IHE G-News April 25, 2023

April 25, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; Economic Development Administration releases Tech Hubs Program Fact Sheet

The new CHIPS and Science Act authorized, Tech Hubs Program, seeks to strengthen U.S. economic and national security by ensuring the industries of the future start, grow, and remain in the U.S. The Tech Hubs Program will make place-based investments in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to become globally competitive in critical technologies and industries. The Fact Sheet is designed to help those consortia groups interested in applying for the upcoming funding opportunity prepare and outlines applicant eligibility requirements, timelines, and other program details.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Institute of Standards and Technology Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grant Programs applications for this fiscal year due May 31, 2023

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks to develop a diverse, world-class pool of scientists and engineers engaged in NIST’s measurement science and standards research, and to support the development of a general population that understands and appreciates measurement science and standards. NIST is soliciting applications for financial assistance for Fiscal Year 2023 within the following NIST grant programs:

  • Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services Grant Program supports technology innovation and service to American industry in the following fields: bioscience, chemistry, dimensional metrology, electronics, engineering, infrastructure, information technology, manufacturing, manufacturing metrology, materials science and engineering, nanotechnology, neutron research, optics, and physics.
  • Associate Director for Laboratory Programs supports research in areas consistent with the interests of NIST research programs including but not limited to bioscience, communications, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, resilience, and quantum information science.
  • Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) supports research consistent with the CTL mission in broad areas that support the accelerated development, testing, and deployment of advanced communications and connected systems technologies in support of both commercial and government applications.
  • Engineering Laboratory (EL) supports research in the following fields: advanced manufacturing; additive manufacturing; robotics; intelligent systems and information systems integration for applications in manufacturing; polymeric materials; heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC & R) equipment performance; mechanical systems and controls; heat transfer and alternative energy systems; indoor air quality and ventilation and applied economics.
  • Fire Research support research in areas of current interest to the Fire Research Division.
  • Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) supports research in the following fields: Applied and Computational Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Biometrics, Cloud Computing, Cyber-Physical Systems, Cybersecurity, Forensic Science, Health Information Technology, High-Performance Computing, Human Factors and Usability, Information Access, Information Processing and Understanding, Internet of Things (IoT), Metrology Infrastructure for Modeling and Simulation, Privacy Engineering, and Statistics for Metrology.
  • International and Academic Affairs Office supports activities that strengthen and enhance the international metrology community and promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness in support of the NIST mission.
  • Material Measurement Laboratory supports the NIST mission by serving as the national reference laboratory for measurements in the chemical, biological, and material sciences.
  • NIST Center for Neutron Research supports research involving neutron scattering and the development of innovative technologies that advance the state-of-the-art in neutron research.
  • Physical Measurement Laboratory supports research in the broad areas of mechanical metrology, semiconductors, ionizing radiation physics, medical physics, biophysics, neutron physics, atomic physics, optical technology, optoelectronics, electromagnetics, time and frequency, quantum physics, weights and measures, quantum electrical metrology, temperature, pressure, flow, far UV physics, nanotechnology, and metrology with synchrotron radiation.
  • Special Programs Office supports research in broad areas of critical national need and in response to federal mandates that cut across NIST’s scientific and technical mission focused laboratory programs such as forensic science research, foundation studies, and standards; greenhouse gas measurements research and standards; and open data programs.
  • Standards Coordination Office plays a unique role by coordinating Federal standards and conformity assessment activities, supporting U.S. industry with standards-related tools and information necessary to effectively compete in the global marketplace, and serving as a resource to Federal agencies and the private sector on the U.S. approach to standards and conformity assessment.

