Grants for Small businesses - Science and Technology

To obtain a copy of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) please go to the ARPA-E website at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov. To apply to this FOA, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through ARPA-E eXCHANGE (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using ARPA-E eXCHANGE, please refer to the ARPA-E eXCHANGE User Guide (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider concept papers submitted through other means. For problems with ARPA-E eXCHANGE, email [email protected] (with FOA name and number in the subject line). Questions about this FOA? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email [email protected]. The purpose of this modification is to incorporate changes to Funding Opportunity Announcement. Accordingly, this modification: Inserted new Exploratory Topic, Topic M: H2SENSE. See Table 1. Exploratory Topics, Appendix M, and Total Amounts to be awarded on Cover Page. Updated Language in Appendix L Section 5.

The FY24 ARP Discovery Award supports innovative, non-incremental, high-risk/potentially high-reward research that will provide new insights, paradigms, technologies, or applications in autism research. Studies supported by this award are expected to lay the groundwork for future avenues of scientific investigation regarding an important question for autism research and/or the ASD community. The proposed research project should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on a sound scientific rationale and logical reasoning. Preliminary data are not required but is allowed. 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 and applications for funding.The FY24 ARP Discovery Award seeks applications from all areas of research that will help fulfill the programs vision to improve the lives of individuals with ASD now and in their future, as well its mission is to promote innovative research that advances the understanding of ASD and leads to improved outcomes.

Regional Scale Collaboration to Facilitate a Domestic Critical Minerals Future: Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative The planned Research and Development will provide a regional scale understanding of critical minerals prospectivity and provides insight into the potential materials that may be sourced from domestic secondary and unconventional feedstocks across the United States. The work will contribute to the development of a framework that addresses economic and supply chain barriers, leads to pilot scale demos, and broaden scope to include advanced carbon or critical mineral bearing material products.

The DoD Tick-Borne Disease, Idea Development Award is a grant aimed at funding innovative research that could significantly advance the understanding and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, ultimately improving the lives of military personnel, veterans, their families, and the general public.

The "DoD Tick-Borne Disease, Therapeutic/Diagnostic Research Award" is a grant aimed at supporting the development of new treatments and diagnostic methods for tick-borne diseases, with a focus on improving patient care and quality of life for military service members, veterans, their families, and the general public.

Proposers must retrieve the instructions document (zip file) associated with the application package for this opportunity as there is at least one required form that must be attached to the submitted proposal package. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) released its annual omnibus Research Announcement (NRA), Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2024 (OMB Approval Number 2700-0092, CFDA Number 43.001) on February 14, 2024. In this case "omnibus" means that this NRA has many individual program elements, each with its own due dates and topics. All together these cover the wide range of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences supported by SMD. Awards will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and inter- or intra-agency transfers, depending on the nature of the work proposed, the proposing organization, and/or program requirements. However, most extramural research awards deriving from ROSES will be grants, and many program elements of ROSES specifically exclude contracts, because contracts would not be appropriate for the nature of the work solicited. The typical period of performance for an award is three years, but some programs may allow up to five years and others specify shorter periods. In most cases, organizations of every type, Government and private, for profit and not-for-profit, domestic and foreign (with some caveats), may submit proposals without restriction on teaming arrangements. Tables listing the program elements and due dates (Tables 2 and 3), a table that provides a very top level summary of proposal contents (Table 1), and the full text of the ROSES-2024 "Summary of Solicitation", may all be found NSPIRES at http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2024. This synopsis is associated with one of the individual program elements within ROSES, but this is a generic summary that is posted for all ROSES elements. For specific information on this particular program element download and read the PDF of the text of this program element by going to Tables 2 or 3 of this NRA at http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2024table2 and http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2024table3, respectively, click the title of the program element of interest, a hypertext link will take you to a page for that particular program element. On that page, on the right side under "Announcement Documents" the link on the bottom will be to the PDF of the text of the call for proposals. For example, if one were interested in The Lunar Data Analysis Program (NNH24ZDA001N-LDAP) one would follow the link to the NSPIRES page for that program element and then to read the text of the call one would click on C.8 Lunar Data Analysis Program (.pdf) to download the text of the call. If one wanted to set it into the context of the goals, objectives and know the default rules for all elements within Appendix C, the planetary science division, one might download and read C.1 Planetary Science Research Program Overview (.pdf) from that same page. While the letters and numbers are different for each element within ROSES (A.12, B.7, etc.) the basic configuration is always the same, e.g., the letter indicates the Science Division (A is Earth Science, B is Heliophysics etc.) and whatever the letter, #1 is always the division overview. Frequently asked questions for ROSES are posted at http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/faqs. Questions concerning general ROSES-2024 policies and procedures may be directed to Max Bernstein, Lead for Research, Science Mission Directorate, at [email protected], but technical questions concerning specific program elements should be directed to the point(s) of contact for that particular element, who may be found either at the end of the individual program element in the summary table of key information or on the web list of topics and points of contact at: http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/program-officers-list. Not all program elements are known at the time of the release of ROSES. To be informed of new program elements or amendments to this NRA, proposers may subscribe to: (1) The SMD mailing lists (by logging in at http://nspires.nasaprs.com and checking the appropriate boxes under "Account Management" and "Email Subscriptions"), (2) The ROSES-2024 blog feed for amendments, clarifications, and corrections to at https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/solicitations/roses-2024/, and (3) The ROSES-2024 due date Google calendars (one for each science division). Instructions are at https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/library-and-useful-links (link from the words due date calendar).

