Grants for Small businesses - Federal

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.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is interested in receiving white papers for Research and Development projects which offer potential for advancement and improvement of NAWCAD operations. Research Opportunity Areas of Interest:  Aeromechanics. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: aerodynamic and flight controls (manned and unmanned), aeromechanics modeling and analysis tools, flight performance, rotorcraft aerodynamics and performance, ship/aircraft aerodynamic interactions, and unmanned aviation and integration including pilot augmentation and automation and UAV autonomous landing flight mechanics.  Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) (Priority). Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: Autonomous system development, testing, evaluation, verification and validation tools, airworthiness and risk quantification/acceptance, collaborative autonomy, complex reasoning, multiagent based operation and decision making, airspace integration including sense and avoid algorithms, deep reinforcement learning, neural networks, and demand forecasting.  Avionics, Sensors & Electronic Warfare: Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: passive/active sensor systems (RF, EO/IR, and acoustic), advanced/alternative precision navigation and timing (PNT), advanced computational/open system architectures, advanced signal and image processing, flight information and control systems, and advanced concepts in electronic warfare systems.  Cyber (Priority). Areas of research may include but are not limited to the following: cyber effects modeling, reverse engineering, behavioral analysis, intrusion, adaptive cybersecurity, simulation and interface research, concolic testing and systems configuration management. Page | 4  Data Science & Visualization. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: predictive modeling algorithms, complex big-data environments, data access, storage and retrieval, data visualization techniques, risk assessment and uncertainty quantification, and statistical analysis.  Digital Engineering (Priority). Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: advancements in the use of Digital Twin technology and concepts to support predictive maintenance, automated sustainment environment, diagnostics and prognostics, predictive maintenance, digital communication of system requirements using model-based systems engineering (MBSE)/Systems Modeling Language (SysML) views, engineering models and virtual environments to test designs across broader parameters than what live testing permits  Human Systems. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: human performance assessment and modeling, cognitive performance/workload, human-machine interface/teaming, protective equipment, controls and displays, ergonomics, anthropomorphic measurement, virtual environments, and human factor engineering (social, behavioral, health, and cultural).  Hypersonic Systems (Priority). Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: external and internal high-speed aerodynamic, multi-physic modeling and simulation, hypersonic system testing and evaluation, high temperature and specific strength materials, structures and coatings, guidance, navigation and control and advanced air-breathing propulsion.  Materials and Aircraft Structures. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: additive manufacturing, corrosion prevention, non-destructive inspection, structural repair and repair processes for metals and ceramics, polymers and composites, analysis and simulation of aircraft structures, structural mechanics, fouling, low observable, high temperature material, low temperature icing resistant and life management of airframes.  Mechanical Systems. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: fire and ice protection for aviation systems, fuel containment, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems and landing gear systems analysis.  Power and Propulsion Systems. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: reliability engineering, fuel systems, prognostics and diagnostics, energy storage/efficiency, air‐breathing engines, fuels and lubricants, electrical power generation, auxiliary power, low observable signature technologies, propulsion life management, and mechanical and drive systems. Page | 5  Quantum (Priority). Areas of research may include but are not limited to the following: secure communication and sensing capabilities, nitrogen vacancy diamond sensing, quantum encryption and quantum computing.  Secure Communications & Networks (Priority): Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: resilient data and communications networks for Command and Control, architecture, analysis and software development, information assurance including blockchain networks and security, platform/system health monitoring, effective data transfer of both communications and video and integration of security end to end in software development, all with consideration for autonomous applications, while performing in dynamic and contested environments.  Support Equipment. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: launch and recovery equipment, electro‐magnetics, high‐energy generation and control, environmental sensing, prognostics and health monitoring, automatic testing of hardware and software, displays, advanced maintenance technologies, information systems and intelligent agents, and advanced computer and data processing applications.  Test and Evaluation Engineering. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: telemetry, communications, data links and data acquisition, signature technologies, mission system testing, system of systems testing environments, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), target engineering, airborne threat simulation, integrated battle‐space simulation (Live Virtual Constructive Environments), hardware‐in‐the‐loop testing, flight instrumentation, ground radar analysis, test article configuration, navigation, and identification, manned-unmanned teaming, advance training systems to include instructional techniques and strategies, and game-based training.  Warfare Analysis. Areas of research include but are not limited to the following: operational suitability, signal extraction, clutter reduction, modeling and simulation, maritime effectiveness, vulnerability and capability based assessment, and conceptual aircraft design.