U.S. Department of Education; Office of Special Education Programs Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program-Preparation of Early Intervention and Special Education Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs applications due June 13, 2023

This grant program provides grants to institutions of higher education to prepare personnel in early intervention, special education, and related services to work with children, including infants, toddlers, and youth, with disabilities and ensure that these personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in serving children with disabilities. The purpose is to increase the number and improve the quality of personnel, including multilingual personnel and personnel from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who are fully credentialed to serve children who have high-intensity needs in early intervention and special education. The program will fund high-quality projects that prepare scholars in early intervention and special education at the bachelor’s degree, certification, master’s degree, or educational specialist degree levels for professional practice in natural environments, early childhood programs, classrooms, school settings, and in distance learning environments serving children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

U.S. Department of Education; Office of Postsecondary Education Modeling and Simulation Program applications due June 23, 2023

The Modeling and Simulation Program supports the study of modeling and simulation at institutions of higher education by promoting the enhancement or development of modeling and simulation degree and certificate programs. Grant funds may be used to establish a modeling and simulation program that may include a major, minor, career-track, certificate, or concentration component, provide adequate staffing (including full-time and supportive faculty), and purchase necessary equipment. Grant funds may also be used to enhance an existing modeling and simulation program by expanding the multidisciplinary nature of the program, recruiting students through fellowships and assistantships, creating new courses, conducting research to support new methodologies and techniques, and purchasing necessary equipment.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health STrengthening Research Opportunities for NIH Grants: Structured Institutional Needs Assessment and Action Plan Development for Resource Limited Institutions applications due September 18, 2023

The STrengthening Research Opportunities for NIH Grants (STRONG): The STRONG-RLI program will support research capacity needs assessments by eligible Resource-Limited Institutions (RLIs). The program will also support the recipient institutions to use the results of the assessments to develop action plans for how to meet the identified needs.

RLIs are defined as institutions with a mission to serve historically underrepresented populations in biomedical research that award degrees in the health professions and in STEM fields and social and behavioral sciences and have received an average less than $25 million per year in NIH Grants over the past three fiscal years.

U.S. Department of the Interior; Bureau of Reclamation Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot applications due June 20, 2023

The Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) works with researchers and partners to develop innovative, cost-effective, and technologically efficient ways to desalinate and treat water. DWPR funding plays a critical role in iterating an idea from the lab to a real-world demonstration, yielding products that serve the water treatment community and attract commercialization interest. The Department of Interior is interested in research where the benefits are widespread but where private-sector entities are not able to make the full investment and assume all the risks, and in research that has a national significance where the issues are of large-scale concern and the benefits accrue to a large sector of the public. The goal of the DWPR program is to address the need to reduce the costs, energy requirements, and environmental impacts of treating impaired and unusable water.

U.S. Department of Justice; Bureau of Justice Assistance Reimagining Justice: Testing a New Model of Community Safety applications due June 27, 2023

The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. This solicitation will fund applications proposing an innovative strategy or model to improve community safety, build trust, limit unnecessary involvement in the criminal justice system, and improve residents’ perceptions of law enforcement and procedural fairness and legitimacy. The resulting community safety model should include, but is not limited to, the development of a close and active collaboration that implements new programs, expands existing programs, builds partner organization capacity, and/or expands the role of local government agencies to address less serious and lower-level criminal offenses. The model will be expected to serve as an alternative, but complementary, model to traditional enforcement processes and functions such as arrest, prosecution, sentencing, and court supervision. Collaborating entities are expected to coordinate with law enforcement, who would continue to handle more serious or violent offenses.

National Science Foundation releases new Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research solicitation

The Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research (Capacity) Program supports the implementation of, scaling of, or major improvements to research tools, products, and services that advance contemporary biology in any research area supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences. The Capacity Program focuses on building capacity in research infrastructure that is broadly applicable to a wide range of researchers in three programmatic areas:

  • The Cyberinfrastructure Programmatic Area supports the implementation of, scaling of, or major improvement to cyberinfrastructure for biology that advances or transforms contemporary biology and that is broadly applicable to a wide range of researchers.
  • The Biological Collections Programmatic Area supports major improvements to or digitization of biological collections and collection-based information, enabling the advancement of biological understanding in important research areas, and increasing the broader applicability of collections.
  • The Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories Programmatic Area supports major improvements to biological field stations or laboratories in any terrestrial, marine, estuarine, or freshwater environment for research and education.

