic, bringing into focus diverse collections of observations that help to assess the overall trajectory of Arctic change.

White House Releases First-of-a-Kind Indigenous Knowledge Guidance for Federal Agencies

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) jointly released new government-wide guidance  and an accompanying implementation memorandum for Federal Agencies on recognizing and including Indigenous Knowledge in Federal research, policy, and decision making. This announcement coincides with the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2022 Tribal Nations Summit and responds to a 2021 OSTP-CEQ memorandum that called for development of the guidance with Tribal consultation and Indigenous community engagement, as well as agency, expert, and public input.

BAMS report: Record-high greenhouse gases, sea levels in 2021

Greenhouse gas concentrations, global sea levels and ocean heat content reached record highs in 2021, according to the 32nd annual State of the Climate report.

The international annual review of the world’s climate, led by scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information and published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Societyoffsite link (AMS), is based on contributions from more than 530 scientists in over 60 countries. It provides the most comprehensive update on Earth’s climate indicators, notable weather events and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments located on land, water, ice and in space.

NSF funds new projects to study local and global impacts of a rapidly changing Arctic

The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded a new round of grants under the Navigating the New Arctic, or NNA, program. The awards support research projects to study the Arctic's changing natural, built and social environments. The work will lead to an improved understanding of the local and global effects of Arctic change, informing U.S. national security and economic development needs. 

PSECCO Conference Travel Grant Program for polar early career scientists and educators is launched

The Polar Science Early Career Community Office (PSECCO) is opening the PSECCO Conference Travel Grant Program to polar early career scientists and educators who need funding to attend an international or domestic conference at which they intend to present polar science-related content. Travel funding grants aim to support polar early career scientists and educators with demonstrated financial need. In this funding cycle, PSECCO will be distributing $7,000 to applicants; applicants may request a reasonable amount of funding to support their travel to/from a polar conference, up to a value of $1,000 per person. The deadline by which to apply is August 14, 2022 at 11.59pm MT.

Polar Science Early Career Community Office Launched

The Polar Science Early Career Community Office (PSECCO) was officially launched on April 18, 2022. PSECCO is a community-building and community-support organization for polar early career scientists. Its mission is to empower and elevate early career scientists in the Polar Sciences, support a vibrant community, provide opportunities and resources, offer skill training and work together towards a more just, inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible polar science environment.

NNA Named an Endorsed Action of the UN Ocean Decade

In 2017, the United Nations (UN)  declared 2021-2030 the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade), recognizing an opportunity to reverse the decline in ocean health while continuing to rely on the ocean for our ever-increasing needs, particularly under a changing climate. The Ocean Decade was officially launched January 1, 2021.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has been an active player in the Ocean Decade, and has submitted five actions for endorsement. All five were accepted, among them Navigating the New Arctic (NNA).

The linked PDF is a resource for NSF staff and researchers (including PIs, postdocs, students, etc.) funded through one of the five NSF Ocean Decade Actions. The document provides context and resources for engagement in the Ocean Decade and will evolve as opportunities within the Ocean Decade change in the coming years.

Click this news item to be taken to the PDF resource.

Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026

In December 2021, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released IARPC’s Arctic Research Plan 2022–2026. Building on the successes and communities of practice of the 2017–2021 plan, the new Arctic Research Plan is a bold strategy for a changing Arctic. It outlines a vision for federal agencies to address emerging research questions about this vital region, and provides pathways to strengthen relationships between federal agencies and Indigenous communities, academia and non-federal researchers, the state of Alaska, nonprofits, and private sector and international organizations. Read the plan.

NSF FY22 NNA Proposals Due Feb 16, 2022

Project proposals for the National Science Foundation FY22 NNA solicitation are due February 16, 2022. You may view the full solicitation here. If you would like to learn more about the solicitation, please view this Program Manager Chat, hosted by IARPC Collaborations on December 8, 2021. If you would like to learn more about proposal preparation and the merit review process, please view this workshop, hosted by the NNA-CO on December 9, 2021. For answers to frequently asked questions regarding the FY22 NNA solicitation, please visit this page.

NSF expands Arctic investment through the Navigating the New Arctic initiative

As Arctic temperatures warm faster than nearly everywhere else on Earth, and with some models projecting an ice-free Arctic Ocean in a few decades, the U.S. National Science Foundation...

NSF expands Arctic investment

Temperatures in the Arctic are warming faster than nearly anywhere else on Earth. Some climate models project an ice-free Arctic Ocean in a few decades...

UPDATE: COVID-19 Impacts on Arctic Fieldwork

NSF remains committed to being supportive and as responsive as possible to the needs of the research community in the face of challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic...

More than 200 researchers sign letter requesting more Indigenous input...

One of the National Science Foundation’s flagship initiatives for the past few years is called Navigating the New Arctic. It looks at the effects of a warming climate on Arctic communities...