NSIDC's research and scientific data management activities are supported by NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other federal agencies, through competitive grants and contracts.

See Research Projects for a list of major sponsored grants and contracts. See Sponsored Programs for a list of major sponsored data management activities.

NSIDC is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.