Grants for For profit organizations other than small businesses - Federal

This program provides licenses and funding to new investment companies that focus on supporting and growing small businesses in rural areas, helping to bridge the funding gap for economic development in these communities.

The United States is made up of regional systems comprising interdependent urban and rural systems and every community category between urban and rural. Urban systems and rural systems are interdependent for the provisioning of food, energy sources, water, other materials and natural resources, markets, manufactured goods, and medical resources. These systems are also connected by ecological processes that both influence and are influenced by human behavior. The vital interconnection of urban-rural systems underscores the critical need for the advancement of sustainable regional systems (SRS). The goal of this solicitation is to fund convergent research and education that will advance sustainable regional systems science, engineering, and education to facilitate the transformation of current regional systems to enhance sustainability. To further the advancement of SRS science, engineering, and education, NSF will support proposals for Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks (SRS RNs). Sustainable regional systems are connected urban and rural systems that are transforming their structures and processes collaboratively with the goal of measurably and equitably advancing the well-being of people and the planet. The purpose of the SRS RNs competition is to develop and support interdisciplinary, multi-organizational teams working collaboratively to produce cutting-edge convergent research, education, and outreach that addresses grand challenges in sustainable regional systems. SRS RNs will study multiscale regional systems to further SRS science, engineering, and education. Key elements will include new data, methods, and models to understand interactions between natural, human-built, and social systems; improved understanding of interdependencies, mutual benefits, and trade-offs of different wellbeing outcomes for humans and the environment; new and generalizable theories of change relevant to SRS;theco-production of knowledge; andexploration of conceptsof social equity in sustainable regional systems across spatial and temporal scales. SRS RN outcomes will have the potential to inform societal actions for sustainability across urban systems and the connected rural communities that make up regional systems. Subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals, this SRS RN solicitation will support: SRS RN Awards.These awards will supportfundamental convergent research, education, and outreach that addressesengineering, chemistry, biology, geosciences, mathematics, statistics, environmental, data, computational, education, and social, behavioral, and economic sciences ofsustainable regional systems in partnerships thatmay embrace universities, colleges, federal, state, and local governments, tribal communities, non-governmental and international bodies, non-profit organizations, industry, practitioners, and other community groups. The award size is up to $15 million totalwith a duration of 5 years. SRS RNs will conduct innovative and pioneering fundamental research and education that is of a scale and complexity that would not be possible within a single organization, center, or through the normal collaborative modes of NSF research support in core programs.

This funding opportunity supports innovative research projects aimed at developing transformative energy technologies that can significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

An Ideas Lab is an intensive meeting that brings together multiple diverse perspectives to focus on finding innovative cross-disciplinary solutions to a grand challenge problem (see below and PAPPG Chapter II.F.6. for more information about this type of proposal). The goal of the Personalized Engineering Learning Ideas Lab is to extend engineering education research to enable advanced personalization in pedagogy and assessment in a K-12 or higher education context. The following broad areas have been identified as possible avenues to advance knowledge: personalized engineering education, multimodal sensing for personalized learning systems and team-based personalized learning. This Ideas Lab aims to bring together experts from diverse scientific, engineering and education backgrounds to develop innovative technologies and solutions to achieve personalized learning for engineering education. This Ideas Lab is organized by the Office of Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (EFMA), the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC), and the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Directorate for Engineering (ENG); the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS) in the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE); the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE); the Division of Graduate Education, the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings, and the Division of Undergraduate Education in the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU); and the Division of Translational Impacts in the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP). INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR: The Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (EFMA) Office will host an informational webinar in October 2023 to discuss the Ideas Lab: Personalized Engineering Learningsolicitationandtoanswer questions. Details on how to join this webinar will be posted on the EFMA Website.

This funding opportunity supports research projects that improve medical and human performance capabilities for military personnel, focusing on innovative solutions for Special Operations Forces in challenging environments.

This funding opportunity supports a wide range of behavioral and social science research aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and readiness of the U.S. Army, inviting proposals from universities, nonprofits, and private organizations.

The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the USAID Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta Activity. Eligibility for this award is not restricted. The authority for the NOFO is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. In June 2022, USAID/Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed a Limited Scope Grant Agreement, entitled Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta. The Agreement lays out how USAID and MARD intend to collaborate to increase climate resilience, reduce methane emissions from the agriculture sector, increase sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions in the Mekong Delta, and protect biodiversity through four approaches: (1) expand low methane emission agricultural development; (2) build climate resilience for vulnerable communities; (3) promote nature-based solutions; and (4) develop climate-resilient and low-emission development policies. The purpose of the USAID Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta Activity is to support implementation of the Limited Scope Grant Agreement with MARD. The goal of the Activity is to advance low-emissions, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods combined with biodiversity conservation to support carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and resilience of vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta. This Activity will build capacity of and develop tools for the related stakeholders at national and subnational level to help the most vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta adapt to climate change impacts, protect and restore natural ecosystems, and reduce methane emission from agriculture practices. This Activity’s interventions will be implemented over a period of five years starting from the award date.The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gather inputs for an upcoming funding opportunity for the activity that aims to advance low-emissions, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods combined with biodiversity conservation to support carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and resilience of vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta.