National Science Foundation releases new Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research solicitation

The Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research (Innovation) Program supports research to design novel or greatly improved research tools and methods that advance contemporary biology in any research area supported by the Biological Sciences Directorate. The Innovation Program focuses on research infrastructure that is broadly applicable to researchers in three programmatic areas:

  • The Bioinformatics Programmatic Area supports the design of novel and innovative bioinformatics approaches that have the potential to become part of the cyberinfrastructure that will advance or transform biological understanding and that have the potential to be broadly applicable in biology.
  • The Instrumentation Programmatic Area supports the design of novel and innovative instrumentation and associated methods that address a clearly defined gap in biologists’ ability to capture observations of biological phenomena and that have the potential to be broadly applicable in biology.
  • The Research Methods Programmatic Area supports the design of novel and innovative laboratory- or field-based methodologies with the potential for a transformative impact, enabling new and important insights into biological processes and to be broadly applicable in biology.

The innovative nature of the proposed work must be emphasized, and proposals with high-risk/high reward potential are welcome. Principle Investigators are encouraged to leverage NSF-supported scientific infrastructure, such as databases, data networks, computational resources, software, and centers.

Debt Limit Maneuvering Ratchets Up As Speaker McCarthy Releases House GOP Plan

Floor Vote is Likely next Week

On Wednesday, April 19th, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unveiled the House’s GOP’s opening salvo in the negotiations to raise the debt limit in exchange for a wide array of funding and policy changes sought by Republicans upon taking control of the House of Representatives in January 2023.

Speaker McCarthy plans a floor vote in the House of Representatives next week, and despite his very narrow five seat majority, he is confident the House will pass the plan. No House Democrats are expected to support the House GOP plan. Passage of the plan would give McCarthy leverage with both the White House and the Senate to secure concessions as a condition for advancing this “must pass” measure to raise the nation’s debt limit and avoid potential default. To date, both President Biden and Senate Democrats have demanded a “clean” debt limit increase – with no other provisions attached – insisting that once the threat of default has been taken off the table only then can negotiations on the annual federal budget and other policy matters including tax and entitlement policies begin. House Republicans recognize their bargaining power is at their height during “must pass” negotiations on the debt limit, another reason that their proposal also calls for the debt limit to be revisited again mid-year next year. Biden’s goal of a clean debt limit increase will be more difficult to achieve if McCarthy is able to pass his package in the House, as it would illustrate the resolve of the House GOP to a high-stakes showdown in the coming months.

Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress the US Treasury had reached the current statutory debt limit of $31.381 trillion and had initiated the use of “extraordinary measures” to avoid default. Those extraordinary measures are estimated now to be exhausted as early as June or at latest by the end of August, by which time Congress and the Administration must have reached agreement or risk the first-ever default on the U.S. debt.

Details of McCarthy’s plan, The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (link) would raise the debt limit by $1.5 trillion or through March 31, 2024, whichever occurs first. The increase in the debt limit is tied to $4.5 trillion in budgetary savings and a House Republican policy wish list as follows:

  • Limiting discretionary federal spending to FY22 spending levels – and then limiting increases in the budget to 1% annually over the next decade;
  • Rescinding billions in unspent COVID aid;
  • Repealing key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, including EV and climate change provisions;
  • Inclusion of the House Republican Energy plan to advance fossil fuels;
  • Imposing work requirements on Medicaid and food stamp recipients;
  • Defunding 87,000 new IRS agents and
  • Blocking the Biden Administration’s student loan forgiveness plan.

A complete section by section summary can be found here.

While McCarthy’s package will see no light of day in the Senate, it sets the stage for real negotiations to begin. Already, additional proposals are being floated by various blocs of Members in Congress, such as by the Problem Solvers Caucus, which is comprised of both Democrats and Republicans in the House.

You should anticipate that both Congressional and Administration efforts to gain the upper hand in negotiations over the debt limit will intensify over the next weeks and have the strong potential for immediate impact on this year’s Congressional agenda, the FY24 appropriations process and beyond.

IHE G-News April 14, 2023

April 14, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean Exploration pre-proposals due May 30, 2023

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Exploration is soliciting proposals for projects focused on one of the following three themes:

  • Ocean Exploration and Discovery: Proposals should be in support of the NOAA Ocean Exploration mission to explore unknown or poorly known ocean areas, processes, and resources in waters deeper than 200 meters. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in exploration of physical, chemical, and biological environments and processes within the oceanic water column in these deep waters, however, proposals for projects in shallower waters will be considered if they focus on exploration of tropical mesophotic environments.
  • Technology: Proposals should feature application of new or novel use of existing ocean technologies or innovative methods that could increase the scope and efficiency of acquiring ocean exploration data and expanding its availability and use. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in proposals for technologies that are platform agnostic, work across multiple platforms, and/or address novel methods, for example machine learning and artificial intelligence, to analyze existing publicly accessible large datasets.
  • Maritime Heritage: Proposals should address exploration and discovery of significant maritime heritage resources that improve archaeological knowledge and inform decisions concerning preservation, management, and potential seafloor use. NOAA Ocean Exploration is particularly interested in proposals that include the use of innovative and advanced technology and methodology.