The FY 2023-2024 CRISI program, managed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), is designed to fund projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of railroad infrastructure. The program is open to various applicants, including states, rail carriers, and local governments, and it focuses on a broad array of project types such as safety enhancements, congestion reductions, upgrades to short-line or regional railroads, and the development of new or substantially improved intercity passenger rail corridors. The total funding available for this opportunity is approximately $2.478 billion. The application deadline is set for May 28, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST. Projects must not only improve infrastructure but also enhance safety protocols, integrate innovative technology, and support economic vitality.

Agency Description: The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260): (A) to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States through the development of energy technologies that (i) reduce imports of energy from foreign sources; (ii) reduce energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases; (iii) improve the energy efficiency of all economic sectors; (iv) provide transformative solutions to improve the management, clean-up, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel; and (v) improve the resilience, reliability, and security of infrastructure to produce, deliver, and store energy; and (B) to ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. ARPA-E issues this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. 16538. The FOA and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this FOA are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910. ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/. ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established learning curves where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is important to its increased commercial deployment and is appropriately the focus of the private sector or the applied technology offices within DOE. In contrast, ARPA-E supports transformative research that has the potential to create fundamentally new learning curves. ARPA-E technology projects typically start with cost/performance estimates well above the level of an incumbent technology. Given the high risk inherent in these projects, many will fail to progress, but some may succeed in generating a new learning curve with a projected cost/performance metric that is significantly better than that of the incumbent technology. ARPA-E funds technology with the potential to be disruptive in the marketplace. The mere creation of a new learning curve does not ensure market penetration. Rather, the ultimate value of a technology is determined by the marketplace, and impactful technologies ultimately become disruptive that is, they are widely adopted and displace existing technologies from the marketplace or create entirely new markets. ARPA-E understands that definitive proof of market disruption takes time, particularly for energy technologies. Therefore, ARPA-E funds the development of technologies that, if technically successful, have clear disruptive potential, e.g., by demonstrating capability for manufacturing at competitive cost and deployment at scale. ARPA-E funds applied research and development. The Office of Management and Budget defines applied research as an original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledgedirected primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective and defines experimental development as creative and systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new products or processes or improving existing products or processes. Applicants interested in receiving financial assistance for basic research (defined by the Office of Management and Budget as experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts) should contact the DOEs Office of Science (http://science.energy.gov/). Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E Applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices including: the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (http://www.eere.energy.gov/), the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (https://www.energy.gov/fecm/office-fossil-energy-and-carbon-management), the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy), and the Office of Electricity (https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity). FOA Description: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a circular economy refers to an economy that uses a systems-focused approach and involves industrial processes and economic activities that are restorative or regenerative by design, enables resources used in such processes and activities to maintain their highest value for as long as possible, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, and systems. Further, a circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures waste as a resource to manufacture new materials and products. Successfully achieving a circular economy requires implementing the above principles to the supply chains of numerous products. Specifically, creating a circular EV battery supply chain focuses on optimizing the full vehicle life cycle. Thus, the emphasis must shift from production and sales within an ownership model to a model focusing on customers mobility needs and access in the form of leasing, as it exists today, vehicle-on-demand (e.g., Zipcar), and mobility-on-demand (e.g., robotaxis). These different business models may coexist but will require