Grants for For Profit Organizations Other Than Small Businesses

The FY24 ARP Idea Development Award supports the development of innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress in improving outcomes for Autistic individuals. Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY24 ARP Idea Development Award Areas of Interest or provide justification that the proposed research addresses a critical problem, question, or need in ASD. This award mechanism is designed to support innovative ideas with the potential to yield impactful data and new avenues of investigation.Research funded by the FY24 ARP should be responsive to the needs of people with ASD, their families, and/or caregivers. Researchers are therefore encouraged to establish and utilize effective collaborations and partnerships with community members to maximize the translational and impact potential of the proposed research.CDMRP encourages research on health areas and conditions that affect women uniquely, disproportionately, or differently from men, including studies analyzing sex as a biological variable. Such research should relate anticipated project findings to improvements in womens health outcomes and/or advancing knowledge for womens health.

The FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award is intended to provide successful applicants the time and resources needed to bring investigators and breast cancer advocates together to establish a consortium framework and conduct preliminary research to support application to a future, full Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award (pending availability of funds). This is a development award and is a separate mechanism from the full consortium award. Recipients of the FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award are expected to submit an application to compete for the full Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award anticipated to be offered in a future fiscal year(s). However, it is not necessary to receive a development award in order to apply for a full consortium award in the future. For FY24, investigators may be named as Consortium Director on an application submitted to either (but not both) of these mechanisms. Detailed information on the FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award is available under a separate program announcement (HT942524BCRPTBCCA).The FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award provides support to: Develop the infrastructure of a multi-institutional research team inclusive of scientists, clinicians, and breast cancer advocates (e.g., building appropriate collaborations, outlining integration, research management, administrative management, and communication plans, and devising an intellectual property plan) Generate necessary preliminary data to serve as proof of concept or for project integration Acquire research resources Develop a framework of necessary statistical analysesBreast cancer consumer advocates must be active participants in the development and execution of the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award.A congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force was formed with the purpose of identifying ways to help accelerate clinical and translational research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients. As a member of the Metastatic Cancer Task Force, CDMRP encourages applicants to review the recommendations (https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Congressional-Testimonies/2018/05/03/Metastatic-Cancer-Research) and submit research ideas to address these recommendations provided they are within the limitations of this funding opportunity and fit within the FY24 BCRP priorities.Innovative research involving nuclear medicine and related techniques to support early diagnosis, more effective treatment, and improved health outcomes of active-duty Service Members and their Families is encouraged. Such research could improve diagnostic and targeted treatment capabilities through noninvasive techniques and may drive the development of precision imaging and advanced targeted therapies.The proposed research must be relevant to active-duty Service Members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the American public. Collaborations between researchers at military or Veteran institutions and non-military institutions are strongly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure, and access to unique clinical populations that the partners bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing cancer research that is of significance to the Warfighter, military Families, and the American public.Research involving human subjects and research involving human anatomical substances and data is permitted; however, clinical trials are not allowed under this funding opportunity.A clinical trial is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Part 46.102 (45 CFR 46.102) as a research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include a placebo or another control) to evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes.Studies that do not seek to measure safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcome(s) of an intervention are not considered clinical trials.For the purposes of this funding opportunity, research that meets the definition of a clinical trial is distinct from clinical research. Clinical research encompasses research with human data, human specimens, and/or interaction with human subjects. Clinical research is observational in nature and includes:(1) Research conducted with human subjects and/or material of human origin such as data, specimens, and cognitive phenomena for which an investigator (or co-investigator) does not seek to assess the safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcomes of an intervention. Research meeting this definition may include but is not limited to: (a) mechanisms of human disease, (b) diagnostic or detection studies (e.g., biomarker or imaging), (c) health disparity studies, and (d) development of new technologies.(2) Epidemiologic and behavioral studies that do not seek to assess the safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcomes of an intervention.(3) Outcomes research and health services research that do not fit under the definition of clinical trial.Excluded from the definition of clinical research are in vitro studies that utilize human data or specimens that cannot be linked to a living individual and meet the requirements for exemption under 46.104(d)(4) of the Common Rule.The funding instrument for awards made under the program announcement will be grants (31 USC 6304).The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY24 BCRP Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award should not exceed $100,000. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.Awards supported with FY24 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2025.The CDMRP expects to allot approximately $0.16M to fund approximately one Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award application. Funding of applications received is contingent upon the availability of federal funds for this program, the number of applications received, the quality and merit of the applications as evaluated by peer and programmatic review, and the requirements of the government. Funds to be obligated on any award resulting from this funding opportunity will be available for use for a limited time period based on the fiscal year of the funds. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY24 funding opportunity will be funded with FY24 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2030.

The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) is soliciting applications to the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) using delegated authority provided by United States Code, Title 10, Section 4001 (10 USC 4001). The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) is the program management agent for this funding opportunity. Congress initiated the ERP in 2015 to provide support for longitudinal epidemiological research to better understand the incidence of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to improve patient care and outcomes. The FY24 ERP challenges the research community to (1) investigate topics related to epileptogenesis for the identification of mechanisms by which brain injury produces epilepsy, (2) study the prevention of PTE and concomitant comorbidities, and (3) develop innovative research tools or biomarkers to better detect, diagnose, or predict the development of PTE. Appropriations for the ERP from FY15 through FY24 totaled $85.5 million (M). The FY24 appropriation is $12M. The ERP encourages collaboration among PTE researchers and urges the scientific community to utilize equitable partnerships with people living with PTE to maximize the translational and impact potential of proposed research. Applications from investigators within the military Services and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, the military Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other federal government agencies are highly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure, and access to unique clinical populations that the collaborators bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing research that is of significance to Service Members, Veterans, their Families and/or care partners.

