Grants for Special district governments - Environment

This grant provides funding to educational institutions to create programs that support and encourage undergraduate students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds to pursue advanced degrees and careers in neuroscience research.

This funding opportunity supports postdoctoral researchers in biomedical and behavioral fields, providing mentorship and resources to help them develop into independent scientists.

The Roundhouse Foundation's Open Call Grants aim to support organizations that contribute to the thriving of rural Oregon communities, including Tribal communities. These grants prioritize proposals that span 12-18 months, with funding amounts not exceeding $50,000; however, the median award is approximately $20,000. Preferred projects are innovative, collaborative, and align with the foundation's focus areas: Arts & Culture, Environmental Stewardship, Social Services, and Education. Proposals should demonstrate a commitment to rural Oregon, support sustainable practices, and foster economic resilience. Capital requests for facility development are not funded, but program-aligned infrastructure enhancements are considered. Grant renewed every year. 2 cycles per year

The purpose of the NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) is to provide support to mid-career health-professional doctorates for protected time to devote to patient-oriented research (POR) and to act as research mentors primarily for clinical residents, clinical fellows and/or junior clinical faculty. Section I. Funding Opportunity Description The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) support a variety of mentored and non-mentored career development award programs designed to foster the transition of new investigators to research independence and to support established investigators in achieving specific objectives. Candidates should review the different career development (K) award programs to determine the best program to support their goals. More information about Career programs may be found at the NIH Extramural Training Mechanisms website. The NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) is designed to enable mid-career clinician-scientists to: Devote more time to augment their capabilities in Patient-Oriented Research (POR); and Provide mentoring to junior clinical investigators in the conduct of POR (see below for definition). The K24 award is intended to provide protected time to mid-career clinical investigators to provide mentoring to junior clinical investigators, particularly K23 grantees, in POR and to stabilize the careers of these investigators. The intent is to allow these investigators to continue to conduct POR and be available as mentors in POR. It is expected that K24 recipients will obtain new or additional independent, peer-reviewed funding for POR as PD/PI and establish and assume leadership roles in collaborative POR programs. In addition, it is expected that there will be an increased effort and commitment to act as a mentor to beginning clinician investigators in POR to enhance the research productivity of both the K24 investigator and increase the pool of well-trained clinical researchers of the future. For the purposes of the K24 award, Patient-Oriented Research is defined as research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects. This area of research includes: (1) mechanisms of human disease; (2) therapeutic interventions; (3) clinical trials, and; (4) the development of new technologies. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues but do not deal directly with patients. In other words, patient-oriented research is research in which it is necessary to know the identity of the patients from whom the cells or tissues under study are derived. Studies falling under Exemption 4 for human subjects research are not included in this definition. See also the NIH Director's Panel on Clinical Research Report. NIH defines a clinical trial as "A research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include placebo or other control) to evaluate the effects of those interventions on health-related biomedical or behavioral outcomes." (NOT-OD-15-015). NIH not only supports trials of safety and efficacy, it also supports mechanistic exploratory studies that meet the definition of a clinical trial and are designed to explore or understand a biological or behavioral process, the pathophysiology of a disease, or the mechanism of action of an intervention. These studies may focus on basic and/or translational discovery research in healthy human subjects and in human subjects who are affected by the pathophysiology of diseases and disorders. By addressing basic questions and concepts in biology, behavior, and pathophysiology, these studies may provide insight into understanding human diseases and disorders along with potential treatments or preventive strategies. NIH also supports biomarker studies that meet the definition of a clinical trial and that may provide information about physiological function, target engagement of novel therapeutics, and/or the impact of therapeutics on treatment response. NIH thus supports studies that meet the definition of clinical trials (as noted above) but do not seek to establish safety, clinical efficacy, effectiveness, clinical management, and/or implementation of preventive, therapeutic, and services interventions. Note: This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary clinical trial, as part of their research and career development. Applicants not planning an independent clinical trial, or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, must apply to companion FOA Special Note: Because of the differences in individual Institute and Center (IC) program requirements for this FOA, prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts, to make sure that their application is appropriate for the requirements of one of the participating NIH ICs. See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations. Section II. Award Information Funding Instrument Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity. Application Types Allowed New Resubmission Revision Renewal The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this FOA. Clinical Trial? Required: Only accepting applications that propose an independent clinical trial(s) Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial? Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Award Budget Award budgets are composed of salary and other program-related expenses, as described below. Award Project Period The total project period may not exceed 5 years.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will support projects in the Great Lakes basin that implement the following strategic, priority actions: Mitigate Invasive Forest Insect and Disease ImpactsImplement targeted reforestation and forest protection actions to minimize invasive forest insect and disease impacts on watersheds. Reduce Runoff through Green Infrastructure Capture or treat stormwater runoff by planting trees and other vegetation as an integral component of green infrastructure. Restore and Connect Coastal and Riparian Forest Habitats Protect, restore, and enhance high-quality coastal zone and connecting riparian ecosystems where trees are an important component. The minimum and maximum Federal funding requests vary depending on program area, with an overall range of $50,000 to $300,000. Please review the funding table in the Request for Applications for the allowable ranges of each program area. An informational webinar will occur on July 23rd, 2024, at 9 am Central/10 am Eastern. The link is: https://usfs-public.box.com/s/91m9ed3hrjpkab7c1a5zly1ud025xxc5 The powerpoint can be found at: https://usfs-public.box.com/s/mffkiks7dyhmuewtir2liy7tllo06u16 The webinar recording is also posted on our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r9/workingtogether/grants/?cid=FSEPRD898819.

AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the countrys most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture. This funding announcement is an opportunity for communities to apply for funding to engage adults ages 55 and older in tackling the communitys most pressing needs through the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. This is an open competition across all states and territories.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for Ohio-based organizations to develop educational projects that raise awareness about critical environmental issues, targeting specific audiences such as students and the general public.

This funding opportunity supports landowners, watershed groups, and nonprofits in Montana to improve fish habitats and populations by restoring natural stream channels, enhancing fish passage, and protecting essential spawning areas.

This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is the first in an anticipated series of Landowner Support for Forest Resilience NOFOs. Landowner Support for Forest Resilience is currently funded by four Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions (Public Law No: 117-169. Subtitle D, Sec. 23002(a) (1 ), (2), (3), and (4)), which encompass cost share and payment incentives for forestry practices and support participation of underserved landowners and small-acreage landowners (owning less than 2,500 acres) in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. Landowner Support for Forest Resilience falls under the USDA Forest Service's existing Landscape Scale Restoration Program, as authorized under Section 13A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2109a). This program advances the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative. Established by Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, the Justice40 Initiative has made it a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments, such as climate, clean energy, and other areas, flow to disadvantaged communities. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) solicits proposals for two IRA provisions: Subtitle D, Sec. 23002 (a)(2) and Subtitle D, Sec. 23002 (a)(3). These provisions provide the USDA Forest Service with funding to:Support the participation of underserved forest landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience.Support the participation of forest landowners who own less than 2,500 acres of forest land in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience.

This program provides flexible funding to local governments to improve housing, infrastructure, and economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals in their communities.