increasing collaboration and transparency among different actors, while costs and revenues will be distributed across the supply chain. A circular supply chain offers new revenue streams and business opportunities by providing services to maximize EVs lifetime performance through: Enhancing regular predictive maintenance; Repairing and remanufacturing of battery modules and packs; Improving the reuse and recovery of EOL parts and materials; and Minimizing carbon footprint and maximizing resource efficiency. A circular supply chain also offers opportunities to reduce production and operating costs by: Improving the quality and stability of critical minerals supply chains through cell regeneration, reuse, and recycling; Facilitating rework, reuse, repair, and remanufacture of batteries through modular designs, reversible manufacturing materials and methods; and Reducing asset costs per unit amount of energy delivered owing to the retention of the embedded manufacturing value of batteries, their prolonged lifetime, and the extended use of EVs. The overarching goal of the CIRCULAR program is to successfully translate the above definition of a circular economy to the domestic EV battery supply chain by supporting the development of innovative solutions that can overcome both the technological and economic barriers to broad commercial adoption. CIRCULAR acknowledges that simultaneous advancements in multiple technological domains may be required to accomplish this ambitious objective. Therefore, the program is intentionally structured into four technology development categories designed to converge towards the creation of a domestic circular supply chain for EV batteries. The CIRCULAR program recognizes that conventional recycling is not the only, nor primary, pathway to closing the supply chain loop. Therefore, the primary objective of this program is to catalyze the creation of a circular EV battery supply chain in North America. The program will support the development and deployment of foundational technologies capable of maintaining materials and products in circulation at their highest level of performance and safety for as long as possible. Achieving this goal will directly impact ARPA-E mission areas as follows: Decrease Energy-Related Imports: The CIRCULAR program aims to reduce the import of critical battery materials, cells, packs, and EVs by establishing new supply chain loops within the U.S. Currently, individual steps in the battery supply chain (mining, material processing, cell component assembly, battery cell manufacturing, and recycling) are concentrated mostly outside of the U.S. Reduce Emissions: The CIRCULAR program aims to decrease the domestic energy burden and carbon footprint of the EV battery supply chain by extending the service life of battery cells and packs and by maintaining manufacturing value to the greatest extent possible through regeneration, repair, reuse, and remanufacture. The program will also reduce emissions associated with battery recycling by minimizing the amount of waste and by recycling only pack components that have reached their EOL. Improve Energy Efficiency: The CIRCULAR program aims to minimize energy and material consumption within the battery supply chain and to exploit opportunities to improve energy efficiency through innovative battery design, material regeneration, and/or manufacturing strategies. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a circular economy refers to an economy that uses a systems-focused approach and involves industrial processes and economic activities that are restorative or regenerative by design, enables resources used in such processes and activities to maintain their highest value for as long as possible, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, and systems. Further, a circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures waste as a resource to manufacture new materials and products. Successfully achieving a circular economy requires implementing the above principles to the supply chains of numerous products. Specifically, creating a circular EV battery supply chain focuses on optimizing the full vehicle life cycle. Thus, the emphasis must shift from production and sales within an ownership model to a model focusing on customers mobility needs and access in the form of leasing, as it exists today, vehicle-on-demand (e.g., Zipcar), and mobility-on-demand (e.g., robotaxis). These different business models may coexist but will require increasing collaboration and transparency among different actors, while costs and revenues will be distributed across the supply chain. A circular supply chain offers new revenue streams and business opportunities22 by providing services to maximize EVs lifetime performance through: Enhancing regular predictive maintenance; Repairing and remanufacturing of battery modules and packs; Improving the reuse and recovery of EOL parts and materials; and Minimizing carbon footprint and maximizing resource efficiency. A circular supply chain also offers opportunities to reduce production and operating costs by: Improving the quality and stability of critical minerals supply chains through cell regeneration, reuse, and recycling; Facilitating rework, reuse, repair, and remanufacture of batteries through modular designs, reversible manufacturing materials and methods; and Reducing asset costs per unit amount of energy delivered owing to the retention of the embedded manufacturing value of batteries, their prolonged lifetime, and the extended use of EVs. To view the FOA in its entirety, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.