This program provides funding for innovative research projects that improve our understanding and application of thermal transport processes, targeting scientists and engineers working in fields like thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.

This grant provides funding for researchers to explore and develop innovative solutions related to interfacial phenomena and engineering, with a focus on improving chemical and biochemical processes in industry.

The Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) supports genome-scale research that addresses challenging questions of biological, societal and economic importance. PGRP encourages the development of innovative tools, technologies and resources that empower a broad plant research community to answer scientific questions on a genome-wide scale. Emphasis is placed on the scale and depth of the question being addressed and the creativity of the approach. Data produced by plant genomics should be usable, accessible, integrated across scales and of high impact across biology. Training, broadening participation, and career development are essential to scientific progress and should be integrated in all PGRP-funded projects. Two funding tracks are currently available: RESEARCH-PGR TRACK: Genome-scale plant research to address fundamental questions in biology, including processes of economic and/or societal importance. TRTech-PGR TRACK: Tools, resources and technology breakthroughs that further enable functional plant genomics.

The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Core Programs Track supports research to understand why organisms are structured the way they are and function as they do. Proposals are welcomed in all of the core scientific program areas supported by the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). Areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to, developmental biology and the evolution of developmental processes, development, structure, modification, function, and evolution of the nervous system, biomechanics and functional morphology, physiological processes, symbioses and microbial interactions, interactions of organisms with biotic and abiotic environments,plant and animal genomics, and animal behavior. Proposals should focus on organisms as a fundamental unit of biological organization. Principal Investigators are encouraged to apply systems approaches that will lead to conceptual and theoretical insights and predictions about emergent organismal properties. The IntBIOTrackinvites submission of collaborative proposals totackle bold questions in biology thatrequire an integrated approach to make substantive progress. Integrative biological research spans subdisciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery that is synergistic, such that the sum is greater than the parts. The research should produce a novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, species to ecosystems and the entire Earth.Where appropriate, projects should apply experimental strategies, modeling, integrative analysis, advanced computation, or other research approaches to stimulate new discovery and general theory in biology.

The goals of the paleoclimate program are to: (i) provide a baseline for present climate variability and future climate trends, and (ii) improve the understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological processes that influence climate variability and trends over the long-term. Research topics include observational and modeling studies of past climate variability and its drivers and studies that develop new paleoclimate proxies and records. Competitive proposals will address specific aspects of scientific uncertainty for their proposed research. The Paleoclimate program of the Division of the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences together with other Divisions in the Geoscience Directorate have joined in coordinating and supporting the annual Paleo Perspectives on Present and Projected Climate (P4CLIMATE) competition with the objectives to support studies within two research themes: 1) Past Regional and Seasonal Climate; and 2) Past Climate Forcing, Sensitivity, and Feedbacks. Researchers are encouraged to consider the P4CLIMATE competition as a possible source of support for their global change research. Since proposals eligible for funding in the P4CLIMATE competition are not eligible for funding in the Paleoclimate Program, researchers are strongly advised to contact the Directors of the Paleoclimate Program for guidance as to the suitability of their proposed research for either program. The paleoclimate program strongly encourages proposals from: Researchers at all career stages, including through the AGS Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program. Researchers at all institution types, including MSIs, non-R1 institutions, and institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions. Researchers from traditionally underrepresented groups in Paleoclimate Science.

The Program supports research on the sources, sinks, transport, and transformation of gases and aerosols in the atmosphere through models, observations, and experiments, including homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical reactions, emissions, deposition, atmospheric oxidation and photochemistry, aqueous-phase chemistry and aerosol processes; the formation of new particles and secondary organic aerosols, the modeling of atmospheric chemical processes, the study of chemical mechanisms in the atmosphere, optical properties of gases and aerosols, and improved methods for measuring the concentrations of trace species and their fluxes into and out of the atmosphere.The Program encourages principal investigators from a wide variety of institutions and backgrounds to submit proposals.

