Grants for Small Businesses

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 program provides funding and support to life sciences and biotechnology startups in Pennsylvania to foster innovation, job creation, and the commercialization of new technologies.

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.

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.

This program provides financial support to eligible Pennsylvania companies for employee training in key industries to enhance workforce skills and improve business competitiveness.

Organizations of State and Local Officials (NOSLO) Program: State Health Services and Financing to fund a national level organization with an in-depth understanding of, and experience with, providing technical assistance and support to State Medicaid Directors and other health care payment officials to assist states in leveraging HRSA programs and collaborating with Medicaid to improve access to quality health care for high need communities. Activities should include but are not limited to fostering collaborations to address maternal health disparities, bolster the health workforce, integrate behavioral health into primary care, and expand access to care for people in high need communities, such as those who live rural areas, are exiting incarceration, have HIV, and youth with unmet behavioral health needs. The successful recipient is expected to provide tailored technical assistance to State Medicaid Directors and other health care payment officials to address HRSAs priorities and maximize the benefits of and potential collaborations with HRSA programs through: Communication and information sharing between HRSA and State Medicaid Directors and other health care payment officials, and Training; data collection, sharing, and analysis; convenings, (e.g., learning exchanges on priority topics); and other activities that enable State Medicaid Directors and other health care payment officials to operate in a responsive, coordinated, and effective manner.

The Equitable Energy Future Grant Program, initiated by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, aims to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in historically disadvantaged communities. With an estimated total program funding of $25.5 million, the program offers grants ranging from $250,000 to $1 million. These grants are designed to support equity investment eligible communities, provide on-the-job training, and facilitate the development of projects that benefit low-income households and community-based businesses. The program encourages projects that generate or save energy, with a significant focus on involving equity eligible contractors and workforce from CEJA or FEJA programs. Applicants are encouraged to leverage other funding sources to enhance cost-effectiveness and project impact.

This funding supports Idaho businesses in expanding their workforce and retraining employees to meet economic growth needs, ultimately fostering job creation and skill development.

The Public Education, Participation, and Outreach (PEPO) Grant Program, established in 2022, provides funding for statewide education and outreach initiatives and supports individual coordinators for each of Colorado's basin roundtables. The program aims to enhance public awareness of water issues in line with the Colorado Water Plan and respective Basin Implementation Plans. Grants are available in two categories: funding up to $25,000 for Basin Coordinators to manage education and outreach within their basin, and Statewide Initiatives grants for broader educational projects. Applications require approval from one of the nine basin roundtables and must be submitted through the CWCB Portal. The program supports a wide range of activities, including developing water education campaigns, conducting water awareness surveys, and facilitating statewide or multi-basin outreach efforts. Grant renewed every year. Grant Summer annual deadline: June 1st

The PEPO Statewide Initiatives Grant focuses on funding education and outreach initiatives that have a statewide or multi-basin impact in Colorado. Part of the Public Education, Participation, and Outreach (PEPO) Grant Program established in 2022, this category supports efforts such as developing new statewide education campaigns, conducting statewide water awareness surveys, and creating education materials to bolster public awareness on water issues. These initiatives must demonstrate support across multiple basins and align with priorities of the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), guided by the Colorado Water Plan. This grant category underlines the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing water education and outreach across the state. Grant renewed every year. Grant Summer annual deadline: June 1st

This program provides free technical assistance to small Pennsylvania businesses to help them improve their operations and competitiveness by connecting them with expert resources and solutions for specific technical challenges.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) intend to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for large single or multisite clinical trials within the mission area of the institute. The NOFO is expected to be published in Spring 2024 with an expected application due date in Summer 2024. Only New, Resubmission and Revision applications will be eligible. This NOFO will utilize the UG3/UH3 phased cooperative agreement activity code. A UG3 milestone plan is required. Details of the planned NOFO are provided below.

This grant supports entrepreneurs and researchers in Pennsylvania by providing resources and funding to help turn innovative ideas into marketable products and services that benefit the community and beyond.

The COVID-19 PA Hazard Pay Grant Program was established to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Hazard pay is intended to keep front-line employees working in sectors that are vital to every Pennsylvanians’ existence. The program will help employers provide hazard pay for their employees to retain current employees. This reimbursement-based grant is for employers who will be offering hazard pay over the eligible program period. For general questions about the program or specific application questions, visit our Hazard Pay FAQs. Hazard Pay FAQs Financial Info: The COVID-19 PA Hazard Pay Grant Program was established to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Hazard pay is intended to keep front-line employees working in sectors that are vital to every Pennsylvanians’ existence. The program will help employers provide hazard pay for their employees to retain current employees. This reimbursement-based grant is for employers who will be offering hazard pay over the eligible program period. For general questions about the program or specific application questions, visit our Hazard Pay FAQs. Hazard Pay FAQs

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications that propose the development and early stage validation of novel humanized small animal models and/or human cellular microphysiological systems for NeuroHIV preclinical research. The goal of this initiative is to promote a significant improvement in the translational relevance of NeuroHIV models, specifically in the context of chronic HIV infection of the central nervous system (CNS) in the modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) era under conditions of viral suppression. This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. The NOFO is expected to be published in Summer 2024 with an expected application due date in Fall 2024. This NOFO will utilize the R61/R33 activity code. Details of the planned NOFO are provided below.