To obtain a copy of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) please go to the ARPA-E website at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov. To apply to this FOA, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through ARPA-E eXCHANGE (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using ARPA-E eXCHANGE, please refer to the ARPA-E eXCHANGE User Guide (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider concept papers submitted through other means. For problems with ARPA-E eXCHANGE, email [email protected] (with FOA name and number in the subject line). Questions about this FOA? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email [email protected]. Agency Overview: The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260) to: (A) to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States through the development of energy technologies that (i) reduce imports of energy from foreign sources; (ii) reduce energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases; (iii) improve the energy efficiency of all economic sectors; (iv) provide transformative solutions to improve the management, clean-up, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel; and (v) improve the resilience, reliability, and security of infrastructure to produce, deliver, and store energy; and (B) to ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. ARPA-E issues this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. 16538. The FOA and any awards made under this FOA are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910. ARPA-E funds research on and the development of transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/. ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established learning curves where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive down the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is important to its increased commercial deployment and is appropriately the focus of the private sector or the applied technology offices within DOE. By contrast, ARPA-E supports transformative research that has the potential to create fundamentally new learning curves. ARPA-E technology projects typically start with cost/performance estimates well above the level of an incumbent technology. Given the high risk inherent in these projects, many will fail to progress, but some may succeed in generating a new learning curve with a projected cost/performance metric that is significantly lower than that of the incumbent technology. ARPA-E funds technology with the potential to be disruptive in the marketplace. The mere creation of a new learning curve does not ensure market penetration. Rather, the ultimate value of a technology is determined by the marketplace, and impactful technologies ultimately become disruptive that is, they are widely adopted and displace existing technologies from the marketplace or create entirely new markets. ARPA-E understands that definitive proof of market disruption takes time, particularly for energy technologies. Therefore, ARPA-E funds the development of technologies that, if technically successful, have clear disruptive potential, e.g., by demonstrating capability for manufacturing at competitive cost and deployment at scale. ARPA-E funds applied research and development. The Office of Management and Budget defines applied research as an original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledgedirected primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective and defines experimental development as creative and systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new products or processes or improving existing products or processes. (http://science.energy.gov/). Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E Applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices including: the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (http://www.eere.energy.gov/), the Office of Fossil Energy (http://fossil.energy.gov/), the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy), and the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (http://energy.gov/oe/office-electricity-delivery-and-energy-reliability). Applicants interested in receiving financial assistance for basic research (defined by the Office of Management and Budget as experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts) should contact the DOEs Office of Science (http://science.energy.gov/). Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E Applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices including: the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (http://www.eere.energy.gov/), the Office of Fossil Energy (http://fossil.energy.gov/), the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy), and the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (http://energy.gov/oe/office-electricity-delivery-and-energy-reliability). Program Description: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a circular economy refers to an economy that uses a systems-focused approach and involves industrial processes and economic activities that are restorative or regenerative by design, enables resources used in such processes and activities to maintain their highest value for as long as possible, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, and systems. Further, a circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures waste as a resource to manufacture new materials and products. Successfully achieving a circular economy requires implementing the above principles to the supply chains of numerous products. Specifically, creating a circular EV battery supply chain focuses on optimizing the full vehicle life cycle. Thus, the emphasis must shift from production and sales within an ownership model to a model focusing on customers mobility needs and access in the form of leasing, as it exists today, vehicle-on-demand (e.g., Zipcar), and mobility-on-demand (e.g., robotaxis). These different business models may coexist but will require increasing collaboration and transparency among different actors, while costs and revenues will be distributed across the supply chain. A circular supply chain offers new revenue streams and business opportunities by providing services to maximize EVs lifetime performance through: Enhancing regular predictive maintenance; Repairing and remanufacturing of battery modules and packs; Improving the reuse and recovery of EOL parts and materials; and Minimizing carbon footprint and maximizing resource efficiency. A circular supply chain also offers opportunities to reduce production and operating costs by: Improving the quality and stability of critical minerals supply chains through cell regeneration, reuse, and recycling; Facilitating rework, reuse, repair, and remanufacture of batteries through modular designs, reversible manufacturing materials and methods; and Reducing asset costs per unit amount of energy delivered owing to the retention of the embedded manufacturing value of batteries, their prolonged lifetime, and the extended use of EVs. The overarching goal of the CIRCULAR program is to successfully translate the above definition of a circular economy to the domestic EV battery supply chain by supporting the development of innovative solutions that can overcome both the technological and economic barriers to broad commercial adoption. CIRCULAR acknowledges that simultaneous advancements in multiple technological domains may be required to accomplish this ambitious objective. Therefore, the program is intentionally structured into three technology development categories designed to converge towards the creation of a domestic circular supply chain for EV batteries. The CIRCULAR program recognizes that conventional recycling is not the only, nor primary, pathway to closing the supply chain loop. Therefore, the primary objective of this program is to catalyze the creation of a circular EV battery supply chain in North America. The program will support the development and deployment of foundational technologies capable of maintaining materials and products in circulation at their highest level of performance and safety for as long as possible. Achieving this goal will directly impact ARPA-E mission areas as follows: Decrease Energy-Related Imports: The CIRCULAR program aims to reduce the import of critical battery materials, cells, packs, and EVs by establishing new supply chain loops within the U.S. Currently, individual steps in the battery supply chain (mining, material processing, cell component assembly, battery cell manufacturing, and recycling) are concentrated mostly outside of the U.S. Reduce Emissions: The CIRCULAR program aims to decrease the domestic energy burden and carbon footprint of the EV battery supply chain by extending the service life of battery cells and packs and by maintaining manufacturing value to the greatest extent possible through regeneration, repair, reuse, and remanufacture. The program will also reduce emissions associated with battery recycling by minimizing the amount of waste and by recycling only pack components that have reached their EOL. Improve Energy Efficiency: The CIRCULAR program aims to minimize energy and material consumption within the battery supply chain and to exploit opportunities to improve energy efficiency through innovative battery design, material regeneration, and/or manufacturing strategies. To view the FOA in its entirety, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.

