Grants for Small businesses - Science and Technology

The SCIRP CTA supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment or management of SCI. Applications should articulate both the short- and long-term impact of the proposed research on individuals with SCI and/or their care partners. The proposed intervention(s) to be tested should offer significant potential impact for individuals affected by SCI within the context of one or more of the FY24 SCIRP Focus Areas. 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 DoD Kidney Cancer, Idea Development Award is a funding opportunity aimed at supporting innovative, high-impact kidney cancer research projects, with a focus on scientific rationale, preliminary data, innovation, and potential impact, and encourages collaborations among academia, industry, military services, and other federal agencies, with a budget not exceeding $800,000 for individual projects and $1.2M for partnered projects.

The Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) is a competitive state grant program that provides funding to interested parties for the development and implementation of measures to protect water of sufficient quality and quantity to maintain, enhance, and restore river and riparian resources throughout Arizona (including projects that benefit fish and wildlife that are dependent on these important resources), and measures to increase water availability and supply. Financial Notes: Matching funds are not required to be eligible for AWPF funding; however, projects that do include matching funds typically receive higher consideration.   Administrative costs must be limited to a maximum of 5% of the total AWPF project funds requested.  Subcontractors or consultants working on your project must also conform to the 5% administrative cost limit if you are paying them out of AWPF funds.   Payments are made on a cost reimbursement basis.  Appropriate documentation (e.g., receipts, invoices, reports, data, and photographs) will be required in order to receive reimbursement.   Adequate accounting practices and record keeping will be required.

Amendment 1 (June 25, 2024): The purpose of this Amendment 1 is to: 1) make administrative updates to Section 1.1, 1.2, 2.1.2, 3.1, 3.2 and 5.2.6; 2) replace Section 2.1.1 with new language pertaining to Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and Government Entities. Additionally, Section 4.2, Evaluation Criteria #2 is updated to remove the reference to Government Entities (removal is not highlighted in yellow); 3) change references from Abstract to Solution Summaries (intent behind the document is unchanged); 4) update proposal submission instructions in Section 3.2; and 5) update Section 5.1 to remove the Stage 2 Notification Letter. All changes are highlighted in yellow.Also, please note that the title of this opportunity has bee revised to eliminate confusion. The opportunity should have been titled, "Master Announcement Instruction (MAI)" instead of "ARPA-H BDF Tool Box".The Master Announcement Instructions (MAI) is a new ARPA-H announcement that aims to create standard tiered proposal submission requirements, so the amount of work required to write a proposal is commensurate with the size of the proposed effort. It also aims to reduce the up-front work required to submit cost information to reduce the barrier to entry for non-traditional performers. Module announcements that link to this MAI will provide more specific instructions about how the proposal requirements vary across tiers of effort.All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Governments needs may submit a proposal to a Module Announcement. Specifically, universities, non-profit organizations, small businesses and other than small businesses are eligible and encouraged to propose to Module Announcements.NOTE: Proposals shall NOT be submitted against the MAI. Proposals shall only be submitted against a Module Announcement.

This grant provides $10,000 in reagent credits to researchers working on innovative stem cell and organoid projects at eligible institutions, helping to advance scientific breakthroughs in these fields.