The SCIRP CTRA is intended to support high-impact and/or new/emerging clinical research that may not be ready for a larger-scale clinical trial and for which feasibility/pilot/optimization studies are necessary. Projects should demonstrate potential to impact the standard of care, both immediate and long term, or contribute to evidence-based guidelines for the evaluation and care of military Service Members, Veterans, and other individuals living with SCI. The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) is soliciting applications to the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) using delegated authority provided by United States Code, Title 10, Section 4001 (10 USC 4001). The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) is the program management agent for this funding opportunity. Congress initiated the SCIRP in 2009 to provide support for traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI)-related research of exceptional scientific merit that has the potential to make a significant impact on improving the health and well-being of military Service Members, Veterans, and other individuals living with SCI. Appropriations for the SCIRP from FY09 through FY23 totaled $437.85 million (M). The FY24 Defense Appropriations Act provides $40M to the SCIRP through the appropriation for peer-reviewed spinal cord research. The vision of the SCIRP is to advance the treatment and management of SCI and ameliorate its consequences. The FY24 SCIRP challenges the scientific community to design research that will advance the development or translation of health care solutions for people living with SCI. Innovative research that fosters new directions or addresses neglected issues in the field of traumatic SCI is also supported, although studies focused exclusively on target identification are discouraged. The SCIRP encourages impactful research across the continuum of care from time of injury and across the life span that is well reasoned and scientifically supported. Applications from investigators within the military services and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, the military services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other federal government agencies are highly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure, and access to unique clinical populations that the collaborators bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing research that is of significance to Service Members, Veterans, their Families and/or care partners.

The SCIRP TRA is intended to support translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas in SCI research into clinical applications. Although not all-inclusive, some examples include demonstration studies of pharmaceuticals and medical devices in preclinical systems and/or clinical research on therapeutics, devices, or practice using human tissues or resources.The ultimate goal of translational research is to move an observation forward into clinical application and accelerate the clinical introduction of health care products, technologies, or practice guidelines. Observations that drive a research idea may be derived from a laboratory discovery, population-based studies, or a clinicians first-hand knowledge of patients and anecdotal data. However, applicants should not view translational research as a one-way continuum from bench to bedside. The research plan is encouraged to involve a reciprocal flow of ideas and information between basic and clinical science.