The purpose of the NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) is to provide support to mid-career health-professional doctorates for protected time to devote to patient-oriented research (POR) and to act as research mentors primarily for clinical residents, clinical fellows and/or junior clinical faculty. Level of Effort Candidates must be able to demonstrate the need for protected time, 3-6 person months (25-50% of full-time professional effort) for a period of intensive research focus as a means of augmenting their capabilities in POR and ability to act as a mentor to new clinical investigators in the conduct of POR during this period. Candidates for the K24 award may not concurrently apply for any other PHS career award or have another PHS career award pending review. Candidates who have VA appointments may not consider part of the VA effort toward satisfying the full time requirement at the applicant institution. Candidates with VA appointments should contact the staff person in the relevant Institute or Center prior to preparing an application to discuss their eligibility. After the receipt of the award, adjustments to the required level of effort may be made in certain circumstances. See NOT-OD-09-036 for more details. Renewals Depending on the policies of the sponsoring NIH Institute/Center, awardees may apply for a one-time renewal for an additional three to five years of support if the recipient continues to have independent peer-reviewed research support at the time of submission of the renewal application. Candidates should clearly demonstrate their continuing need for protected time to expand their research programs. Peer-Reviewed Research Support Depending on the policies of the sponsoring NIH Institute/Center, candidates are expected to continue to hold independent peer-reviewed research support for the period of this award. Candidates losing this support during the award period must document in their annual Progress Reports efforts to replace this support and demonstrate that they continue to meet all other requirements of the career award. Institutional Environment The applicant institution must have a strong, well-established record of research and career development activities and faculty qualified to serve as mentors in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is offering a Public Green Space Grant Program to cities, counties, special districts, nonprofits, and community-based organizations within its service area. The program aims to provide grant funds for tree-planting projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance local communities. This initiative aligns with the IID's mission to support environmental stewardship and community development through tangible, local impact. The primary beneficiaries of this program are critically underserved or disadvantaged communities within Imperial Valley and Coachella Valley. The program specifically targets community groups that seek to green their areas, thereby addressing the critical need for GHG reduction and community beautification. The impact goals include not only environmental benefits through carbon sequestration but also the creation of greener, more aesthetically pleasing public spaces that can offer recreational benefits to residents. Program priorities favor projects that provide park or recreational benefits to underserved communities, are proposed by such communities, or develop partnerships with local organizations and businesses to strengthen outreach to disadvantaged communities. Additional points are given to projects that offer access to quality jobs, workforce education and training for residents, utilize interagency cooperation, or leverage existing public lands and resources, including schools. Projects that include matching or cost-sharing funds are also prioritized. Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through increased tree cover. Beyond environmental benefits, the program aims to foster community engagement and education around green initiatives. The maximum award per project is $35,000, with a total of $350,000 available through IID’s "Tree for All" program. Eligible costs include personnel, contractors, consultants, direct and indirect costs related to tree planting and maintenance during the grant period, and community education and engagement expenses, all contributing to the program's strategic objectives of community greening and climate action.

This funding opportunity is designed to support organizations in Napa County that focus on wildlife conservation, education, and habitat improvement projects, particularly those benefiting school-aged children.