The intent of the FY24 LCRP Concept Award is to support innovative, non-incremental, high-risk/potentially high-reward research that will provide new insights, paradigms, technologies, or applications in lung cancer. Studies supported by this award are expected to lay the groundwork for future avenues of scientific investigation. The proposed research project should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on a sound scientific rationale and study design. Research applications only in the area of mesothelioma will not be accepted.Inclusion of preliminary data is not required but is allowed. The strength of the proposed research should be based on sound scientific rationale and logical reasoning. The presentation of substantial preliminary data suggests that the proposed research project would be more appropriately submitted to a different FY24 LCRP funding opportunity. The outcome of research supported by this award should be the generation of robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for future research projects. Absence of preliminary data will not negatively affect scientific or programmatic review of the application.Care Delivery and Health Disparity Option: The FY24 LCRP Concept Award mechanism encourages applications that specifically address the comprehensive lung cancer care and/or health disparities FY24 LCRP Areas of Emphasis by offering a Care Delivery and Health Disparity option. Applications from the Care Delivery and Health Disparity option will be peer and programmatically reviewed separately from applications submitted to the Cancer Research Continuum option.Relevance to Military Health: The LCRP seeks to support research that is relevant to the healthcare needs of military Service Members, Veterans, and their Families. Relevance to military health will be considered in determining relevance to the mission of the Defense Health Program (DHP) and FY24 LCRP during programmatic review. Investigators are strongly encouraged to consider the following characteristics as examples of how a project may demonstrate relevance to military health:Use of military or Veteran populations, biospecimens, data/databases, or programs in the proposed research Collaboration with Department of Defense (DOD) or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigatorsExplanation of how the project addresses an aspect of lung cancer that has relevance or is unique to the military, Veterans, other Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries, or Family readiness of Service Members, including environmental exposures other than tobacco.All investigators applying to FY24 LCRP funding opportunities are encouraged to consider leveraging resources from the LCRP-funded Lung Cancer Biospecimen Resource Network (LCBRN) if retrospectively collected human anatomical substances and correlated clinical data are relevant to the proposed studies. Samples from the LCBRN are currently available through the Cooperative Human Tissue Network (CHTN). To request LCBRN samples, contact the Division Coordinator for the CHTN Mid-Atlantic division (email: [email protected]) located at the University of Virginia.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 LCRP priorities.Applications from investigators within the military services and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, the military services, the 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, and/or their Families. If the proposed research relies on access to unique resources or databases, the application must describe the access at the time of submission and include a plan for maintaining access as needed throughout the proposed research.

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.

This grant provides funding to small businesses and startups that have previously received NSF Phase I awards, helping them advance their innovative research into market-ready products and services.

This grant provides funding for small businesses to develop innovative technologies that support NOAA's mission in areas like climate change, coastal resilience, and water quality.

This initiative provides funding to early-career researchers and community organizations to develop innovative health solutions that address critical health challenges in local communities.

This solicitation is offered for support of two types of projects, a TCUP Hub and faculty-led topical interest groups (TIGs). The TCUP Hub will serve the entire TCUP-eligible community with activities such as convening workshops (including the TCUP Leaders' Forum), coordinating faculty/student exchanges, organizing professional development opportunities, and overseeing TCUP Fellowship opportunities with eligible agencies. The Hub will connect people and organizations to facilitate relationships, expand and diversify networks, and support TCUP faculty and staff in building capacity in areas they identify. It will curate shared resources, expertise, and experiences to build the capacity of TCUP institutions. Also, it will build and support a sense of community among all TCUP institutions and elevate the voices within them. Only one Hub will be supported, either to a single institution or to a collaborative submission from multiple institutions. Interested parties may find that a collaborative submission from multiple institutions is more feasible, engaging two or more TCUP institutions to synergistically leverage their different strengths in realizing the Hub's mission. Multiple institutions submitting collaboratively may better address the multiplicity of TCUP institutions, which vary geographically, administratively, and in modes of governance. Clearly, some activities may be best pursued by enlisting specialists as consultants. Two types of collaborative proposals are acceptable: simultaneous submission of proposals from multiple organizations submitting a unified set of certain proposal sections, as well as information unique to each organization, such as unique budgets, key personnel, and activities; or submission of a collaborative proposal from one organization, with collaborating institutions included through subawards (subawards are permitted only to TCUP-eligible institutions; proposers should confer with the TCUP program staff prior to submission). All collaborative proposals submitted from multiple organizations must be submitted via Research.gov. Additionally, this solicitation is offered for support of independent, faculty-led topical interest groups (TIGs) that focus on professional development of faculty and formation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) discipline networks (e.g., engineering, genomics, Indigenous research, environmental science). Up to two new TIGs may be supported. [1] Executive Order 13021 defines Tribal Colleges and Universities ("tribal colleges") as those institutions cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), and other institutions that qualify for funding under the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as well as Navajo Community College as authorized in the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978, Public Law 95-471, Title II (25 U.S.C. 640a note). The term "Alaska Native-serving institution" means an institution of higher education that is an eligible institution under section 1058(b) of the Higher Education Act; and that, at the time of submission, has an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 20 percent Alaska Native students. The term "Native Hawaiian-serving institution" means an institution of higher education that is an eligible institution under section 1058(b) of the Higher Education Act; and that, at the time of submission, has an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 10 percent Native Hawaiian students. Most TCUP-eligible institutions of higher education are two-year or community colleges. See the Who May Submit Proposals section in this solicitation for further details.