The intent of the Breakthrough Award is to support promising research that has high potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. The critical components of this award mechanism are:Impact: Research supported by the Breakthrough Award will have the potential for a major impact and accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer. The impact may be near-term or long-term, but must move beyond a minor advancement and have the potential to lead to a fundamentally new approach that is significantly more effective than interventions already approved or in clinical development. Applications are expected to identify the breast cancer patients or at-risk individuals who would ultimately benefit from the proposed research.Research Scope: The Breakthrough Award is structured with four different funding levels. The levels are designed to support major (but not all) stages of research that will lead to clinical application. Each level has a defined research scope. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI) to select the level that aligns with the scope of the proposed research. The funding level should be selected based on the research scope defined in the program announcement, and not on the amount of the budget.The current program announcement discusses the Breakthrough Award Level 4. Funding Levels 1, 2, and 3 are available under other program announcements (HT942524BCRPBTA12 for Levels 1 and 2 and HT942524BCRPBTA3 for Level 3). The PI is strongly encouraged to review the research scope defined under each funding level as described in the corresponding Breakthrough Award program announcements before submitting the pre-application. An application that does not meet the intent of Funding Level 4 will not be recommended for funding, even if it might meet the intent of a different funding level.The following is a general description, although not all-inclusive, of the scope of research projects that would be appropriate to propose under the current program announcement:Funding Level 4: Large-scale projects that will transform and revolutionize the clinical management and/or prevention of breast cancer. Human clinical trials are required. Large-scale trials, such as comparative effectiveness clinical trials, that will transform and revolutionize the clinical management and/or prevention of breast cancer and lead to unprecedented impact on patients lives, may fall under this mechanism. PIs are expected to have experience in successfully leading large-scale projects and demonstrated ability (through personal experience or via a commitment from a collaborating clinical investigator) to implement a clinical trial successfully. Where relevant, applications must demonstrate availability of and access to necessary data, human samples, cohort(s), and/or critical reagents. For proposed research that will require U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) involvement, project readiness requirements at the time of application submission include: proof of availability of and access to clinical reagents (e.g., therapeutics) that meet regulatory compliance guidelines, proof of availability of and access to appropriate subject population(s), validated projections for patient recruitment, and submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application to the FDA, if applicable.Funding from this award mechanism must support a clinical trial. A clinical trial is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Part 46.102 (45 CFR 46.102) as a research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include a placebo or another control) to evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes.Studies that do not seek to measure safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy outcome(s) of an intervention are not considered clinical trials.For more information, a Human Subject Resource Document is provided at https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/pdf/Human%20Subjects%20Resource%20Document_DEC2022.pdf.Note: An invited oral presentation is a requirement for application review of Funding Level 4 projects, as described in Section II.D.2.b, Full Application Submission Content.Partnering PI Option: The Breakthrough Award encourages applications that include meaningful and productive partnerships between investigators. The Partnering PI Option is structured to accommodate two PIs. One PI will be identified as the Initiating PI and will be responsible for the majority of the administrative tasks associated with application submission. The other PI will be identified as a Partnering PI. Both PIs should contribute significantly to the development of the proposed research project including the Project Narrative, Statement of Work (SOW), and other required components. The PIs may have expertise in similar or disparate scientific disciplines, but each PI is expected to bring distinct contributions to the application. The application should clearly demonstrate that both PIs have equal intellectual input into the design of the project and will devote similar and appropriate levels of effort to the conduct of the project. It is expected that funding will be balanced between both PIs unless appropriately justified. New partnerships are encouraged, but not required. The application is expected to describe how the PIs unique expertise combined as a partnership will better address the research question, how the unique expertise that each individual brings to the application is critical for the research strategy and completion of the SOW, and why the work should be done together rather than through separate efforts. To meet the intent of the Partnering PI Option, applicants are discouraged from being named as a Partnering PI on multiple Breakthrough Award Level 4 applications unless they are clearly addressing distinct research questions. Applications where one PI is providing samples or investigational agents while the other PI is performing most or all of the research and analyses do not meet the intent of the Partnering PI Option. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organization(s). Each award will be subject to separate reporting, regulatory, and administrative requirements. For individual submission requirements for the Initiating and Partnering PIs, refer to Section II.D.2, Content and Form of the Application Submission.Personnel: Applications are expected to include an appropriate and robust research team with the combined backgrounds and breast cancer-related expertise to enable successful conduct of the project.Consumer Advocates: Applications are required to include consumer advocate involvement. The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates, who will be integral throughout the planning and implementation of the research project. Consumer advocates should be involved in the development of the research question, project design, oversight, recruitment, and evaluation, as well as other significant aspects of the proposed project. Interactions with other team members should be well integrated and ongoing, not limited to attending seminars and semi-annual meetings. As lay representatives, the consumer advocates must be individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and they should be active in a breast cancer advocacy organization. Their role in the project should be independent of their employment, and they cannot be employees of any of the organizations participating in the application. Their role should be focused on providing objective input on the research and its potential impact for individuals with, or at risk for, breast cancer. The consumer advocates should have a high level of knowledge of current breast cancer issues and the appropriate background and/or training in breast cancer research to contribute to the project.Key Aspects of the BCRP Breakthrough Award Level 4 Mechanism: Preliminary data are required: Inclusion of preliminary data relevant to the proposed clinical trial is required. Study Population: The application should demonstrate the availability of and access to a suitable patient population that will support a meaningful outcome for the study. The application should include a discussion of how accrual goals will be achieved, as well as the strategy for inclusion of women and minorities in the clinical trial appropriate to the objectives of the study. Studies utilizing human biospecimens or datasets that cannot be linked to a specific individual, gender, ethnicity, or race (typically classified as exempt from Institutional Review Board [IRB] review) are exempt from this requirement. Intervention Availability: The application should demonstrate the documented availability of and access to the drug/compound, device, and/or other materials needed, as appropriate, for the proposed duration of the study. Personnel and Environment: The application should demonstrate the study teams expertise and experience in all aspects of conducting clinical trials, including appropriate statistical analysis, knowledge of FDA processes (if applicable), and data management. The application should include a study coordinator(s) who will guide the clinical protocol through the local IRB of record and other federal agency regulatory approval processes, coordinate activities from all sites participating in the trial, and coordinate participant accrual. The application should show strong institutional support and, if applicable, a commitment to serve as the FDA regulatory sponsor, ensuring all sponsor responsibilities described in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 312 (21 CFR 312), Subpart D, are fulfilled. Statistical Analysis and Data Management Plans: The application should include a clearly articulated statistical analysis plan, a power analysis reflecting sample size projections that will answer the objectives of the study, and a data management plan that includes use of an appropriate database to safeguard and maintain the integrity of the data. If required by a Regulatory Agency, the trial must use a 21 CFR 11-compliant database and appropriate data standards.A congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force was formed with the purpose of identifying ways to help accelerate clinical and translational research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients. As a member of the Metastatic Cancer Task Force, the CDMRP encourages applicants to review the recommendations (https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Congressional-Testimonies/2018/05/03/Metastatic-Cancer-Research) and submit research ideas to address these recommendations provided they are within the limitations of this funding opportunity and fit within the FY24 BCRP priorities.Innovative research involving nuclear medicine and related techniques to support early diagnosis, more effective treatment, and improved health outcomes of active-duty Service Members and their Families is encouraged. Such research could improve diagnostic and targeted treatment capabilities through noninvasive techniques and may drive the development of precision imaging and advanced targeted therapies.The proposed research must be relevant to active-duty Service Members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the American public. Collaborations between researchers at military or Veteran institutions and non-military institutions are strongly encouraged. These relationships can leverage knowledge, infrastructure, and access to unique clinical populations that the partners bring to the research effort, ultimately advancing cancer research that is of significance to the Warfighter, military Families, and the American public.For the purposes of this funding opportunity, Regulatory Agency refers to the FDA or any relevant international regulatory agency unless otherwise noted.If the proposed clinical trial involves the use of a drug that has not been approved by the relevant Regulatory Agency for the country where the research will be conducted, then submission of an IND application, or equivalent, that meets all requirements under 21 CFR 312 may be required. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide evidence from the IRB of record or the relevant Regulatory Agency if an IND, or equivalent, is not required. If an IND, or equivalent, is required, the regulatory application must be submitted to the relevant regulatory agency by the Breakthrough Award Level 4 application submission deadline. The IND, or equivalent, should be specific for the product and indication to be tested in the proposed clinical trial. For more information on IND applications specifically, the FDA has provided guidance at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/types-applications/investigational-new-drug-ind-application.If the investigational product is a device, then submission of an IDE, or equivalent, application that meets all requirements under 21 CFR 812 may be required. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide evidence if an IDE, or equivalent, is not required. If an IDE, or equivalent, is required, the IDE application, or equivalent, must be submitted to the relevant Regulatory Agency by the Breakthrough Award Level 4 application submission deadline. The IDE, or equivalent, should be specific for the device and indication to be tested in the proposed clinical trial.The types of awards made under the program announcement will be cooperative agreements (31 USC 6305) based on anticipated substantial involvement on the part of CDMRP. Substantial involvement includes assistance, guidance, coordination, and/or participation by CDMRP staff in project activities, including but not limited to, Milestone Meetings wherein recommendations for continued funding will be made based on overall study progress.The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY24 BCRP BTA4 should not exceed $15M. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.Awards supported with FY24 funds will be made no later than September 30, 2025.The CDMRP expects to allot approximately $23.3M to fund approximately one Breakthrough Award Level 4 application. Funding of applications received is contingent upon the availability of federal funds for this program, the number of applications received, the quality and merit of the applications as evaluated by peer and programmatic review, and the requirements of the government. Funds to be obligated on any award resulting from this funding opportunity will be available for use for a limited time period based on the fiscal year of the funds. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY24 funding opportunity will be funded with FY24 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2030.