This grant provides funding to local governments in Colorado to develop plans for electric vehicle infrastructure, promoting climate action and clean transportation initiatives.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support research that will advance the measurement and assessment of complex constructs relevant to minority health and health disparities.Research Objectives This initiative will support research to improve the measures and methods for complex social constructs that capture the lived experience of populations that experience health disparities. The NIH-designated U.S. populations with health disparities are racial and ethnic minority groups, sexual and gender minority groups, underserved rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations of any race or ethnicity (https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/overview/). The objective of this initiative is to produce knowledge that can inform the field about the types of measurement approaches that may be most suitable for different health disparities-related research questions or specific populations, settings, or contexts. Projects are expected to examine the performance and utility of specific measurement and/or methodological approaches. Projects that simply use new or existing measures or methods to answer health disparities-related research questions, without examining their performance or utility, are not responsive to this FOA. Projects are encouraged to use multiple data sources across different levels and across multiple sectors when appropriate. However, because this initiative emphasizes capturing the lived experiences of individuals and populations, all projects are expected to include self-report measures or data in some way. Projects should also include relevant diversity (e.g., with respect to age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual or gender minority status, and/or geographic region) in sampling, enrollment, and data analysis needed to advance health disparities and health equity research and interventions development. Examples of potential study designs include but are not limited to the following: Testing the validity and reliability of one or more new or existing measures within a single project. Developing and validating new measures of complex social constructs (e.g., structural racism) that are associated with health disparities and health inequities. Examination of psychometric properties and/or patterns of findings with different measures of the same construct across existing studies or datasets. Mixed-methods approaches including the integration of qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., research in which qualitative interviews or focus groups inform the development of quantitative measures) in which participants complete quantitative measures and provide their perspectives on the measures via cognitive interviews, or other qualitative strategies. Examination of measurement of cultural or construct equivalence or invariance across populations with health disparities and subpopulations within these groups such as recent immigrants or persons with disabilities. Examination of utility and feasibility of incorporating novel data sources to assess higher-level determinants of health and health disparities such as structural racism. Examination of ethical issues related to different measurement or analytic strategies, including understanding and mitigating potential risk from individual or group harm from data collection, analysis or dissemination. Examination of alternative methods for collecting data for these measures. Examination of novel analytic methods for exploring the interacting influences of factors associated with health disparities that are measured at different levels, across time, and/or across settings. Areas of Research Interest NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE The mission of the National Eye Institute (www.nei.nih.gov) is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. The NEI supports basic and clinical research into diseases and disorders of the visual system and the special needs of people with impaired vision or who are blind. The NEI encourages innovative applications that will advance innovative development of new measures and methods, or testing and adaptation of existing measures and approaches, to address health disparities and health inequities in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of eye and vision conditions. NIMHD’s interests include, but are not limited to, the following: The lived experience of intersectionality, including self-identification, group affiliation, and multidimensional aspects of race and ethnicity as well as intersectional bias, stigma, and discrimination. Composite and cumulative exposure to adversity, including measures that encompass critical developmental periods, magnitude/frequency of exposure over time, and exposure and resilience across multiple levels and life stages. Measurement of protective and resilience factors, at both the individual (e.g., personality traits, psychological resources, behavioral skills) and sociocultureal levels (e.g., interpersonal, community, societal). The relationship between individual and higher-level determinants, including how neighborhood, community, and societal level determinants are associated with individual-level experiences, and in what circumstances higher-level social determinants can and cannot serve as proxies for individual-level determinants and vice versa. Advancing place-based indexes, composite measures and geocoded analysis, including best practices for clustering community and social level factors, level of granularity/area for specific purposes, ability to predict and explain health or health care disparities. Of interest are the extent to which these measures are predictive, and their usefulness in determining how structural racism and discrimination within regional or location specific conditions limit opportunities, resources, and power. Measurement of structural racism and discrimination, such as the facets, magnitude and cumulative effects of inequities in power, access, opportunities, treatment, and policy embedded in structures, institutions, and communities that contribute to inequities in health outcomes. Analytic methods to enable better understanding of the causes of health disparities, including identification of the causal pathways that connect the etiology (i.e., health determinants) with the effect (i.e., health disparities), especially with limited longitudinal data available. Advance analytic methods of small populations and population subgroups, including methods to analyze and interpret studies with large differences in population sample sizes (e.g., 100 vs 10,000). Methods are also needed to identify unique characteristics of population subgroups and within group heterogeneity. Development of culturally appropriate, unbiased health risk factors and outcome measures that are predictive across populations or tailored for populations. Testing and evaluation of accepted behavioral constructs in diverse populations to understand the science of behavior change in these groups. For example, measurement of behavioral intent is generally accepted as having a higher likelihood of actually doing this behavior although evidence in diverse communities is limited. National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute seeks applications that advance innovative development of new measures and methods, or testing and adaptation of existing measures and approaches, to address health disparities and health inequities in cancer prevention and control and survivorship. Applications of interest may include: Development, testing or adaptation of organizational, health system, and policy measures of structural racism, discrimination and SDOH. Advancement of measures and methods that facilitate development and testing of theories, models and frameworks that identify mechanisms by which Structural Racism influences cancer prevention and control outcomes at individual, interpersonal, healthcare, organizational and community levels. Advancement of methods and measures that facilitate development and testing of theories, models, and frameworks to identify when SDOH operate as moderators to multilevel or policy interventions and when a SDOH are/should be a target for interventions to reduce cancer health disparities. Approaches may consider the reinforcing and multi-sectoral influences of SDOH that may reinforce inequalities. Research to advance real-time/rapid assessment of SDOH measures and social risks that influence health behavior (e.g., diet, physical activity, sleep & alcohol) in multilevel interventions to reduce cancer health disparities and improve health equity. Research to develop, test, and validate measures to assess social determinants of health and other social factors (e.g., culture, power, trust, stigma, discrimination, intersectional identity) associated with cancer prevention and control outcomes using robust statistical approaches, such as exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and analyses to assess within-group effects. Research to develop and validate pragmatic and actionable measures to identify or influence modifiable individual, social, community, or system factors that can reduce health inequities. Projects may include research to define and measure geographic units for area-based SDOH in diverse populations to improve cancer prevention and control. Research to validate new or existing measures of constructs associated with cancer health disparities (such as SDOH, social risk, community assets, culture, wealth, literacy). Approaches should include (but are not limited to) content, construct, convergent and discriminant reliability across and within populations experiencing disparities. Research to support the development of methods and measures that examine intersecting influences of healthcare access such as treatment costs, insurance coverage and out of pocket costs, geographic proximity to clinics, value of care, access to telehealth (e.g., technology and broadband access), and social topics such as clinician implicit bias. Integration of qualitative and quantitative research methods, in which qualitative methods are used to identify novel and emerging social and structural constructs contributing to health/ health disparities, and such knowledge is used to inform the development and validation of quantitative instruments to assess those constructs Apply stakeholder engaged approaches to identify and develop measures that are based on the interests and primary concerns identified by multiple groups, such as patients, providers, organizations, and communities, particularly for communities that are under resourced and small populations that have historically not been included in research or with whom measures have not been developed or validated in cancer prevention and control. Development of methods to examine individual and co-occurring factors associated with health inequities, such as demographic characteristics of patients and providers, geography, socioeconomic factors, and social constructs including implicit bias, overt and covert racism. Applications that advance the understanding of sleep disparities and how they affect cancer risk and/or cancer survivorship in underserved and marginalized populations, by developing or validating multidimensional sleep metrics, developing measures of cumulative sleep exposure , and integrating individual-level sleep metrics into a multilevel approach incorporating measurements of light, noise, and other personal, neighborhood or environmental intrapersonal and interpersonal influences on sleep behavior. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences The mission of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is to discover how the environment affects people to promote healthier lives. The NIEHS seeks applications that advance innovative development of new measures and methods, or validation and adaptation of existing measures and approaches, to address the complex interplay of the physical, chemical, cultural, social, and built environmental factors that contribute to or exacerbate environmental health disparities. Applications of interest may include, but are not limited to: The use of mixed methods approaches that integrate qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and measures of factors that contribute to environmental health disparities, including how qualitative methods can inform the development and validation of quantitative surveys and instruments that evaluate these factors. Application and testing of methods and measures of SDOH, and structural racism and discrimination, to the study of environmental health disparities. Establishment of novel interdisciplinary collaborations (including, but not limited to, methodologists, behavioral scientists, exposure scientists, epidemiologists, bioinformaticians, biostatisticians, data scientists, social scientists) to incorporate concomitant chemical and built environmental factors with existing or developed measures of structural and individual racism into a multilevel assessment of environmental health disparities. Development, testing and adaptation of methods and measures that capture the lived experience of intersectionality to identify structural factors contributing to disproportionate exposures to chemical and non-chemical stressors at the community and individual level. Application of community engaged approaches to identify or develop measures that are based on the interests and primary concerns identified by multiple community stakeholders, such as parents, schools, organizations, and fence-line residents, particularly for communities that are under resourced and populations that have historically been combating environmental injustices and disparate rates of adverse health outcomes. Examination of the ethical issues related to methods and measurement approaches in the study of environmental health disparities, including issues around data harmonization and the collection of common data elements. Enhancement of existing place-based indices, environmental exposures models and geocoded data to account for social level factors, to explain environmental health disparities at the regional or community level. Of interest are the extent to which these measures demonstrate how placed-based structural racism and discrimination exacerbate environmental risk factors and/or limit protective factors. Novel use of SDOH and structural racism and discrimination methods and measures to guide the development of multi-level, evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to reduce environmental health disparities. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research NIDCR is interested in funding research that will advance measurement, analysis, and monitoring of social determinants of health that contribute to dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) health disparities and inequities within the U.S. population over time and across settings. To this end, NIDCR will support research to examine the performance and utility of measures and methodologic approaches to improve the measurement and assessment of social determinants of DOC health. Specific areas of research interest include but are not limited to: Examining approaches to measure, analyze, and/or monitor social and structural determinants of health affecting DOC health disparities and inequities in a population or across populations Elucidating intersectionality of social determinants of DOC health and their independent and synergistic effect on DOC health disparities and inequities within- and between-groups Examining methodologic approaches to analyze protective and resilience factors relating to DOC health disparities and inequities across a population and/or between subpopulations Examining the performance of measures to identify structural racism and discrimination and the impact on DOC health disparities and inequities among racial and ethnic minorities during the life-course Assessing the utility of geographic and area indices and analytical methodologies that inform DOC health care needs and the performance of DOC health systems in rural communities Assessing the utility and feasibility of using electronic health record (EHR) data to monitor DOC health disparities and inequities over time and/or across settings National Institute of Mental Health NIMH encourages research that addresses Institute priorities and is aligned with these recommended areas for domestic and global mental health research. Applicants may consider using the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC; https://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/research-funded-by-nimh/rdoc) approach in their work. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Applications on advancing methods for analyzing complex and dynamic systems that impact mental health disparities, including research on methods for estimating non-linear, dynamic, and time-varying relationships between SDOH and disparities in mental health service use, delivery and outcomes. Research on advancing methods for multilevel models examining mutable factors associated with disparities in mental health service use, delivery, and outcomes. Applications developing and/or refining methods for adequately powered analyses of mental health disparities experienced by smaller groups or subpopulations (e.g., when addressing intersectionality, conducting subgroup analyses) and low base rate mental health events (e.g., suicide deaths). Research to develop and validate measures and methods for expanding data capacity to appropriately represent disparities populations, incorporate SDOH, and reduce algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches for understanding risk and optimizing mental health care for populations with mental health disparities. Research to develop and validate measures and methods for integration of SDOH in health care decision-making processes and examine the impact of such integration on reducing disparities and achieving equity in mental health services outcomes. Research to develop or refine causal inference methods within quasi-experimental designs (e.g. General Causal Model, Directed Acyclic Graphs, Deterministic Structural Equation Models, Probabilistic Causal Models, Instrumental Variables), to address research questions addressing mental health equity for mental health disparity populations. Research to develop measures of quality of mental health care for mental health disparity populations. Development and validation of mental health measures that can be submitted to and endorsed by the National Quality Forum (https://www.qualityforum.org/map/) for use to advance equity and quality in mental health care as part of the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS; https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Health-Plans/SpecialNeedsPlans/SNP-HEDIS) or as a quality indicator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (https://www.cms.gov/). Metrics that elucidate mechanisms at the individual, community, and organizational levels that result in disparities in specific adverse mental health outcomes across the lifespan, especially those that can point towards therapeutic targets. Assessments of how structural racism and discrimination impact trajectories of mental health disorders across the lifespan, particularly focusing on sequential and integrative relationships across neural, behavioral, and environmental factors that lead to disparities in mental health outcomes. Measures that systematically and reliably quantify individual exposure to factors that drive mental health disparities, including rigorous, lifestage-appropriate, and repeatable measures of environmental and sociocultural factors like neighborhood effects, access to and quality of healthcare, food and resource security, intersectionality, and cultural beliefs. Research on measures and approaches to be used in basic studies in healthy populations of interest addressing mechanisms of complex social, cognitive, affective and behavioral functioning. National Institute on Aging (NIA) NIA supports research to understand health differences and health inequities associated with race, ethnicity, gender, environment, socioeconomic status (SES), geography, access, and sociocultural factors over the life course and their impact on aging processes, and aging-relevant outcomes including Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias (AD/ADRD). The goals of this initiative are to (1) identify the environmental, social, cultural, and behavioral factors that drive disparities in health, well-being, healthcare, and mortality; and (2) develop strategies to reduce or eliminate those disparities and promote active life expectancy and improve the health status of diverse midlife and older adults. NIA's Health Disparities Research Framework reflects levels of analysis researchers might consider across each of the four domains, refines the causal pathways, and further refines potentially adaptable targets for interventions. Additionally, the framework reflects priorities and investments made in this important aging research area. The framework could also facilitate researchers identifying relevant expertise needed to expand their team and ultimately accomplish the proposed study’s goals and objectives. NIA’s interests in PAR-22-072, “Measures and Methods to Advance Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities-Related Constructs” include, but are not limited to, development of, or enhancements to, measures or methods for assessing constructs related to minority health and health disparities, such as the following: Methods that capture composite and cumulative exposure to adversity, structural racism, and discrimination. Measurement of protective (and resilience) factors that contribute to (or buffer against) health disparities in AD/ADRD outcomes, at both the individual (e.g., personality traits, psychological resources, behavioral skills) and sociocultural levels (e.g., interpersonal, community, societal). Analytic methods to generate causal evidence from observational and non-clinical studies to inform the prevention and mitigation of health disparities in AD/ADRD and increase confidence in observational results as evidence of treatment efficacy or effectiveness in populations underrepresented in AD/ADRD research. Development of analytical tools to dynamically assess health and exposure to risk and protective factors across multiple timescales, including mobile technology-based measures that capture lived experiences in “real time,” without imposing undue burden, particularly for populations that experience health disparities. Development of analytical tools and methods to promote and support research on the impact of social factors on molecular, cellular, genetic, and physiological mechanisms underlying disparate outcomes in aging and age-related pathologies, particularly for populations that experience health disparities. Development of approaches that integrate qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and measures of diverse environmental factors (chemical, physical, built, etc.) with social and behavioral factors associated with aging and age-related neuro-pathologies, including AD/ADRD. Development and use of methods for integrating social and behavioral data with molecular, cellular, genomic, other -omic and biological data in epidemiological studies of aging and age-related neuro-pathologies, including AD/ADRD. Methods to harmonize measures and conduct analyses using longitudinal cohort studies with heterogenous representation of individuals across different health disparities populations using NIA's Health Disparities Research Framework (i.e., across levels of analysis). Applications Not responsive to the FOA: Projects not conducting measurement and methodologic research, Projects conducting primary data collection outside of the U.S., and Projects that are exclusively qualitative. Non-responsive applications will not be reviewed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the relevant scientific contacts to discuss whether their applications are responsive.