The "DoD Multiple Sclerosis, Clinical Trial Award" is a grant that funds the implementation of clinical trials aimed at significantly impacting the treatment or management of multiple sclerosis, ranging from small proof-of-concept trials to large-scale trials, with the expectation that the proposed trial will begin within 12 to 18 months after the award date.

The CTRA supports studies that will move promising, well-founded preclinical and/or clinical research findings closer to clinical application, including diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of TSC. Projects supported by this award mechanism may include, but are not limited to: Studies moving from preclinical to clinical research and/or the reverse; or analyzing human anatomical substances and/or data associated with completed clinical trials to understand the mechanism of action, or to improve diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment. Studies advancing clinical trial readiness through development of biomarkers, clinical endpoints, and validation of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics. Pilot clinical trials, where limited clinical testing (e.g., small sample size) of a novel intervention to produce information on diagnostic or therapeutic effectiveness, safety, tolerability, or mechanisms of action. These studies should be aimed at obtaining preliminary data leading to the development of interventions with the potential to improve TSC outcomes. New Studies improving clinical care of TSC encompassing the analysis of existing real-world clinical practice data to develop/improve guidelines for better outcomes in defined areas relevant to the FY24 TSCRP focus areas, include but are not limited to epilepsy surgery, tumor resection, reproductive health, perinatal surveillance and care, etc.Preclinical studies may be appropriate but must include a clinical component. Projects that are strictly animal research will not be considered for CTRA funding and should consider other FY24 TSCRP funding opportunities.

The FY24 RCRP RCDA supports the development of clinical or preclinical data sets and research resources that advance the field of rare cancers research and ultimately improve outcomes for individuals with rare cancers. Major gaps in patient care of rare cancers include lack of communication and dissemination strategies for rare cancers research and clinical findings within communities; lack of therapeutics and mechanistic studies to inform treatment development; lack of research and clinical resources, including patient tissues, cell, and tumor models; and lack of infrastructure for sharing data and other resources.The intent of this funding opportunity is to develop research platforms that can share resources and knowledge pertaining to available preclinical or clinical research models, molecular pathways, and therapeutic approaches to facilitate collaboration and information sharing among stakeholders such as researchers, patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other members of the rare cancers community.Clinical or preclinical datasets should strive to integrate or develop the following research resources. This list is not all-inclusive: Building and sharing rare tumor biospecimen repository with clinical annotation Databases/banks for centralizing and sharing data for patient registries that can be accessed globally Centralizing and sharing research models and molecular data related to genomics/ transcriptomics/immune profiling/proteomics/metabolomics/methylomics/bioinformatics Generating a data/reagent/model exchange program where researchers can list resources that they are willing to share and are tagged with indications that may be relevant Platform to enable or leverage longitudinal studies of disease natural history and treatment response Development of novel methods and systems for collection, sharing, and analysis of data or biospecimensApplicants should include a well-formulated project design based on a strong scientific rationale and clearly articulate how the proposed resource platform or community development addresses an unmet need in rare cancers research. Applicants should explain the advantage of their approach to developing resources or community versus standard methodologies, techniques, or scopes. A clear plan for collaboration and data sharing needs to be demonstrated. It is critical to demonstrate how the outcome of the proposed project can benefit type(s) or sub-type(s) of rare cancers. It is encouraged for the research platform/resource to have an effect on multiple types or sub-types of rare cancers.Key Elements of the Resource and Community Development Award are as follows: Impact: Outcomes of the RCDA must have potential for major impact on an unmet need in rare cancers research. A