Motivation/Background: (Why should this Task or sub-task be implemented? What relevance to society? What is the state of the art? 3-5 lines)

(Motivation) Worldwide still only few organizations with available funding and other resources make explicit reference to GEO and GEOSS in their programs. It limits then the engagement of the scientific and technological communities in the realization of GEOSS. Therefore it becomes crucial that the funding and other resource providers dealing with earth observation and the SBAs are becoming more aware of GEO and proactive towards GEOSS.

(State of the art) the GEO S&T Committee has produced a document identifying a number of programs relevant to GEOSS and there are already some R&D funding bodies who have flagged activities in their WP (EC etc.). The task should start from those initial steps.

There are existing organizations at the international level that explicitly address providing funding and other resources for relevant scientific efforts in Earth observations, such as the International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change (IGFA). In addition, there are many examples of individual Member contributions of funding and other resources to GEO and GEOSS-related efforts. Fostering the conversation that may lead to increasing funding and other resources of all kinds targeted to scientific and technology needs, that will inform the work of applications users and providers, is at the heart of this task.