Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education

The Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program is administered by the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) at the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF is an independent federal agency tasked with promoting the progress of science across the United States. Through the FARE Program, NSF aims to enable high-impact research in atmospheric sciences by providing access to state-of-the-art facilities and instruments. The program encompasses two major components: the Lower Atmospheric Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF). These components collectively enhance the capacity of the research community to conduct field-based and laboratory investigations into geophysical and atmospheric phenomena. The LAOF component oversees a national portfolio of specialized, NSF-sponsored atmospheric observing facilities. These multi-user facilities support the geosciences community by offering crucial infrastructure for conducting scientific fieldwork. Examples include aircraft, radar systems, and mobile ground-based sensors that are otherwise cost-prohibitive or technically complex for individual institutions to maintain. The LAOF program also provides support for the planning stages of scientific campaigns—this includes assistance with experimental design, operations logistics, and deployment coordination. Funding decisions regarding facility acquisition, upgrades, and replacements are informed by community input and scientific merit, and all facility management is centralized within AGS’s NCAR and Facilities Section. Access to the LAOF facilities is invitation-only, and potential applicants must first contact the FARE program director to discuss their proposal intent. This underscores the program’s emphasis on strategic alignment with national research priorities and ensures that NSF resources are deployed in support of well-planned and impactful scientific missions. In contrast, the CIF program operates through open solicitations from facility and instrumentation providers. These providers propose to make specialized tools available to the broader atmospheric science community, thereby enhancing collective access to advanced equipment. CIF funding covers technician time, minor upgrades, and travel for outreach, with an emphasis on shared use and community benefit. Proposals for CIF are submitted through the Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP), identified as NSF 21-611. Applicants must follow the guidelines set forth in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide, depending on the submission platform. While the FARE program does not impose fixed deadlines, full proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and must be submitted in accordance with the relevant solicitation and in consultation with the program director. This flexible submission timeline accommodates the complex and often time-sensitive nature of field-based research planning. Evaluation of proposals under the FARE Program is rigorous, with emphasis placed on scientific merit, feasibility, and alignment with national research needs. Selected projects benefit from access to NSF-managed facilities and logistical support services that are critical for atmospheric research campaigns. Although no explicit funding floor or ceiling is provided, the scale and scope of funded activities typically imply substantial support for both planning and execution phases. Contact for inquiries is directed to Nicholas F. Anderson at [email protected] or (703) 292-8524. As of the most recent update, the program continues to accept proposals year-round. The flexibility in proposal submission timing, combined with NSF's oversight and coordination, ensures the FARE program remains a key enabler of U.S.-based atmospheric science research efforts. Proposals should be grounded in strong scientific justification and logistical planning and must engage directly with the FARE program director to initiate the submission process.