Microbes and communities of microbes have remarkable genetic, physiological and biochemical diversity, allowing them to flourish in environments all over the planet and in a variety of substrates and hosts. Given their relative importance to ecosystems around the world, to the economy and to health, researchers have studied microbial systems extensively and have a better understanding of their capabilities and impacts on hosts and the environment. In recent years, researchers have increasingly turned to microbes and their diverse capabilities for bioremediation and applications in biotechnology, agriculture, and medicine. Because of advances in molecular biology, synthetic biology and bioengineering, researchers now have the ability to assemble synthetic microbial communities that have novel compositions, genetics and phenotypes and to use these communities to address both fundamental biological questions and a range of societal problems. The goal of this solicitation is to support research that addresses one or more of the three themes: 1) define the underlying mechanisms or rules that drive the formation, maintenance or evolution of synthetic microbial communities, 2) use synthetic microbial communities to address fundamental biological questions, including questions in molecular biology, cellular/organismal biology, ecology and evolution and/or 3) build synthetic communities with biotechnology, bioeconomy or environmental engineering applications, including but not limited to the production of novel biorenewable chemicals, biodegradation of recalcitrant or forever chemicals, enabling a circular bioeconomy, fostering sustainable agriculture and mitigating the impacts of climate change. For theme 3, the emphasis should be on designing communities with novel capabilities and understanding the underlying mechanisms that lead to these novel capabilities. Proposals must address one or more of the three themes noted above. Highest funding priority is given to proposals that have outstanding intellectual merit and broader impacts, while proposals with weaknesses in either category (or those that are perceived as likely to have an incremental impact) will not be competitive. The most competitive broader impacts include assessment plans. Well-conceived broader impacts activities take time and resources; thus, proposers are encouraged to include appropriate costs for broader impacts in the budget. To better understand the societal benefits and risks, as well as the potential for misuse or unintended damage to natural biological systems, synthetic microbial communities proposals should include a careful consideration of the social, ethical, and biosafety/security dimensions of the research. Investigators may choose to address these issues either as part of intellectual merit or broader impacts. Reproducibility in research leads to data that is amenable to more powerful analysis and the potential for reuse of data and greater generation of knowledge. Reproducibility in biological research that is prone to context dependent biological variation presents a unique challenge for the synthetic microbial communities researchers. Investigators must follow or advance best practices in sample collection and preparation, experimental design, data analysis, model generation, and/or validation of mathematical and computational methods to produce scientifically defensible results.

This grant provides funding for researchers studying ancient sediments and fossils to better understand the Earth's history, environmental changes, and the evolution of life before the Holocene epoch.

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

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

This grant provides funding for universities and research labs to offer summer internships for undergraduate students in atmospheric and geospace research, as well as support for postdoctoral researchers to advance their education and professional development in these fields.

The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) is seeking applications from qualified entities to implement the "USAID Reducing Pollution" activity. The overall objective of this activity is to reduce environmental pollution in targeted areas through a collective impact approach. The USAID Reducing Pollution project supports Vietnam’s efforts to address environmental pollution challenges in targeted areas through a collective impact approach. Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA), the project will demonstrate clear connections between environmental benefits and other social benefits, including public health, employment, and sustainable economic growth. COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACH A collective impact approach addresses complex challenges by mobilizing diverse actors to collaborate, identify ways to solve a shared problem, and take action based on their roles and comparative advantages. The USAID Reducing Pollution project will follow the collective impact framework to strengthen networks of local organizations, government, private sector, and academic institutions working together to prevent, mitigate, and reduce environmental pollution. SUPPORTING A PORTFOLIO OF COLLECTIVE IMPACT INITIATIVES The project will facilitate a broad consultative process with local government officials, community leaders, local organizations, and motivated businesses to identify 5-7 priority collective impact initiatives that reflect strong political will, community leadership, and engagement from private sector partners to address environmental pollution challenges. Preliminary consultations have identified air pollution and ocean plastics as areas of focus. GRANT-MAKING TO VIETNAMESE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS To foster Vietnamese leadership in addressing environmental pollution, the project will make grants to a local organization to serve as the “backbone” for each collective impact initiative. These backbone organizations will serve as the local leaders for each initiative by building public support, advancing policy, leveraging additional funding, and designing and implementing targeted awareness and behavior change campaigns. Additional small grants to local research institutions and community-based organizations will provide targeted support for complementary research and advocacy efforts. EXPECTED RESULTS Through the Reducing Pollution project, USAID expects to attain the following results: 1) 5-7 collective impact initiatives launched, including air pollution and ocean plastics; 2) Grants awarded to one backbone organization to lead each initiative; 3) Capacity of backbone organizations and local actors strengthened to advance collective impact initiatives; 4) Sustainable funding mechanisms identified to strengthen long-term effectiveness of collective impact initiatives; and 5) New policies and guidance developed to support the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection and create a stronger enabling environment for addressing environmental pollution challenges.

Amendment No. 01 Issuance Date: January 15, 2021 Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) No. 72044021RFA0001 Activity Title: USAID Counter Wildlife Trafficking The purpose of Amendment No. 01 to the NOFO No. 72044021RFA0001 is to provide responses to the questions received during the questions-answers period, as specified in Attachment 1 of this Amendment. All information in the original NOFO remains unchanged and in full effect. Thank you for your interest in USAID programs. Sincerely, s/ Bruce Gelband Agreement Officer