Climate Collaboration Projects

The UC Irvine Climate Collaboration is inviting applications for Climate Collaboration Projects (CCPs) that span disciplines, engage with Community Partners (e.g., community organizations, government agencies, special districts, businesses, non-governmental organizations, private foundations, elected officials, tribes, or other entities), and integrate research and teaching around a compelling topic related to Climate, Resilience, and Sustainability (CRS).

Today, universities across the U.S. are facing a rapidly changing landscape for CRS research– one that presents both challenges and opportunities. Never has there been a more important time to strengthen partnerships with stakeholders of our science, many of whom are end-users of the knowledge and technologies that we create and the employers of the students who we educate. It is also critical to engage with colleagues from complementary disciplines to broaden our perspectives and cultivate cutting-edge ideas for future work. Thus, CPPs are envisioned to advance “solutions-oriented” research directions at UC Irvine, such as projects that inform the most pressing climate challenges with new knowledge, projects that translate new knowledge into better policy, and projects that advance exciting new technologies. CPPs are also envisioned to create timely learning opportunities for UC Irvine postdocs and students, and link UC Irvine with other influential organizations. Public outreach and communication of these outcomes will follow in a coordinated way to enhance the visibility of UC Irvine within the climate space.

Requirements for Project Grant submission:

Pairs of UC Irvine faculty from two different Schools are invited to apply for CPP grants of up to $100,000 (maximum annually) over a 1-2 year period, although smaller grants are welcome. Any UC Irvine faculty members who are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators may apply. The program is especially interested in supporting promising nascent collaborations that have been held back by the lack of available funding, but continuing collaborators are eligible as well.  Award funds will be provided to support successful collaboration and research efforts, and we encourage funds to be used for support for a postdoctoral scholar (preferred) or doctoral student. Limited funds may also be requested for supplies, meetings, travel, or field research, as appropriate. Use of funds for faculty salaries (or course buyouts) is not allowed. As these are internal campus funds, no indirect costs will be charged.

The deadline for initial submissions is July 1, 2025, with an October 1, 2025, start date. Future applications will be invited in 2026-27 as funding allows.

Applications should include a Project Title Page, a Project Description, References, Budget with justification, Letters of Participation from stakeholders, 2-page biosketches from each of the two collaborating faculty, and a biosketch for the post-doctoral scholar or graduate student selected for the project (if known). The application should indicate which faculty member will serve as the direct mentor for the postdoc/graduate student and the unit responsible for funding allocation.

Project Title Page (1 page limit). Provide the project title, the names of the collaborating faculty, the names of participating organization(s) (if relevant), a 250-word summary of the research activity, and a 100-word summary of the educational activity.

Project Description (5 page limit). Use the following section titles: 1. Problem Statement. 2. Collaboration Team. 3. Project Objectives. 4. Research Activities, 5. Educational Activity (see below), 6. Intellectual Merit, 7. Expected Societal Impact, 8. Expected UCI Impact (including benefits to faculty in terms of professional growth).

The educational activity supported by these grants (e.g., an assignment or project) helps fulfill a deep commitment at UC Irvine towards teaching excellence and innovation, and a longstanding aim of the university to integrate research into education. Students at UCI are hungry to gain fundamental knowledge about CRS challenges, gain experience finding practical solutions to problems, and develop professional networks and career opportunities. The educational activity can also be leveraged as a mechanism to build or strengthen partnerships. For example, partners/stakeholders may wish to engage through guest lectures, panel presentations, site visits, technical advising, and review/evaluation of student work (e.g., final project presentations). It is expected that the educational activity will occur during one quarter of the academic year; it is not expected to be a year-round commitment.

An interdisciplinary faculty committee will review the applications and provide a ranked list to the UC Irvine Climate Collaboration. Proposal review will be based on the following factors:

• Potential for innovative and impactful CRS scholarship (50%)
• Building and/or strengthening faculty collaborations at UC Irvine (20%)
• Expanding and/or strengthening the UC Irvine partner network (15%)
• Integration of research and partnerships into teaching (15%)

Final selection will be based on:

• Ranking from above
• Fit: The program aims to select projects that are complementary and broadly representative of campus strengths and opportunities for future growth
• Availability of funds

About the UC Irvine Climate Collaboration

The UC Irvine Climate Collaboration aims to bolster the research capacity of our faculty, catalyze promising new research directions at UC Irvine, grow and strengthen partnerships with our Community Partners, and create unique climate-relevant educational experiences for our students.

Figure 1. By initiating and expanding connections among faculty and community partners, and investing in promising opportunities, the UC Irvine Climate Collaboration aims to accelerate and amplify high-impact, solutions-oriented, research and teaching and further elevate the stature and visibility of the campus across climate-related fields.

More than a dozen Schools at UC Irvine engage in CRS research and education, which marks a unique strength of the campus and opportunity for innovation. Furthermore, Orange County offers numerous additional strengths including a strong business presence, public interest in the environment and the amenities that it provides, a track record of open space preservation and habitat restoration, and a commitment to bipartisan cooperation around the needs of the environment. Climate Collaboration Projects and Matching Grant Projects are envisioned to link disciplines and partners in new and impactful ways that contribute to the visibility and stature of UC Irvine as a leading academic institution within the broad area of climate. Across many projects, the UC Irvine Climate Collaboration aims to strengthen existing partnerships and initiate new ones. We also seek research impact at a range of scales, from local to global, and we encourage work across diverse geographies.