Grants for Small Businesses

The NSF Engineering (ENG) Directorate has launched a multi-year initiative, theProfessional Formation of Engineers, to create and support an innovative and inclusive engineering profession for the 21stcentury. Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) refers to the formal and informal processes and value systems by which people become engineers. It also includes the ethical responsibility of practicing engineers to sustain and grow the profession in order to improve quality of life for all peoples. The engineering profession must be responsive to national priorities, grand challenges, and dynamic workforce needs; it must be equally open and accessible to all. Professional Formation of Engineers includes, but is not limited, to: Introductions to the profession at any age; Development of deep technical and professional skills, knowledge, and abilities in both formal and informal settings/domains; Development of outlooks, perspectives, ways of thinking, knowing, and doing; Development of identity as an engineer and its intersection with other identities; and Acculturation to the profession, its standards, and norms. The goal of the Research in the Formation of Engineers (RFE) program is to advance our understanding of professional formation. It seeks both to deepen our fundamental understanding of the underlying processes and mechanisms that support professional formation and to demonstrate how professional formation is or can be accomplished. Ultimately RFE aims to transform the engineer-formation system, and thus the impact of proposed projects on this system must be described. Principal Investigators (PIs) should provide a roadmap detailing how they envision the proposed research will eventually broadly impact practice within the engineer-formation system, even if these activities are not within the scope of the submitted proposal. In order to accomplish its goals, RFE welcomes proposals in two categories: Research Projects, and Design and Development Projects. Research Projects address fundamental questions of professional formation, while Design and Development Projects provide new approaches to achieving professional formation. Additional details are provided below. Projects in both categories should address the iterative cycle in which research questions that advance understanding are informed by practice and the results of research are, in turn, translated into practice. In other words, proposals should explain how the research results will travel, translate, transfer, or scale. Successful projects identify specific target audiences, effective communication channels, and novel partnerships to ensure effective propagation and scaling. Proposal titles should begin with either Research: or Design and Development: as appropriate. Research Projects Research proposals are particularly welcome in the following areas: Research that addresses lifelong learning by the engineering workforce. Research on the impact of engineering education research. Proposals addressing this topic could investigate questions such as: How can we measure the impacts of engineering education research? What are effective strategies for scaling reforms? How can we translate knowledge from research to practice? What are the roles of technologies, networks and communities in achieving impact? RFE does not support efficacy, effectiveness, or scale-up studies for specific interventions. Research that addresses culture change in engineering education. Included in this topic are investigations of normative cultures of engineering at any level in the engineering education ecosystem and how these cultures may disadvantage certain groups. Research that addresses engineering formation at the two-year college and graduate education levels in both formal and informal settings. Research that investigates engineering in P?12 settings. Research in this area could include understanding of approaches to engineering in P?12, how to develop engineering ways of thinking, or the relationship between practices within the sciences and mathematics and engineering thinking. Research on the transitions between education levels, e.g., from high school to two-year college, high school to four-year college/university, two-year college to four-year college/university, undergraduate to graduate school, education settings to the workforce or professoriate, etc. Research that addresses the relationship between engineering and the public. Proposals addressing this topic could consider the social impact of engineering solutions, citizen engineering, education of an informed public, etc. Research that develops or adapts novel methodologies and frameworks appropriate for studying the professional formation of engineers, and especially minoritized, marginalized, or underserved populations. Research that addresses ways in which new technologies (such as artificial intelligence and machine learning) are changing engineering education. Proposals submitted to the Research Projects category should have clear research questions informed by an appropriate theoretical framework and a research design that includes sampling, data collection, and data analysis methods. This category will not support proposals that seek funding primarily to develop tools, curriculum, or laboratories, or that seek to implement classroom innovations that have already been shown to be effective in engineering. The program will evaluate the value of proposals by considering the impact and the cost. Research track projects that are small, exploratory, or speculative are especially encouraged. Larger Research track projects should have a correspondingly larger impact. Design and Development Projects RFE supports Design and Development projects (see https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13126) that seek to develop and test new approaches in the following areas: Graduate education. Transitions between education levels, e.g. high school to two year college, high school to 4 year college/university, two year college to 4 year college/university, undergraduate to graduate school, education settings to the workforce or professoriate, etc. K12, especially approaches to develop engineering thinking, or providing links between engineering, science, and mathematics Proposals in this category should propose the design and development of new approaches that are informed by existing literature and theory. There should be clear objectives and the evaluation plan should be designed to determine if those objectives have been met. Projects cannot be solely demonstration projects, but must add to the engineering education literature to inform future work.