The intent of the FY24 Transforming Care Award (TrCA) is to support research that provides answers and solutions in critical areas to improve quality of life, reduce caregiver burden and stress, reduce health disparities, and increase support for the individual with a diagnosis of Alzheimers disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD), their care partner/caregiver, and/or both, as well as the impact on families and/or communities. For this mechanism, family is broadly defined as the family of choice and/or the family of origin. Additionally, the TrCA definition of care does not include medical care (such as medical interventions administered by a physician), as the care landscape extends beyond that of medical interventions to be inclusive of research into integration, education, and support. The PRARP requires projects to ensure strategies maintain the dignity of the individual living with a dementia diagnosis and their family/care/social communities. All applications submitted to this funding opportunity must clearly indicate how the project addresses a critical unmet need, explain how the research will be representative of the population it intends to benefit, and demonstrate cultural competence. Culturally competent research factors the cultural background and diversity of the intended beneficiaries of the research outcomes when developing research ideas, conducting research, and implementing the research findings. Cultural competency in research is critical in reducing health disparities and enhancing the quality and impact of research by ensuring inclusivity, understanding, and responsiveness to the needs of diverse populations. The TrCA targets research that includes, but is not limited to, improvements in long-term care, quality of life, psychosocial wellness, and supporting aging-in-place, belonging, and community living for individuals, care partners, and families living with a dementia diagnosis. Studies may include, but are not limited to, topics such as considerations for dementia care that are specific to military Service Members and/or Veterans and their Families, navigating the AD/ADRD diagnosis and care path, and overcoming care partner/caregiver stress. Projects may address knowledge gaps, interventions, strategies, technologies, and/or tools. Clinical research and clinical trials are allowed, however, clinical trials solely testing or evaluating pharmacological interventions do not meet the intent of this funding opportunity. Key elements of this award mechanism are: Person-centered research: All applications to the FY24 PRARP TrCA should be person- centered. This mechanism is intended to provide answers and solutions in critical areas to improve quality of life, reduce burden and stress, and increase support for individuals living with a diagnosis, their families, and their care partners (hereafter referred to as Community(ies) in this Funding Opportunity). The research should have near-immediate impact on the intended beneficiaries. To facilitate success, the TrCA requires Community collaboration for all projects. Focus on outcomes: The intent of the TrCA is to advance knowledge and capacity in the AD/ADRD care field. As such, applicants should clearly articulate outcomes, clearly demonstrate a pathway of feasibility, and identify realistic approaches to scaling and Community level implementation for widespread use. Additionally, applications should plan for and describe how the research will be manualized (i.e., compiled in a manual) and fed back into the research, lived experience, and care communities. See Attachment 6, Research Manual and Progression Plan. Representation: Awards supported by the PRARP are expected to address gaps in representative AD/ADRD data sets. Applicants must prioritize diversity and equity in clinical study populations including, but not limited to, social and structural determinants of health such as sex, gender, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, geography, and health care access, are expected. Projects supported by this mechanism must represent a non-incremental advance in the care field. Preliminary data are required. For this mechanism, studies utilizing animal models do not meet the intent of the mechanism and are not allowed. Milestone meeting: The Principal Investigator (PI) will be required to present an update on progress toward accomplishing the goals of the award at a Milestone Meeting to be held in the National Capital Area during years 2-4 of the period of performance. The PI may bring up to three additional members of the research team, including their Community partner, to the meeting. The Milestone Meeting will be attended by members of the PRARP Programmatic Panel, CDMRP staff, the USAMRAA Grants/Contracts Officer, and other stakeholders. Optimizing research impact through Community collaboration: Research funded by the FY24 PRARP should be responsive to the needs of Communities in the remainder of the Funding Opportunity, maximizes the translational and impact potential of the proposed research. Establishing and utilizing effective and equitable collaborations and partnerships with members of the AD/ADRD lived experience Communities is essential to maximize the translational and impact potential of the proposed research. Collaborative research approaches feature shared responsibility and ownership for the research project to ensure fully integrated involvement of Community members within the research team. Collaborative research approaches such as Community-based participatory research, participatory action research, and integrated knowledge transition, generate partnerships between scientific researchers and Community members to create knowledge useable by both sets of stakeholders. Recognizing the strengths of each partner, scientific researchers and Community members must collaborate and contribute their expertise equitably on all aspects of the project, which may include needs assessment, planning, research intervention design, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. Research results are jointly interpreted, disseminated, fed back to affected communities, and may be translated into interventions or policy. These methods are critically important for Community-level interventions and can also augment the potential impact of a research program on people living with dementia, their families, and/or their care partners. These collaborative relationships are often established through integrating Community members into research teams as co-researchers, advisors, and consultants. Some examples for Community collaborations include: Lived Experience Consultation: The research team includes at least one project advisor with AD/ADRD lived experience who will integrate with the research team to provide consultation throughout the planning, implementation, and dissemination of the research project. Lived experience consultants (LECs) may include individuals with an AD/ADRD diagnosis, their family members, care partners, or others as appropriate. Partnership with a Community-Based Organization: The research team establishes partnerships with at least one Community-based organization that provides consultation throughout the planning, implementation, and dissemination of the research project. Community-based organizations may include advocacy groups, service providers, policymakers, or other formal organizational stakeholders. Community Advisory Board (CAB): A CAB is composed of multiple Community stakeholders and can take many forms, from a board of LECs to a coalition of Community-based organizations, or any combination thereof. As with LECs and organizational partners, the CAB provides consultation throughout the planning, implementation, and dissemination of the research project. Career Initiation or Transition (CIT) Partnership Option: The FY24 PRARP encourages applications that include meaningful and productive collaborations between two principal investigators. To promote enhanced research capacity within the AD/ADRD field, the FY24 TrCA includes an option for a CIT Principal Investigator (PI) to partner with an experienced investigator to jointly address a research question. The CIT PI must have nominal, if any, research support in the field and may be either one of the following: The Career Initiation PI must be an early-career researcher, at least 3 years post their terminal degree but no more than 7 years into their independent position. Both PIs may have similar or disparate expertise, but each PI is expected to bring distinct and complimentary contributions to the application. The Career Transition PI must be an investigator (at any stage) who is new to the military health, TBI, or AD/ADRD field(s). New to the field is defined as having only nominal, if any, publications in the field. The other partnering investigator must have complimentary experience (as evidenced by publications) in military health, TBI, and/or AD/ADRD field(s). The CIT is structured to accommodate two PIs. One PI will be identified as the Initiating PI and will be responsible for most of the administrative tasks associated with application submission. The other will be identified as a Partnering PI. Either PI can be the CIT PI. Both PIs should contribute significantly to the development of the proposed research project, including the Project Narrative, Statement of Work (SOW), and other required components. Both PIs may have experience in similar or disparate scientific disciplines, but each PI is expected to bring distinct and complimentary contributions to the application. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named to an individual award within the recipient organization(s). For individual submission requirements for the Initiating and Partnering PI, refer to Section II.D.2, Content and Form of the Application Submission.

The FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award is designed to support collaborations and ideas that will transform the lives of individuals with, and/or at risk for, breast cancer and will significantly accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer. Applicants must bring together different perspectives to develop new paradigms that will solve fundamental yet overarching problems in breast cancer. This award requires a team-based approach by a consortium of exceptional researchers and advocates, whose collaborative efforts will make a transformative impact in breast cancer. The transformation intended by the consortium must be in peoples lives, and not in the healthcare or research system.This funding opportunity is a separate mechanism from the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award, which is intended to provide successful applicants the time and resources needed to bring investigators and breast cancer advocates together to establish a consortium framework and conduct preliminary research to support application to a future, full Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award (pending availability of funds). For FY24, investigators may be named as Consortium Director on an application submitted to either (but not both) of these mechanisms. It is not necessary to receive a development award in order to apply for the current funding opportunity or anticipated full consortium awards in the future. Detailed information on the FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Development Award is available under a separate program announcement (HT942524BCRPTBCCDA).For the FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award, the consortium should have at least four, but no more than five, project teams, each investigating different projects under a central hypothesis. No more than two project teams may be based at one institution. Each teams work must be integrated within the consortium so that every component is working toward the consortiums central hypothesis. Note: This award is not intended to replace, supplement, duplicate, or compete with other collaborative research efforts, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs), and it should not represent a collection of related Program Project grants or subprojects.The proposed consortiums overall work is expected to be innovative. In addition, the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award will include funds for seed projects to pursue brand-new, high-risk/high-reward concepts that arise from the work, during the award period.DOD FY24 Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award 5The Breast Cancer Landscape describes the reality of breast cancer and identifies overarching challenges to progress the field. Research funded under this award mechanism should result in answers that will fundamentally and significantly transform and disrupt the present landscape.Applications submitted to the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award must include the following: Research that includes truly innovative and brand-new, paradigm-shifting work in breast cancer that will address vital issues in a unique way. The issues may be one (or more) of the FY24 BCRP Overarching Challenges or, with justification, may be a different issue that meets the intent of the award mechanism and addresses the mission of ending breast cancer. If the application identifies a different fundamental issue, it must be coupled with at least one of the FY24 BCRP Overarching Challenges. Research that includes different disciplines that come together to address ending breast cancer with an ecologic approach. The consortiums proposed research must look at all aspects of the disease and bring together these different perspectives into one overarching plan for a deep, definitive dive into the FY24 BCRP Overarching Challenge(s) or other fundamental issue identified in the application. The plan also should include issues related to the hypothesis that have not been previously addressed or answered. A plan that describes in detail the integration across the consortium in all aspects, including administration, logistics, and substance. Applications must describe the substantive integration across and among teams that are necessary for the work. The required communication plan and administrative management plan will not suffice to show integration, nor will identifying individual team members who will cross teams. A detailed explanation of the substantive research processes that will be integrated is required.Synergistic, highly integrated, multidisciplinary, and multi-institutional research teams of leading scientists, clinicians, and consumer advocates must be assembled into a consortium to address a major problem in a way that could not be accomplished by a single investigator or group. While the project teams are made up of different groups, each with its own Principal Investigator (PI), the teams must be working on the major problem identified in the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award application and under the leadership of the Consortium Director. The research proposed in Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award applications may include phase 1 clinical trials and collaborations with pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry scientists and/or companies, as appropriate. However, a clinical trial is not required, and the primary thrust of the application should not be a clinical trial.Although not all-inclusive, applications that propose the following as the primary effort(s) or central hypothesis of the consortium will not meet the intent of this award mechanism: NCI Program Project or SPORE grants or applications Conducting drug screens or testing a cocktail of therapeutics Targeting a single gene or protein Developing a new derivative or formulation of an old drug Conducting genomic landscape mapping analyses Seeking to improve existing technologies (e.g., mammography or magnetic resonance imaging screening)All applications submitted to the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award must address the following key features:1. IMPACTDemonstrate potential to transform or improve the lives of individuals with, and/or at risk for, breast cancer. The time to the final impact may vary, but the outcomes of the effort must be transformative and significantly advance the BCRPs mission of ending breast cancer. A clear and compelling presentation of how the effort will be transformative for individuals with, and/or at risk for, breast cancer must be provided. Applications proposing research that represents an incremental advance in breast cancer do not meet the intent of this award mechanism.2. INNOVATIONPursue innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that has the potential to change existing paradigms, or develop new paradigms. Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. In addition to the requirement that the consortiums overall research be innovative, applications must describe a plan to support the pursuit of innovative concepts through seed projects, i.e., the development of new concepts that emerge during the course of the award. These seed projects should enable the research team to explore new avenues of high-risk/high-reward ideas that were not part of the original application, but that develop during the project and are within the scope of the overall vision of the research. A portion of the total direct budget costs (no more than 5%) must be reserved to support the seed projects, and these funds may not be used for equipment or travel.3. CONSORTIUMIntegrate project teams consisting of preeminent investigators and advocates from appropriate disciplines and institutions. Applications should include a robust consortium of researchers with the combined backgrounds and breast cancer-related expertise to enable successful conduct of the proposed research. Emphasis must be placed on integrating the most highly qualified investigators and advocates to focus on the research problem, regardless of their location. These investigators must include highly accomplished scientists, clinicians, and promising young investigators in the targeted areas of research who collectively represent the best team to solve the problem(s) identified. The proposed research effort should be broad enough to require a multidisciplinary approach that is reflected in the composition of the consortium team. Inclusion of scientists from nontraditional disciplines is encouraged.The award mechanism is structured with a Consortium Director and at least three, but no more than four, Project Team PIs representing at least two institutions. The Consortium Director is responsible for the day-to-day management of the consortium, as well as for leading their own project team. The Consortium Director, together with the Project Team PIs, are jointly responsible for leading and executing the proposed research projects that are integrated into a central hypothesis and will result in answers that will fundamentally and significantly transform and disrupt the present breast cancer landscape. Please see the top of this section, Section II.B, Award Information, for more details.Incorporate breast cancer consumer advocates into every aspect of the proposed consortiums activities. Applications are required to include consumer advocate involvement. The consortium team must include at least one breast cancer consumer advocate per project team. The consumer advocates are expected to represent the perspective of the patient population(s) that are most relevant to the consortiums proposed research. Breast cancer consumer advocates must have an active role in every aspect of the proposed consortiums work including consortium conception and design, ongoing discussion, decisions and oversight, program evaluation, and dissemination of information to the public. Consumer advocates must be integrated into and play an active role in the leadership and decision-making committees for the consortium at each participating institution. Examples of appropriate integration include membership on the advisory board(s) and steering committee(s), participation in each project team, and attendance at all consortium-related meetings. As lay representatives, the consumer advocates must be individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, they should be part of a breast cancer advocacy organization, and their role in the project should be independent of their employment. They cannot be employees of any of the institutions participating in the application. They must have a high level of familiarity and training involving science and current issues in breast cancer research.4. INTEGRATIONProvide a plan that describes in detail the integration across the consortium in all aspects, including administration, logistics, and substance. Applications must demonstrate the substantive integration across and among teams that are necessary for the work. The integration plan must provide a detailed explanation of the substantive research processes that will be integrated.5. IMPLEMENTATIONProvide a strategy for implementation. Projects must demonstrate solid scientific rationale, and applications must include published and/or preliminary data that support the feasibility of their hypotheses and/or approaches. The application must include a detailed research management plan that identifies critical milestones, outlines the innovations and technical solutions that will be implemented to accomplish the milestones, and explains how these solutions will ultimately be translated to individuals with, and/or at risk for, breast cancer. It is expected that the proposed plan will present an exceptional level of innovation and creativity.Accelerate research progress through communication. Communication between and among consortium team members is essential to the success of the consortium. Applications must include a strategy for sharing data in real time and using information technologies to facilitate timely and effective communication and cooperation. The communication plan should specify the processes and tools to be used for regular and structured communication. The consortium should take full advantage of state-of-the-art communication and data sharing tools in addition to formal and informal meetings. The framework for the communication plan must be part of the application and the individual(s) who will maintain the data sharing and communications technologies must be identified.Provide an effective, coordinated administrative management plan that integrates and optimizes the research and collaborations. The Consortium Director is required to commit a minimum level of time and effort of 25% to direct and manage an initiative of this magnitude, as well as lead their own project team. The Consortium Director must have the scientific ability and proven administrative ability to oversee large research programs and a proven record of leadership, including experience in the effective use of communication tools and the management of multifaceted and multidisciplinary projects. The administrative management plan must explain how the consortium will be organized and managed, and specify the processes and tools to be used for project meeting scheduling, reviews of research findings, ensuring multidisciplinary authorship of all publications arising from the consortiums work, and other issues of common concern to the consortium and its investigators. The administrative management plan also must describe procedures and processes that will be used to maximize the resources (e.g., databases, animal models) and products (e.g., antibodies) generated by the consortium and how these resources and products will be made available to the scientific community. A portion of the total direct budget costs must be reserved for a program manager.Award Structure: The Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award is structured to accommodate up to five PIs (the Consortium Director and three or four Project Team PIs). The Consortium Director will be responsible for the majority of the administrative tasks associated with application submission and the day-to-day management of the consortium. In addition, the Consortium Director will be responsible for leading their own project team. The Consortium Director and Project Team PIs each have different submission requirements; however, all PIs should contribute significantly to the development of the proposed research project, including the Project Narrative, Statement of Work (SOW), and other required components. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named on separate awards to the recipient organizations. For individual submission requirements for the Consortium Director and Project Team PIs, refer to Section II.D.2, Content and Form of the Application Submission.The Consortium Director, Project Team PIs, and consumer advocates will be required to present an update on progress toward accomplishing research milestones and goals of the consortium and each project at an annual In-Progress Review (IPR) Meeting for the Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award. The intent of the IPR Meeting is to assess research progress, address problems, and define future directions. Annual IPR Meetings will be held at the conclusion of year 1 and every subsequent year in the period of performance and will be attended by members of the BCRP Programmatic Panel, CDMRP staff, and the USAMRAA Grants Officer to facilitate oversight and provide feedback to the consortium. IPR Meetings will either be held in person in the National Capital Region or virtually, at the discretion of the government. Continued funding may be contingent upon the successful completion of specific research milestones and goals. Research milestones from the approved SOW will be determined during the award negotiation process.In addition to IPR Meetings, each consortium must hold biannual workshops, which may be held at the PIs institutions or virtually, to facilitate ongoing communication and exchange of information within the consortium, as well as with advisory board(s) and/or steering committee(s).

