Opportunity

Since 2011, GLISA has run six competitions and competitively awarded 34 small grants to regional organizations committed to integrating climate information with adaptation decision-making. The program has evolved from more technical research-based projects in early years to funding strategic partnerships and collaborations that boost the effectiveness and impact of climate adaptation efforts. These projects bridge the gap between climate information and those making decisions about adapting to climate change impacts.

In the 2023 competition, GLISA will award several 2-year grants of up to $30,000 each to organizations that will collaborate with GLISA to advance equitable climate adaptation in the Great Lakes region. Our goal is to foster and sustain a suite of collaborative projects that increase GLISA’s impact and address and amplify dimensions of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in adaptation action.

All interested applicants must submit a letter of Intent (LOI) by Friday, June 23 at 5pm Eastern via the online Submittable platform. Applicants will have two funding categories to choose from:

1. Scale up or improve GLISA’s existing suite of tools and approaches; or
2. Propose an idea to advance priorities of frontline communities and increase their capacity to adapt.

GLISA will evaluate all LOIs and invite select teams to submit a full proposal. LOIs should be no more than 2 pages (1 inch margins, font size 12) and include:

• Project title;
• Composition of the project team;
• Funding category (for category 1, tool/approach to be used)
• Total requested amount, and proposed spending categories (detailed budgets not needed until the full proposal phase);
• Identification of the problem/topic (including relevant sectors and geographic scale);
• Summary of proposed work, approach, and anticipated outcomes;
• Description of partners to be engaged in, and impacted by, project activities; and,
• Anticipated role for GLISA and preferred extent of GLISA involvement (e.g., climate data, facilitation, or other needs).

Apply here: https://glisa.submittable.com/submit

GLISA will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 1pm CT/2pm ET and will post a recording and frequently asked questions (FAQ) on this webpage. GLISA will also offer office hours throughout May and June and applicants are highly encouraged to sign-up to discuss and receive preliminary feedback on their ideas (sign-up link).

Applicants may also reach out to GLISA directly with any questions or accommodation requests by contacting GLISA’s Sustained Engagement Specialist, Tori Graves Field, at gravesvi@umich.edu.

Final funding decisions are expected by early October, allowing at least eight weeks for grant processing. See the table on the website below for important dates and deadlines.