OAR Budget

Budget Process

We receive many questions about the timing of the budget process.  The timeline below is intended as a guide to help explain the process from budget formulation to execution. 

Click to expand budget timeline

FY 2022 President's Budget Request

For details on the OAR request, see the NOAA Blue Book (PDF; OAR section begins on p. 55) and FY22 Congressional Justification (PDF; OAR section begins on p. 479) on the NOAA Budget Office page. Additional information is also available in the NOAA press release. 

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021

On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) was signed into law by President Trump. This provides a total of $5.65B for NOAA. This includes $4.10 billion for NOAA Operations, Research and Facilities (ORF) and $1.55 billion in Procurement, Acquisition and Construction (PAC). 

OAR Operations, Research, and Facilities (ORF) - OAR received $570.6 million in ORF funds, an increase of $22.2 million from FY 2020.

Climate Research - OAR Climate Research is funded at $182.0M, which is a $12.5M increase from FY 2020 enacted. This rejects the proposed AOML Climate Research, Arctic Research and Climate Competitive Research terminations within this subactivity. 

• Climate Research Labs and Cooperative Institutes: $75.5M ($9.0M increase above the FY 2020 enacted)
  • Provides $9.0M increase for Earth Radiation Budget, an increase of $5.0M above FY 2020 enacted
• Regional Climate Data and Information: $42.5M ($2.5M increase above the  FY 2020 enacted) 
  • $2.5M increase for Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) Program above FY 2020 enacted
• Climate Competitive Research: $64.0M ($1.0M increase above the FY 2020 enacted)

Weather and Air Chemistry Research - OAR Weather and Air Chemistry Research is funded at $139.4M, which is a $5.7M increase from FY 2020 enacted. This rejects the proposed ARL Closure, and Vortex-SE and Infrasonic terminations within this subactivity. 

• Weather and Air Chemistry Research Labs and Cooperative Institutes: $85.5M ($3.5M increase from the FY 2020 enacted)
  • Creation of Vortex-USA at $7.5M 
• U.S. Weather Research Program: $26.5M (increase of $3.5M from FY 2020 enacted)
  • $1.0M to support external opportunities with academic institutions, including infrasonic monitoring methods of violent weather. 
• Tornado Severe Storm Research/Phased Array Radar: $14.4M (increase of $748K above the FY 2020 enacted) 
• Joint Technology Transfer Initiative: $13.0M (decrease of $2M from the FY 2020 enacted) 

Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Research - Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Research is funded at $231.5M, which is an increase of $2.9M above the FY 2020 enacted. 

• Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Research Labs and Cooperative Institutes: $36.5M (increase of $1.0M from the FY 2020 enacted)
• National Sea Grant College Program base: $75.0M (rejects termination and provides a $1.0M increase above the FY 2020 enacted) 
• Marine Aquaculture: $13.0M (equal to the FY 2020 enacted)
• Ocean Exploration and Research: $43.0M ($1.0M increase above the FY 2020 enacted)
• Integrated Ocean Acidification: $15.5M ($1.5M increase above the FY 2020 enacted) 
• Sustained Ocean Observations and Monitoring: $45.4M (increase of $408K above the FY 2020 enacted) 
• National Oceanographic Partnership Program: $3.0M (decrease of $2.0M from the FY 2020 enacted)

Innovative Research and Technology - Innovative Research and Technology is funded at $17.8M, which is $1.0M above FY 2020 enacted. 

• High Performance Computing (HPC) Initiatives ORF - HPC ORF is funded at $17.8M, which is an increase of $1.0M above the FY 2020 enacted.

OAR Procurement, Acquisition and Construction (PAC) - OAR received $43.5M in PAC funds, an increase of $1.5M from FY 2020 enacted.

• Research Supercomputing: Research supercomputing PAC is funded at $42.0M, which is a $1.0M increase above the FY 2020 enacted. 
  • $15.0M shall be used to continue to develop a dedicated high performance computing facility in collaboration with partners that have existing high performance computing expertise and scientific synergies.