The FY24 PRARP TrRA is intended to support studies that will make transformative and advanced contributions to reduce risk of or prevent the development of AD/ADRD. Risk reduction considering TBI and/or military service is of particular interest to the program. The work should significantly accelerate efforts in AD/ADRD research and demonstrate significant impact toward improving patient care and/or quality of life. To meet the intent of the funding opportunity, applications must robustly address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in prevention and risk reduction. The proposed research may include, but is not limited to, exploring questions in the following areas: Identification of risk factors (environmental, genetic, epigenetic, lifestyle, etc.). Identification and implementation of strategies to reduce AD/ADRD risk and prevent cognitive problems following TBI and/or military service. Understanding the role of social determinants of health in risk reduction. Informational (not descriptive) epidemiology to understand environmental and other factors that contribute to development of AD/ADRD. All applications submitted to this funding opportunity must clearly indicate how the project addresses a critical unmet need, explain how the research will be representative of the population it intends to benefit, and demonstrate cultural competence. Culturally competent research factors the cultural background and diversity of the intended beneficiaries of the research outcomes when developing research ideas, conducting research, and implementing the research findings. Cultural competency in research is critical in reducing health disparities and enhancing the quality and impact of research by ensuring inclusivity, understanding, and responsiveness to the needs of diverse populations. Key elements of this award mechanism include: Research should be robust: The FY24 PRARP TrRA mechanism is geared toward supporting robust, well-designed research projects that provide significant impact on the AD/ADRD field, persons living with dementia, and their families, care-partners/caregivers. Inclusion of collaborative Community partner approaches is strongly encouraged for all projects and is required for all projects involving clinical research. Use of animal models must be fully justified for relevance to human health. Non-incremental advancement: Research projects should leverage existing knowledge to accelerate ideas, strengthen evidence, and move the field forward. Therefore, preliminary data are required. Projects proposing incremental advances that do not significantly propel the field do not meet the intent of this mechanism. Feedback to the Community: Applicants are expected to articulate a plan for relaying the results and outcomes of the research supported by this mechanism must be relayed back to the research/Community(ies) to allow for continued knowledge building. Optimizing research impact through Community collaboration: Research funded by the FY24 PRARP should be responsive to the needs of people living with AD/ADRD. Community collaboration is required for clinical research projects and encouraged for preclinical studies. Establishment and utilization of effective and equitable collaborations and partnerships with members of the AD/ADRD lived experience, family, and care partner communities, which will be referred to as Community(ies) in the remainder of the Funding Opportunity, maximizes the translational and impact potential of the proposed research. Collaborative research approaches feature shared responsibility and ownership for the research project to ensure non-tokenistic involvement of Community members within the research team. Collaborative research approaches such as Community-based participatory research, participatory action research, and integrated knowledge transition generate partnerships between scientific researchers and Community members to create knowledge useable by both sets of stakeholders. Recognizing the strengths of each partner, scientific researchers and Community members must collaborate and contribute their expertise equitably on all aspects of the project, which may include needs assessment, planning, research intervention design, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. Research results are jointly interpreted, disseminated, fed back to affected communities, and may be translated into interventions or policy. These methods are critically important for Community-level interventions and can also augment the potential impact of a research program on people living with dementia, their families, and/or their care partners. These collaborative relationships are often established through integrating Community members into research teams as co-researchers, advisors, and consultants. Some examples for Community collaborations include: Lived Experience Consultation: The research team includes at least one project advisor with AD/ADRD experience who will integrate with the research team to provide consultation throughout the planning, implementation, and dissemination of the research project. Lived experience consultants (LECs) may include individuals with AD/ADRD, their family members, care partners, or others as appropriate. Partnership with a Community-Based Organization: The research team establishes partnerships with at least one Community-based organization that provides consultation throughout the planning, implementation, and dissemination of the research project. Community-based organizations may include advocacy groups, service providers, policymakers, or other formal organizational stakeholders. Community Advisory Board (CAB) Utilization: A CAB is composed of multiple Community stakeholders and can take many forms, from a board of LECs to a coalition of Community-based organizations or any combination thereof. As with LECs and organizational partners, the CAB provides consultation throughout the planning, implementation, and dissemination of the research project. Career Initiation or Transition (CIT) Partnership Option: The FY24 PRARP encourages applications that include meaningful and productive collaborations between two principal investigators. To promote enhanced research capacity within the AD/ADRD field, the FY24 TrRA includes an option for a CIT Principal Investigator (PI) to partner with an experienced to jointly address a research question. The CIT PI must have nominal, if any, research support in the field and may be either one of the following: The Career Initiation PI must be an early-career researcher, at least 3 years post their terminal degree but no more than 7 years into their independent position. Both PIs may have similar or disparate expertise, but each PI is expected to bring distinct and complimentary contributions to the application. The Career Transition PI must be an investigator (at any stage) who is new to the military health, TBI, or AD/ADRD field(s). New to the field is defined as having only nominal, if any, publications in the field. The other partnering investigator must have complimentary experience (as evidenced by publications) in military health, TBI, and/or AD/ADRD field(s). The CIT is structured to accommodate two PIs. One PI will be identified as the Initiating PI and will be responsible for most of the administrative tasks associated with application submission. The other will be identified as a Partnering PI. Either PI can be the CIT PI. Both PIs should contribute significantly to the development of the proposed research project, including the Project Narrative, Statement of Work (SOW), and other required components. Both PIs may have experience in similar or disparate scientific disciplines, but each PI is expected to bring distinct and complimentary contributions to the application. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named to an individual award within the recipient organization(s). For individual submission requirements for the Initiating and Partnering PI, refer to Section II.D.2, Content and Form of the Application Submission.