Questions must be submitted no later than 23:59 on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 on [email protected] 2. Applications must be submitted no later than 23:59 on Friday, June 28, 2024 3. Notification of project approval and award signing expected by September 2024. A. Project Description U.S. Embassy Port Louis announces an open competition for organizations in Mauritius and Rodrigues Island to submit applications to carry out a project through the Ambassadors Special Self-Help Program. A grant agreement for up to $15,000-$20,000 (U.S. Dollars) in fiscal year (FY2023) Economic Support Funds (ESF) will be awarded (pending availability of funds) for work that will support organizations throughout the country. The period of performance is 12 months. Funding authority rests in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Projects this year should fall under one or more of the following three categories: Small construction projects (less than 1,000 square meters) Communal construction equipment Miscellaneous durable goods The Ambassadors Special Self-Help Program provides small grants to assist community development projects that improve basic economic or social conditions in local communities. The small grants should aim to encourage self-reliance within local communities in Mauritius and Rodrigues Island by providing resources needed to turn a good idea into action. Proposed projects must be initiated by the community and should benefit the community by increasing income or improving living conditions. If the project is designed to generate income, it must benefit the beneficiaries and not the NGO or community-based organization and shall not be a for-profit enterprise or sole proprietorship. The project should be sustainable and not require continued support after the one-time funding from the Self-Help Program. Examples of potential project sectors/activities include: Cultural Heritage: Preservation or conservation of tangible and intangible heritage assets of society such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, archive materials, books, works of art, historical artifacts, folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge, or other types of related items. Environment: Reforestation, soil conservation, waste management, biodiversity conservation; community agriculture or aquaculture projects or other agroindustry projects, green composting projects, cold storage facilities, or fish conservation techniques for artisanal fishermen, or other types of related activities. Marine Conservation: Delimitation of marine protected areas, seagrass mapping to identify carbon sinks, coral reef restoration, protection of endemic plant and animal species, or other types of related activities. Renewable Energy: Installing solar energy, other renewable energies, or other types of related activities. Economic Support: Income generating activities, capacity building workshops in key traditional and non-traditional sectors, providing tools for furniture and handicrafts making, vocational training activities that produce employment and marketable skills, workshops to build e-commerce skills, or other types of related activities. Health: Drug demand reduction, improving health conditions of disadvantaged groups, community gardening and psychosocial support, providing healthcare assistance to at-risk community members, including homeless persons, families living under the poverty line, and/or elderly living alone, providing broadly accessible, reliable, and economically sustainable water and sanitation services to bolster healthy, secure, and prosperous communities, or other types of related activities. Civic Education: Civic engagement, civic education in the lead up to elections to increase public participation, promotion of diverse voices through education centers, or other types of related activities. Funding Restrictions The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement and are classified as not allowable: Activities with unmitigated and negative environmental consequences, such as dams and roads through relatively pristine forest lands. Activities that contribute to commercial deforestation or conversion of land-use from forest to livestock. Actions that are likely to jeopardize, threaten, or endanger species and/or their habitat. Actions that are likely to degrade protected areas significantly, such as introduction of exotic plants or animals. Development, procurement, or use of toxic or otherwise unsafe products, including pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or hazardous chemicals. Religious, political, military, or law enforcement activities, including those relating to police and prisons. Activities that violate or abuse labor rights, human rights, or otherwise discriminates against or exacerbates inequities among members of marginalized or underserved communities. School or team uniforms. Sports equipment or musical instruments. Playgrounds. Luxury goods. Gambling equipment. Surveillance equipment. Alcoholic beverages. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Please refer to the complete NOFO on U.S. Embassy Port Louis's website.

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.

This grant provides funding to early-career researchers in mental health to support innovative projects that advance the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses.

This funding opportunity supports early-stage postdoctoral researchers in cancer research by providing resources for structured training and professional development to advance their scientific careers.

This grant provides funding for researchers to study how HIV and substance use disorder affect brain cell function, with the goal of uncovering new treatment strategies for individuals facing these combined challenges.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to support research on interdisciplinary population approaches to increasing awareness of the relationship between alcohol and cancer risk, understanding and changing social norms related to alcohol consumption, developing and/or evaluating alcohol policy approaches, and the development, testing, and implementation of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related cancer risk. Applications that address multiple levels of consumption, such as moderate and heavy drinking, are of particular interest, as well as those focusing on alcohol use disorder (AUD) from the perspective of cancer prevention and control. Proposals addressing understudied areas are encouraged, as is attention to underrepresented minority (URM) populations experiencing cancer and alcohol-related disparities such as American Indian, Alaskan Native, and sexual and gender minority populations.