This grant provides funding for researchers in atmospheric sciences to access advanced facilities and instruments necessary for studying various geophysical phenomena.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative projects between academic institutions and industry to develop innovative bioengineering solutions that address significant biomedical challenges and improve medical practices.

**AMENDED on DECEMBER 11 2023**: The latest revision is posted as Amendment 18. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Amendment in its entirety, as it updates several sections. Specifically, ATTACHMENT 1: SPECIFIC TOPICS now includes Basic Research Topics N1-N4, with white papers due by 11:59pm EST on 5 February 2024. White papers may not be considered if they are received after this deadline. In addition, submissions to the general thrust areas in accordance with the requirements detailed in the BAA are also welcome. ** Please note that all correspondence must be sent to the appropriate Agency contact identified in Section 7. Agency Contacts. **

This grant provides funding to a wide range of organizations, including NGOs and private sector entities, to strengthen local health systems in Guinea, focusing on improving healthcare quality and accessibility in targeted regions.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to small businesses developing new medications for treating alcohol use disorder and related organ damage, helping them advance their research towards FDA approval.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to small businesses developing new medications for treating alcohol use disorder and related organ damage, with a focus on advancing these therapies toward FDA approval.

This funding opportunity is designed to support small-scale research projects at health professional and graduate schools that have limited NIH funding, helping to enhance research capabilities and engage students in meaningful research experiences.

This funding opportunity supports innovative research projects focused on understanding and advancing treatments for nonmalignant blood disorders, encouraging collaboration and involvement from new researchers in the field.

This funding opportunity supports researchers in the U.S. working to improve models of the Earth's geospace environment, focusing on the interactions between the magnetosphere, atmosphere, and solar wind, while encouraging innovative approaches like machine learning and collaboration among diverse teams.

This grant provides funding for research centers focused on improving the safety and health of workers in agriculture, forestry, and fishing through evidence-based solutions and community outreach.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state, territorial, and tribal organizations for cancer prevention and control initiatives, focusing on improving access to screening, building coalitions, and enhancing cancer data collection to reduce disparities and promote health equity.

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Predoctoral Institutional Research Training Grants for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (T32) to eligible institutions to enhance predoctoral research training of individuals seeking health professional degrees and help ensure a heterogenous pool of clinical and translational scientist trainees who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications aimed at improving health.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hereby notify Small Business Concerns (SBCs) holding Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants that funds are available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be nationally underrepresented in health-related research or in the SBIR and STTR programs. This supplement opportunity is also available to PD(s)/PI(s) of research grants who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability in order to continue to work on the research project. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial. Applicants to this FOA are permitted to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

This funding opportunity invites researchers to develop and apply advanced imaging techniques to better understand the role of inflammation in cancer, fostering collaboration between cancer scientists and imaging experts.

This funding opportunity supports research and development projects focused on creating innovative and efficient aircraft structures, open to a wide range of applicants including universities, businesses, and non-profits.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to small businesses in the U.S. to develop innovative tools and devices that improve the health and welfare of animals used in research facilities.

This funding opportunity supports small businesses in developing innovative tools and devices to improve the care and management of animals used in research, enhancing their welfare and the efficiency of research facilities.

This funding opportunity is designed to support researchers and educational institutions in advancing superconducting qubit technology and developing training programs to enhance the national quantum workforce.

This funding opportunity is designed to enhance health services by engaging the private sector to improve family planning, maternal and child health, and control infectious diseases in various communities.