[download a copy of the RFP, complete with matrices, here]
Program Summary
Program Summary
The UVA Climate Collaborative will support interdisciplinary research teams conducting community-engaged research in specific localities in Virginia, the nation, and the world dealing with climate-related challenges. This program is designed to support the development of collaborative research programs and partnerships to address place-based climate adaptation and mitigation at local to regional scales. Interdisciplinary university teams will work with external partners, such as policymakers, business leaders, local citizens, community groups and government officials, to co-produce climate adaptation and mitigation strategies that both generate cutting-edge research and respond to community needs. By engaging in genuine collaboration with these partners, teams will ensure that solutions are actionable and informed by local expertise, leading to practical outcomes that support long-term community resilience. Projects will span the sciences and engineering, social sciences, humanities, and professional schools.
Anticipated Funding Amount
Funding levels are up to $1.5 million over 3 years. As this may be the final call for proposals under this program, we encourage strong submissions that align well with the program goals. If one or more compelling proposals request lower budgets, additional projects may be considered for funding.
These awards are intended to help teams establish and strengthen research programs and partnerships that will position them to secure external funding for larger, longer-term efforts.
Eligibility
All UVA faculty are eligible to submit proposals. An individual may serve as the lead PI on no more than one Climate Collaborative proposal, but may be listed as a co-PI on one additional proposal.
Proposal Submission Deadline
August 15th, 2025
For each intended proposal submission, the project lead or a member of the research team must attend a webinar on March 19th to learn more about what makes a successful Climate Collaborative project and determine whether the proposed project is a good fit.
A 1–2-page Letter of Intent is due by April 15th, outlining the theme and rationale, current work the Climate Collaborative will build upon, PI and co-PI names and affiliations, anticipated external partners, and anticipated budget expenses.
All LOIs and application materials should be emailed to Amelie Berger (Project Manager) at acb4rk@virginia.edu.
Program Objectives
All projects will connect local knowledge with academic research to provide practical solutions to locality-specific climate challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration and two-way engagement of impacted communities. While the individual questions addressed by each project will depend on the community they are working with and the talents and interests of the research team, all projects should address the following broad questions:
- What are the major climate-related challenges the locality faces, as perceived by the community and based on climate risk?
- What are the social and environmental assets in the locality that can promote equitable community mitigation and/or adaptation to climate challenges?
- What are the location-specific barriers to developing and implementing mitigation and/or adaption solutions?
- What are the potential strategies and pathways for the community to build equitable resilience to climate impacts, including co-benefits and trade-offs?
- What lessons from the project might be applicable to other places around the world? How can your research results benefit society more broadly?
Successful teams will propose new research that builds on prior knowledge of the place, the community, and the climate-related challenges they face, rather than continuing an existing project. Teams must demonstrate prior experience or trusted relationships in the locality and include at least one team member with expertise in community-engaged research. The quality of two-way community engagement will be a key evaluation criterion.
Faculty, staff and students working on each funded project will be expected to meet regularly with those involved in the other parallel projects funded by the Climate Collaborative to share knowledge and contribute to fundamental and translational methods for climate solutions. Projects will be supported by the Environmental Institute staff for communications, finances, program integration, and collaboration among the funded projects.
Full Proposal Requirements
A. Project Description (15 pages maximum for 1-4):
1. Vision, Justification and Impact
- Identify a theme and specific research questions that both advances fundamental knowledge about climate adaptation and/or mitigation and addresses ways that this knowledge can be put to action. Be clear on the novelty and potential impact of the work you are proposing.
- Define and justify the geographical boundaries of the locality that is the focus of research, ensuring it is a meaningful place to study the specific climate impacts and affected communities. Selected localities should also contribute to a diverse range of geographies and scales within the Climate Collaborative program.
- Develop an integrative framework, and present clear goals, research questions and outcomes. These should emphasize interdisciplinary research and involve multi-sector partners in ways that will inform policy and practice and minimize social nequality and insecurity. Provide a detailed description and justification of the methods you will use to address each research question.