The FY24 LCRP Idea Development Award mechanism promotes new ideas that are still in the early stages of development and have the potential to yield impactful data and new avenues of investigation. This award supports conceptually innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress toward eradicating deaths and suffering from lung cancer. Research applications only in the area of mesothelioma will not be accepted. Applications should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale.New Investigators: The FY24 LCRP Idea Development Award mechanism encourages applications from independent investigators in the early stages of their careers (i.e., within 10 years of their first faculty appointment or equivalent). The New Investigator category is designed to allow applicants early in their faculty appointments to compete for funding separately from established investigators. Applications from New Investigators and Established Investigators will be peer and programmatically reviewed separately. Principal Investigators (PIs) using the New Investigator category are strongly encouraged to strengthen their applications by collaborating with investigators experienced in lung cancer research and/or possessing other relevant expertise. It is the responsibility of the applicant to describe how the included collaboration will augment the PIs expertise to best address the research question. All applicants for the New Investigator category must meet specific eligibility criteria as described in Section II.C, Eligibility Information.Preliminary data to support the feasibility of the research hypotheses and research approaches are required; however, these data do not necessarily need to be derived from studies of lung cancer.Key elements of this award are as follows:Innovation: Research deemed innovative may introduce a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities.Impact: Research that has high potential impact may lead to major advancements and significantly accelerate progress toward eradicating deaths and suffering from lung cancer.It is the responsibility of the PI to clearly and explicitly articulate the projects innovation and its potential impact on lung cancer and its relevance to Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries. The projects impact to both lung cancer research and to patients with lung cancer should be articulated, even if clinical impact is not an immediate outcome. Applications that demonstrate exceptional scientific merit but lack innovation and high potential impact do not meet the intent of the Idea Development Award.