The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District is offering a grant of $100,000 to $500,000 for public agencies and nonprofit organizations to acquire land for the creation or expansion of parks, wildlife corridors, trails, and access facilities, with a focus on high-need, rural, and regional areas.

The anticipated funding opportunity announcement (FOA) aims to support research and development projects under the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). The goals include the demonstration of smart charge management for electric vehicles, improvement of 12-volt lead-acid batteries for safety-critical electric vehicle applications, development of strategies to reduce the likelihood of cascading effects of electric vehicle fires, reduction in battery electrode, cell, and pack manufacturing costs, advancement of silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries, and development of high-energy density conversion cathodes. The FOA emphasizes advancing equity, addressing the climate crisis, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Eligible applicants are encouraged to include underrepresented groups and underserved communities in their project teams. The FOA will fund activities related to electric vehicle (EV) technologies, focusing on areas such as smart charge management, safety improvements in EV batteries, cost reduction in battery manufacturing, and the development of advanced battery materials. The Department of Energy aims to drive innovation in clean energy technologies, ensuring environmental justice and inclusion. Specific areas of interest include wide-scale demonstrations of smart charge management, enhancement of safety-critical 12-volt lead-acid batteries, reduction of cascading effects of battery fires, cost reduction in battery manufacturing, and the development of high-energy-density battery components.