Mountain BizWorks in North Carolina is offering 20 micro-grants of $2,500 each to startups and emerging businesses owned by historically underrepresented groups, aiming to support their growth and contribution to the local community.

Feet First Philly's Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant, ranging from $500 to $2000, supports projects that enhance walkability and safety in public spaces across Philadelphia, with applications open to organizations, businesses, and individuals, provided the enhancements are not used for financial gain.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is offering a grant of over $1 million for the implementation of dairy digesters on California dairy farms, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by converting methane into renewable energy, with a focus on projects that use at least 80% dairy livestock manure as feedstock.

This funding opportunity supports small businesses developing innovative technologies to improve the stability and reliability of electrical grids as renewable energy sources become more prevalent.

To increase research capacity for NF, the NFRP is offering the NFRA. The intent of the NFRA is to provide a framework of intensive mentoring and iterative guidance with proposed research, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group of junior faculty (Scholars). The NFRP NFRA will bring together established NF investigators (one Director and one Deputy Director) and early-career independent investigators (Scholars) and their Career Guides to develop successful, highly productive NF scientists and clinicians that will conduct research with the aim of lessening the clinical impact of NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis. The NFRA is a multi-institutional interactive virtual academy platform designed to offer support to NFRA Scholars with the goal to advance innovative, high impact NF research through a collaborative and career development environment.The functioning NFRA will consist of Scholars and their Career Guides (mentors) from different institutions, and an Academy Director and Deputy Director (see Figure 1 below). The Academy Director and Deputy Director will catalyze the growth and professional development of the Scholars in collaboration with their Career Guides, assess the progress of the Scholars, and facilitate communication and collaboration among all Academy members. The Career Guide is not required to be at the same institution as the Scholar; however, if the (primary) Career Guide is from a different institution, a secondary Career Guide at the Scholars institution is needed. The NFRA will afford Scholars opportunities to operate in a collegial, highly dynamic, and cutting-edge center to move early-career investigators towards positions as leaders in NF conducting impactful research.During this first phase of the academy, the NFRP is offering the FY24 NFRALA funding opportunity to solicit applications for an Academy Director and Deputy Director to lead the NFRA. The Academy Director and Deputy Director (referred to as Academy Leadership) must be established NF researchers and can be at different institutions. The Academy Leadership must demonstrate a strong record of mentoring and training early-career independent investigators, a commitment to leadership, the ability to articulate methods toward research collaborations, and the ability to objectively assess the progress of all Scholars in the NFRA. An objective of the NFRA leadership team is to establish the Academy structure in its first year and in subsequent years, conduct oversight of this activity. Other objectives will include execution of research that will engage NFRA FY25 Scholars (including subsequent-year Scholars), develop tools for Scholars to enable success, and provide opportunities to broaden their knowledge in NF disorders. The leadership team will identify and offer opportunities to network with other NFRP FY25 Early Investigator Research Award recipients (and subsequent year awardees) and NFRP FY25 New Investigator Award Early-Stage Investigator (NIA ESI) Award recipients (and subsequent year awardees). In the second stage of the academy, the NFRP anticipates release of funding opportunities for the Scholars who will conduct their research under the guidance of the NFRA leadership team.