resource, as developed in the proposed research, should aim forDOD FY24 Rare Cancers Resource and Community Development Award 5long-term anticipated advantages toward greatly improving outcomes for people with rare cancers. Patient Advocate Partnership: Applications to the RCDA funding opportunity are required to include patient advocates who are involved with patient advocacy organization(s). The research team must include at least two rare cancers patient advocates who will be early and integral partners throughout the planning and implementation of the research project. Patient advocates should be involved in the development of the research question, project design, oversight, and evaluation, as well as other significant aspects of the proposed project. Interactions with other team members should be well integrated and ongoing, and not limited to attending seminars and semi-annual meetings. The patient advocates must be individuals who have been directly impacted by a rare cancer either by being diagnosed themselves or as a caretaker/family member of a patient, and they should be active in a cancer advocacy organization or within a support group focused on their rare cancer. Their role should be focused on providing objective input on the research and its potential impact for individuals with or at risk for a rare cancer. The patient advocates should have a high level of understanding of current rare cancers research. Preliminary Data: Due to the developmental nature of this award, preliminary data are not required but may be included, if available, to address the feasibility of the resource to be developed. Whether or not preliminary data are included, applications must apply solid scientific rationale and logical reasoning based on existing knowledge to the development of the proposed product. Clinical Research: Research involving human subject use is permitted under this mechanism but is restricted to studies without clinical trials. Clinical trials will not be supported. Applications focused on clinical research should demonstrate how the study will leverage clinical information to address knowledge gaps in the development of platforms that can be utilized for sharing data and tissue, the development of clinical annotation datasets, process development, and/or infrastructure development. Applied Research: Preclinical studies utilizing or creating animal models to further research into rare cancers may be supported by this funding opportunity. The RCDA is intended to support projects that will have the potential to move beyond the realm of basic research, with results that may impact clinical research or patient outcomes. Community Building: A plan describing how the rare cancers stakeholder community will be built/enhanced and the communitys involvement with developing the resource platform is required. It is also important to justify how the community is essential for the development and sustainment of the resource platform. Dissemination: A Dissemination Plan is required. The plan should describe the means by which the fully developed resource platform will be made easily available to the scientific and/or clinical community. Dissemination of resource platform will play a major role by not only educating the rare cancer community about the recent progress, but also help to develop an informational network.DOD FY24 Rare Cancers Resource and Community Development Award 6 Sustainment: A plan that outlines the sustainability of the resource in the future is required. The plan should detail the types of rare cancers that are less studied in the collaborations and the resources to be gathered, annotated, and sustained. Additional expansion and feasibility plans should be included. It is important to demonstrate how the outcomes of the current award will be continued and eventually will help the rare care cancer community, beyond the award period.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 RCRP priorities.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.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.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 women's health.All projects should adhere to a core set of standards for rigorous study design and reporting to maximize the reproducibility and translational potential of clinical and preclinical research. The standards are described in SC Landis et al., 2012, A call for transparent reporting to optimize the predictive value of preclinical research, Nature 490:187-191 (https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7419/full/nature11556.html). While these standards are written for preclinical studies, the basic principles of randomization, blinding, sample-size estimation, and data handling derive from well-established best practices in clinical studies.