The FY24 ARP Career Development Award supports early-career, independent investigators and/or the transition of established investigators from other research fields to conduct innovative, high-impact ideas or early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials with the potential to have a major impact on ASD. Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY24 ARP Career Development Award Areas of Interest or provide justification that the proposed research addresses a critical problem, question, or need in ASD.This award enables such investigators to compete for funding separately from investigators with established programs of ASD research. Previous experience in ASD research is allowed, but not required. However, in FY24 Career Development Award applications that name a Principal Investigator (PI) with limited background in ASD research, the ARP strongly encourages the inclusion of collaboration with investigators who are experienced in ASD research and/or possess other relevant expertise in order to strengthen the application. PIs must meet specific eligibility criteria as described in Section II.C, Eligibility Information.Research funded by the FY24 ARP should be responsive to the needs of people with ASD, their families, and/or caregivers. Researchers are therefore encouraged to establish and utilize effective collaborations and partnerships with community members to maximize the translational and impact potential of the proposed research.CDMRP encourages research on health areas and conditions that affect women uniquely, disproportionately, or differently from men, including studies analyzing sex as a biological variable. Such research should relate anticipated project findings to improvements in womens health outcomes and/or advancing knowledge for womens health.

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses in Idaho for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. Eligible entities include agricultural producers with at least 50% income from agricultural operations and small businesses in rural areas, meeting specific criteria. The program supports a range of projects, including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, wind, and solar energy systems, as well as energy efficiency upgrades. Applications are accepted year-round, with specific deadlines for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.

The Illinois EPA is seeking proposals for projects aimed at addressing nonpoint source (NPS) pollution to enhance the quality of Illinois' surface and groundwater. Funded through the Clean Water Act's Section 319(h), this program supports the development and implementation of watershed-based planning projects. These projects may include creating new watershed-based plans, updating existing plans, providing technical assistance for NPS pollution control, and conducting environmental and social indicator monitoring. The goal is to prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments through strategic planning and community engagement. Grant renewed every year.

This funding initiative provides financial support and business expertise to early-stage life science and biotechnology companies in Pennsylvania to foster innovation and job creation in the industry.

The National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) has announced the FY24 American Lobster Research Program to support projects that advance the scientific understanding of the American Lobster fishery and aid the resilience of fishing communities against environmental changes and economic uncertainties. Approximately $2 million in federal funds is expected to be available in FY2024, with individual awards capped at $600,000 for projects lasting one to two years. Applicants are required to provide a 50% non-federal match. Eligible projects must occur within the U.S. or its territories and waterways. This opportunity encourages projects involving partnerships across industry, state agencies, academia, and community members to address the fishery's complexities, including its ecological and economic aspects. Grant renewed every year.

To help marine businesses recover from the devastating impacts of January 2024’s coastal storms, Island Institute is expanding our Business Resilience Grant program. Grant awards of up to $5,000 are available for working waterfront businesses that directly support fishing and aquaculture on islands, and in fishing-dependent communities that were impacted by the storms on January 10 and 13, 2024. Maine’s fishing industry accounts for nearly $1 billion in annual revenue and it is under a multitude of pressures. Taking up a mere 20 miles of the more than 5,000 miles of Maine’s coastline, the working waterfront infrastructure along our shorelines is in grave danger of being lost forever. The more rural the community, the more reliant communities are on the marine economy. Without safe and reliable wharves, docks, and access ramps, Maine’s fishing communities grind to a halt. This infrastructure is the backbone of the coastal economy and importantly supports the families and communities that rely upon what they catch or grow. It is for this reason we are choosing to urgently support the resilient rebuilding of our working waterfront infrastructure. We will review grant applications weekly and have streamlined our application process to ensure these limited funds will quickly arrive in communities. Eligible applicants are for-profit businesses with shoreside infrastructure that supports multiple individuals or that plays a critical role in communities with demonstrable impact from these storms. Due to limited available funds, priority is given to businesses that support many independent harvesters. For more information please contact Jeff Frank at [email protected] Examples of acceptable uses of funds include: • Wharf infrastructure repair • Equipment repair and replacement • Other: contact us if you're unsure. Before you get started, here is a bit more about the application and process: Individuals and affiliated companies are eligible for one Island Institute grant per fiscal year (this does not include scholarships). Awards from previous fiscal years will not disqualify applications. There is a limited amount of funds available for the Business Resilience Storm Recovery Grants. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through June 10, 2024 (as long as funds are available), and reviewed weekly to ensure these funds will quickly arrive in communities.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) offers the Section 319(h) Grant Program to address nonpoint source (NPS) pollution affecting Illinois’ water resources. This program, funded through the Clean Water Act, supports projects that prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments caused by NPS pollution. Prioritized projects include those implementing approved watershed-based plans or Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Plans, with activities ranging from BMP implementation to monitoring and outreach efforts. The program encourages applications that demonstrate a comprehensive approach to NPS pollution control and offer sustainable environmental benefits. Grant renewed every year.

Under the broader Program Enhancement Projects for Adult Education, Section 225 targets corrections education and education for other institutionalized individuals in Connecticut. This initiative seeks to provide educational services to those likely to leave correctional institutions within five years, aiming to enhance their literacy, employment, and reintegration prospects. It emphasizes the importance of basic skills and literacy for effective societal participation. Funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the project promotes collaboration to meet the educational needs of this specific population, with a commitment to multi-year funding that spans from fiscal year 2025 to 2028. Grant renewed every year. It will be a 4-year program ( last application probably around May 2027)

This program provides financial support to nonprofit arts and culture organizations, local arts districts, and individual professionals in Pennsylvania to help them recover and stabilize after the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the broader Program Enhancement Projects for Adult Education, Section 243 focuses on Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE). This program supports English language learners in improving their literacy and understanding of American civics, aiming for better integration, employment, and educational opportunities. Eligible providers are encouraged to propose projects that combine IELCE educational services with integrated education and training (IET), reflecting the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s (WIOA) objectives. This funding opportunity, spanning fiscal years 2025 through 2028, promotes collaborations to fulfill the educational needs of English language learners in Connecticut. Grant renewed every year. It will be a 4-year program ( last application probably around May 2027)