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-24-NOFO0001354 Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, 2024. Note: The RCPP Classic and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) FY 2024 notices of funding opportunity (NFO) will run concurrently. For information on AFA proposals please see Funding Opportunity Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPPAFA-24-NOFO0001355. The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services. Using guidance contained in this notice, partners propose projects that generate conservation benefits by addressing specific natural resource concerns in a state or multistate area by addressing one or more priority resource concerns within an NRCS-designated critical conservation area (CCA). NRCS and partners collaborate to design, promote, and implement RCPP projects on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Through RCPP, NRCS may provide both financial assistance (FA) and technical assistance (TA) funds to project partners and agricultural producers for implementing projects. RCPP proposals are evaluated through a competitive proposal process based on three criteria: impact, partner contributions, and partnership and management. Up to $1.5 billion is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2024 AFA announcement, which includes $300 million of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding and $1.2 billion of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). NRCS will prioritize using IRA funds for projects that will implement climate-smart agriculture and forestry conservation activities as described in section F.(3)a. of this announcement. Up to $100 million is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2024 AFA announcement. Any unused funds may be available for other partnership agreements. Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below. For More Information: Applicants are expected to contact the appropriate State Conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservation questionnaire to record the results of this conversation. Proposals without a completed questionnaire may have their score and ranking reduced. A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcements posting) is on the NRCS How to Apply to RCPP web page. Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox ([email protected]) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply. 2024 RCPP NFO Applicant Outreach Webinar This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The same material will be covered at both webinars followed by a question-and-answer section. Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov) April 23, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/e2f45f75-7ea4-410b-b1c9-567537cd2454@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 May 30, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/226dcb51-0b57-43b1-b340-95e535238713@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697 NRCS will schedule additional webinars on RCPP easements and providing outreach to tribal applicants. Information on all webinars will be posted to the RCPP how to apply page.