The IDA promotes ideas that have the potential to yield high-impact findings and new avenues of investigation. This award mechanism supports conceptually innovative research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries in TSC research and/or improvements in patient care. Research projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong preliminary data and scientific rationale. The following are important aspects of the IDA: Impact: Applications should articulate both the short- and long-term impact of the proposed research. High-impact research will, if successful, significantly advance TSC research and/or patient care. Innovation: Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities that may include high-risk/potentially high-gain approaches to TSC research. Research that is merely an incremental advance (to the next logical step) is not considered innovative. Preliminary Data: Unpublished results from the laboratory of the Principal Investigator (PI) or collaborators named on this application, and/or data from the published literature that are relevant to TSC and the proposed research project, are required. New-to-the-Field Investigator (NFI): The FY24 TSCRP IDA mechanism encourages applications from investigators in the early stages of their TSC research career. The NFI Option is designed to support the continued development of promising independent investigators that are early in their faculty appointments and/or the transition of established investigators from other research fields into TSC research. Applications to the NFI Option will compete separately from Established Investigators submitting to the regular IDA. PIs applying under the NFI category are strongly encouraged to strengthen their applications through collaboration with investigators experienced in TSC research and/or possessing other relevant expertise as demonstrated by a record of funding and publications. See Attachment 8: Eligibility Statement.

The "DoD Rare Cancers, Idea Development Award" is a grant aimed at supporting early-stage research ideas with high potential impact, which could lead to significant advancements in the diagnosis, treatment, and improved health outcomes for individuals suffering from rare cancers, with a particular focus on innovative research involving nuclear medicine, women's health, and adherence to rigorous study design standards.