This funding opportunity supports doctoral candidates conducting research on maternal and child health using a large dataset to explore the impact of early environmental exposures on child health outcomes.

The Appalachian Region Healthcare Support Program provides technical assistance (TA) to help rural healthcare organizations, including critical access hospitals (CAHs), small rural hospitals, rural health clinics, tribal healthcare facilities, and other healthcare organizations located in the rural counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) with planning and implementing health care service improvements. The goal of this program is to strengthen healthcare delivery in rural areas of the Appalachian Region by improving financial and operational performance as well as the quality of care in rural healthcare organizations. The TA provider funded under this cooperative agreement will work with individual healthcare organizations to meet the following program objectives: Provide objective analysis and assessment of healthcare organizations financial status, market share, quality indicators, locally available human services, and gaps in services so that organizations can make actionable change; Identify clinical areas where expansion of services within a rural healthcare organization would meet local need, keep health care services available locally, and build capacity to improve financial and operational performance as well as quality of care. Support healthcare organizations in implementing best practice recommendations prioritized in TA action plans. For purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, rural healthcare organization is a health care organization located in a rural area in the Appalachian Region. A healthcare organization includes critical access hospitals, small rural hospitals, rural health clinics, tribal healthcare facilities, and other healthcare organizations. To determine if a health care organization is located in a rural area, visit https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health. To determine if a county is in the Appalachian Region, visit https://www.arc.gov/appalachian-counties-served-by-arc.For more details, see Program Requirements and Expectations.

The intent of the FY24 ERP IDA is to solicit novel, innovative research that has the potential to increase our understanding of PTE to improve quality of life, especially in Service Members, Veterans, and/or their care partners. The work should innovatively challenge existing research paradigms or exhibit high levels of creativity. The FY24 ERP IDA offers two levels of funding dependent upon the level of experience of the Principal Investigator (PI). Funding Level I - Pathway to Independence Option: Early-career investigators ranging from the postdoctoral level (e.g., research associate, fellows, residents, or equivalent) to within 3 years of their first independent faculty position (or equivalent) may be named by the organization as the PI on the application (mentor required). Funding Level II - Innovative New Direction Option: Investigators at all career levels may be named by the organization as the PI on the application.

Grant Title: Towards a Better Understanding of the Neurological Effects of Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) aims to support research on the neurological and mental health impacts of chronic illnesses triggered by infections, such as post-COVID conditions and myalgic encephalomyelitis, focusing on their underlying mechanisms and potential treatments.

This funding opportunity is designed for U.S. small businesses to develop and commercialize innovative health-related technologies through clinically informed research projects that include a clinical trial.

This grant provides funding to civil society organizations in Uganda to strengthen their capacity and coordination in delivering comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment services to key and priority populations at high risk of HIV infection.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to 1) invite applications that propose to develop and implement early to late stage clinical trials of promising pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive and neuropsychiatric changes associated with age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease-related Dementias (ADRD) across the spectrum from pre-symptomatic to more severe stages of disease, and 2) stimulate studies to enhance trial design and methods.

This funding opportunity supports U.S. colleges and universities with limited research funding to assess their biomedical research capabilities and develop strategic plans to enhance their research infrastructure and capacity.

This program provides funding to organizations that improve bison production and marketing, particularly benefiting small farms, tribal groups, and underserved communities across the United States.

This grant provides funding for research projects that enhance cadet education, support faculty development, and improve the operational capabilities of the Air Force, while fostering collaboration with industry partners.

The intent of the FY24 ERP LRA is to leverage ongoing or completed research studies for which PTE was not an original focus and to provide support to expand the research to develop such a focus and increase our understanding of PTE. The project may include basic, translational, and/or clinical research studies. The study must be associated with an ongoing or completed research effort in which PTE is/was not a research priority and for which addition of cohorts, outcomes, assessments, or analysis specific to PTE would be scientifically justified to increase our understanding of PTE. Examples of allowable research include but are not limited to: Secondary analysis of epilepsy surveillance data to evaluate PTE risk; Addition of a chronic TBI cohort in an ongoing preclinical animal study to evaluate seizure outcomes and epileptogenesis; Recruitment/Analysis of a PTE cohort within an ongoing observational longitudinal study for a known concomitant comorbidity of PTE such as depression, cognitive deficits, sleep disorder, etc.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks to fund four national training and technical assistance (TTA) programs to support law enforcement and criminal justice stakeholders in Task Force Leadership, Operations and Management (Category 1), Specialized Units TTA (Category 2), Crime Gun Intelligence Center TTA (Category 3) and Police Recruiting and Retention Among Underrepresented Groups (Category 4).