The City of Wentzville's Business Development Grant Program aims to stimulate economic growth and revitalization within its Historic Downtown zoning districts (HD-1, HD-2, or HD-3). This initiative aligns with the city's broader mission to boost property development, strengthen both new and existing businesses, and facilitate the rehabilitation and modernization of downtown buildings. By offering financial assistance for start-up and business development costs, the program directly supports the strategic objective of creating a more vibrant and economically robust downtown core. The target beneficiaries of this grant are new businesses, open for less than 12 months, and significantly expanding businesses within the designated historic downtown areas. The program's impact goals are centered on easing financial burdens associated with business development and improvement, thereby fostering a conducive environment for commercial activity and urban renewal. The grant is specifically designed to alleviate costs for interior building improvements, enabling businesses to enhance their physical spaces and operational capabilities. The program's priorities and focuses include a range of interior building improvements such as paint, finish carpentry, flooring, and countertops. These specific areas of focus are intended to directly contribute to the aesthetic appeal, functionality, and overall value of commercial properties in the historic downtown. By supporting these types of improvements, the City of Wentzville seeks to encourage high-quality business development and attract further investment in the area. Expected outcomes and measurable results include an increase in the number of new businesses opening and existing businesses expanding within the specified districts, a reduction in the financial barriers for these businesses, and an overall improvement in the condition and modernization of downtown buildings. While specific quantitative metrics are not detailed, the program's success can be indirectly measured by increased commercial activity, improved property values, and enhanced community engagement within the historic downtown. The City of Wentzville's strategic priorities are rooted in a theory of change that posits that by directly investing in the physical and operational improvements of downtown businesses, it can catalyze broader economic development and create a more attractive and sustainable urban environment.

This funding opportunity supports organizations in North Carolina that create innovative programs to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems and promote economic growth.

The Butler Accelerator for Education & Workforce Innovation, powered by gener8tor, is a program designed to support startups across the United States that are poised to transform how individuals learn and work. This initiative aligns with gener8tor's mission to identify and cultivate innovative solutions for systemic change in education and workforce development, with a particular emphasis on post-secondary education and the future of work. The program seeks to address complex challenges in these areas by engaging with founders who reflect the diverse communities impacted. Each selected company receives a $100,000 investment and 12 weeks of intensive, mentorship-based programming, networking opportunities, and introductions to potential customers, all aimed at building and growing their businesses. The target beneficiaries of this accelerator are startups, particularly those led by marginalized founders from underrepresented groups, who are focused on making systemic change. The program specifically encourages applications from teams working on solutions for post-secondary education, equity in access, the future of work, and workforce training innovations. The overarching impact goal is to drive significant and scalable economic impact through these startups, ultimately transforming stagnant industries, methods, and processes through technology. Gener8tor's strategic priorities include supporting passionate and dedicated founders who bring diverse experiences to the challenges of education and workforce technology. The program prioritizes startups that demonstrate a clear focus on systemic change at various levels, including school, institution, corporate, government, and community. They actively seek founders who are eager to embrace technology as a means to innovate. Key areas of focus include education, equity in access, the future of work, and workforce training innovations. The theory of change behind this accelerator posits that by investing in and providing intensive support to high-potential startups led by diverse founders, they can accelerate the development and implementation of solutions that create more equitable access to education and prepare individuals for the evolving demands of the future workforce. Expected outcomes include the growth and scaling of participating businesses, leading to increased adoption of their innovative solutions. Measurable results would encompass the number of startups supported, the amount of additional investment secured by these companies, job creation, and the broader impact of their solutions on education and workforce outcomes. Gener8tor's expertise in sales, marketing, go-to-market strategies, and fundraising is leveraged to select startups primed for growth, ensuring that their network, resources, and expertise can significantly scale the impact of these businesses.

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.