The "DoD Multiple Sclerosis, Exploration - Hypothesis Development Award" is a grant that supports the exploration of innovative, high-risk concepts in MS research, with the aim of laying the groundwork for future scientific investigation, and it particularly encourages applications from new investigators in the early stages of their careers.

The EHDA supports the initial exploration of innovative, high-risk, high-gain, and potentially groundbreaking concepts in the TSC research field. The studies supported by this award mechanism are expected to generate preliminary data for future avenues of scientific investigation. The proposed research project should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on a strong scientific rationale and study design. Applications should demonstrate the ability to achieve interpretable results in the absence of preliminary data supporting the hypothesis.The following are important aspects of the EHDA: Innovation: Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, examine existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. Research that is an incremental advance upon published data is not considered innovative and is not consistent with the intent of the award mechanism. Although not all-inclusive, the following examples are ways in which the proposed research project may be innovative: Explores a novel idea and/or research question in TSC research and/or patient care. Uses or develops novel methods or technologies to address a question in TSC research and/or patient care. Applies or adapts existing methods or technologies for novel TSC research or clinical purposes that differ fundamentally from those originally intended.

The Nebraska SBIR/STTR Initiative provides financial assistance to small businesses in Nebraska participating in the federal SBIR/STTR programs. This state initiative offers Phase 0 assistance to help businesses apply for federal Phase 1 funding and matching funds for successful Phase 1 and Phase 2 federal awards. The initiative aims to promote innovation and technology transfer among small businesses in Nebraska, with a total fund availability of up to $6 million per year. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/closing deadline: July 1st to June 30th

The FY24 RCRP Concept Award supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking novel concepts in rare cancers. The Concept Award is not intended to support an incremental progression of an already established research project; instead, it allows Principal Investigators (PIs) the opportunity to pursue serendipitous observations. Preliminary data are not required. This award mechanism supports high-risk studies that have the potential to reveal entirely new avenues for investigation. Applications must describe how the new idea will enhance the existing knowledge of rare cancers or develop an innovative and novel course of investigation. Research completed through a Concept Award may generate sufficient preliminary data to enable the PI to prepare an application for future research.Reviewers will be blinded to the identity of the Principal Investigator (PI), collaborator(s), and their organization(s). Refer to Section II.D.2.b.i., Full Application Submission Type, for more information.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 RCRP prioritiesInnovative 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.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 women's health outcomes and/or advancing knowledge for women's health.All projects should adhere to a core set of standards for rigorous study design and reporting to maximize the reproducibility and translational potential of clinical and preclinical research. The standards are described in SC Landis et al., 2012, A call for transparent reporting to optimize the predictive value of preclinical research, Nature 490:187-191 (https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7419/full/nature11556.html). While these standards are written for preclinical studies, the basic principles of randomization, blinding, sample-size estimation, and data handling derive from well-established best practices in clinical studies.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, and other federal government agencies are highly encouraged.DOD FY24 Rare Cancers Concept Award 5These 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.Clinical trials are not allowed. 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.

TAP provides Delaware bioscience businesses access to high-end research technologies at reduced rates. Eligible facilities include Bioimaging, DNA Sequencing & Genotyping, Bioinformatics, NMR, and Mass Spectrometry. This program supports the technological advancement of Delaware's bioscience sector by making cutting-edge resources more accessible, with funding up to $5,000 per year per core facility.

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality runs an annual Electronic Waste Grants. This initiative aims to address electronic waste through projects focused on collection, transportation, processing, recycling, demanufacturing, and innovative approaches to disposal. Eligible projects are evaluated based on the sustainability and impact of their e-waste recovery efforts, including the minimization of e-waste volumes, job creation in Arkansas, and the effectiveness of investment in the projects. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities within Arkansas, such as private industries, educational institutions, governmental bodies, non-profits, and regional solid waste management boards. This program operates on a reimbursement basis. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/closing deadline: January 1st to June 1st