- Explain the ways in which specific research questions for the chosen locality advance climate adaptation/mitigation solutions. Projects may build on work currently underway, filling gaps in knowledge generation or translation, or may be new collaborations.
- Describe a plan for research translation and public engagement.
2. Integration and Partnerships
- Describe the UVA faculty partners who will participate in the project. Teams should be composed of researchers from multiple disciplines who together effectively address interactions between natural, human-built, and social systems. This program is focused on building collaborations across UVA, however, collaborators from other institutions can be proposed to fill gaps with appropriate justification.
- Describe the non-academic partners (e.g., government officials, NGO leaders, community leaders, educators) who will participate in the project, including a history of prior research and experience building relationships of trust. Teams should identify a practitioner leader from the community who will be part of the project leadership team.
- Provide a plan for how the project will be co-produced with locality partners and how community stakeholders will be actively involved in the research and translation. Community-engagement plans should reflect a two-way engagement, rather than a one-way approach.
3. Milestones, Metrics of Success, and Timeline
- Describe how progress will be measured and outline a process to develop effective ways to collect and analyze metrics that document progress towards goals, milestones, and outcomes.
- Indicate how the project leadership anticipates contributing to and learning from the Climate Collaborative Program to develop best practices supporting collaborative community-based climate research.
- Complete the provided table (see page 5) describing the specific milestones, metrics/deliverables and timeline for each goal identified in your proposal. This table is not included in the 15-page limit for the project description.
4. Sustainability
- Outline plans to sustain and build on the research project and local engagement beyond the initial funding period. Describe how the project activities will build long-lasting relationships that will continue to have impact.
- Describe potential targets for follow-on funding (e.g., state or federal agency, industry, foundation) to ensure continued impact after the initial funding period.
B. Budget and Budget Justification:
Proposals should be thoughtful in constructing budgets, ensuring that requested funds align with project needs and reflect both research efforts and partner support. Applicants should request what is necessary while being cautious not to automatically seek the maximum award if it is not justified. If proposed budgets come in below the maximum award amount, additional projects may be considered for funding.
Provide full budget details in table format of requested expenses and a separate document with detailed justifications. The review committee will pay particular attention to the allocation of funds for community partners and engagement activities.
Allowable expenses are as follows:
- Personnel: Lead PI – up to 1 month summer salary; Co-PIs – up to 1 month summer salary; Community Leader – part-time compensation; Trainees – Post-doctoral Fellows, Graduate Students (academic year RA and/or summer wages), Undergraduate Student summer wages. The review committee and awarded project teams also strongly recommend a part-time project manager be considered.
- Non-Personnel: Travel Expenses; Fieldwork Expenses; Community Engagement Expenses; Data Curation and Computing Time; Events
C. 2-page CVs for all project PIs and co-PIs
D. Letters of Support for External Partners
These letters should demonstrate the community partners understand the scope of their role within the proposed project.
Selection Criteria
Projects will be selected based on integration of social and environmental research, quality of authentic two-way community collaboration and co-production plans, potential impact including translation to policy and practice, and sustainability plans. Projects will also be evaluated for potential to contribute to the Climate Collaborative Program, including achieving geographic diversity of sites.
Specific review criteria area as follows:
- Prominence of research; clear research questions related to climate adaptation and/or mitigation and well-justified methods to address them
- Authentic, two-way community engagement plans where partners and community leader co-produce research
- Large, interdisciplinary team addressing environmental (natural, built) and social systems
- Place-based: well-chosen for the climate impacts and impacted communities involved
- Linked research and policy/practice; potential for impact
- Prospect for sustained funding
- Well-justified and diversified budget (balancing support for research and community engagement)
Contact and submissions: Amelie Berger, Project Manager, Environmental Institute, acb4rk@virginia.edu