Program Name: LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF) PROGRAM Funding Organization: Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Contact Information: For assistance with LWCF grants, contact Pam Rood, your regional DNR Stewardship contact. Award Details: Grants cover 50% of eligible project costs. Eligible Applicants: Towns, villages, cities, counties, tribal governments, school districts or other state political subdivisions. Eligible Projects: 1. Land acquisition or development projects that provide opportunities for public outdoor recreation. 2. Property with frontage on rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries and reservoirs that provide water-based outdoor recreation. 3. Property that provides special recreation opportunities such as floodplains, wetlands, and areas adjacent to scenic highways. 4. Natural areas and outstanding scenic areas that preserve scenic or natural values and are open to the general public for outdoor recreation use without impairing the natural attributes of the areas. 5. Land or development within urban areas for day-use picnic areas. 6. Land or development of nature-based outdoor recreation trails. 7. Development of basic outdoor recreation facilities. 8. Renovation of existing outdoor recreation facilities in danger of being lost for public use. Ineligible Project Examples: 1. Projects not supported by a local comprehensive outdoor recreational plan. 2. Acquisition and development of golf courses. 3. Projects where stormwater management is the primary purpose. 4. Lands that include cell towers. 5. Land that will be used for non-outdoor public recreation purposes. Deadlines and Funding Cycles: - Completed applications must be submitted to your regional Stewardship community service specialist by May 1 each year. - Department of Natural Resources regional staff review and rate eligible projects in early June. - Final project listing is compiled in July with projects ranking the highest selected for grants based on available funds. - Final selected projects will be reviewed and approved by the National Park Service before the sponsor receives an agreement with the DNR. Note: The grant is renewable every year, and the application period closes on May 1st each year.

The Aquatic Stewardship Grant Program, formerly known as the Aquatic Education Grant Program, is organized by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. It aims to foster aquatic stewardship through hands-on educational experiences facilitated by partnering organizations. Eligible projects must offer an aquatic education learning experience and include educational components beyond mere fishing skills, aimed at promoting aquatic stewardship. A final report must be submitted to the ODNR Division of Wildlife upon project completion. Suggested activities include the Teen Leadership Fishing Retreat, OSU Stone Lab Program, Water Quality & Fish Monitoring Program, and Aquarium setup for the Trout in the Classroom program. Competitive activities are excluded. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/closing deadlines: February 1st to March 15th