U.S. Department of Commerce; Economic Development Administration STEM Talent Challenge applications due June 12, 2023

The Economic Development Administration is seeking applications to create and implement innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) work-based learning models, such as Registered Apprenticeships, that complement a region’s innovation economy. The STEM Talent Challenge seeks to develop or expand regional workforce capacity to support high-growth, high-wage entrepreneurial ventures, industries of the future, including industries that leverage emerging technologies, and other innovation—driven businesses that have a high likelihood of accelerating economic competitiveness and job creation in the regions.

U.S. Department of Education; Office of Postsecondary Education Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program applications due May 22, 2023

The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program provides grants for planning, developing, and carrying out projects to strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages. Projects must enhance primarily the international academic program of the institution, and activities may include but are not limited to:

  • Development of a global or international studies program that is interdisciplinary in design;
  • Development of a program that focuses on issues or topics, such as international business or international health;
  • Development of an area studies program and programs in corresponding foreign languages;
  • Creation of innovative curricula that combine the teaching of international studies with professional and preprofessional studies, such as engineering;
  • Research for and development of specialized teaching materials, including language instruction;
  • Establishment of internship opportunities for faculty and students in domestic and overseas settings; and
  • Development of study abroad programs.

U.S. Department of Education; Office of Postsecondary Education Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program applications due May 30, 2023

The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program is designed to effect long-range improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions and to increase the participation of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into scientific and technological careers.

U.S. Department of Energy Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Industrial Assessment Centers and Building Training Assessment Centers concept papers due May 25, 2023

This funding opportunity will establish new Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) at community colleges, trade schools, and union training programs, as well as create new Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTACs) at institutions of higher education. The new IACs and BTACs that will be created with this funding will build upon the demonstrated success of applied learning environments and hands-on training approaches of existing IACs. The new IACs will focus on high-quality skilled trades job pathways in fields such as industrial electrician, energy management, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing, while providing hands-on support to small and medium manufacturers. The new BTACs will expand these benefits to commercial and institutional buildings to help lower utility costs and allow companies to reinvest in businesses, employees, and community services. BTACs will train students and workers as engineers, architects, building scientists, building energy permitting and enforcement officials, and building technicians in energy-efficient design and operation.

NEW: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health releases Open Broad Agency Announcement with abstracts due no later than March 14, 2024

The new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) mission is to accelerate better health outcomes for everyone by supporting the development of high-impact solutions to society’s most challenging health problems. Awardees will develop groundbreaking new ways to tackle health-related challenges through high-potential, high-impact biomedical and health research. With a scope spanning the molecular to the societal, ARPA-H seeks proposals that aim to rapidly achieve better health outcomes across patient populations, communities, diseases, and health conditions, including in support of the Cancer Moonshot. Proposals are expected to use innovative approaches to enable revolutionary advances in science, technology, or systems. The four initial focus areas are:

  • Health Science Futures, which seeks to develop innovative tools, technologies, and platforms that can be applied to a broad range of diseases.
  • Scalable Solutions, which seeks to improve access and affordability and address health ecosystem challenges that impede effective and timely development and distribution of healthcare and disease response at a scale.
  • Proactive Health, which seeks to improve personal health and wellness to reduce the likelihood that people require medical intervention or minimize the time that they remain in acute care through accelerated recovery and regeneration capabilities.
  • Resilient Systems, which seeks to create capabilities, develop mechanisms, and accelerate system integrations to enhance stability in the face of disruptive events.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Health Resources and Services Administration Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP): The National HCOP Academies applications due May 24, 2023

The purpose of this grant program is to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and successfully complete health profession schools. The National HCOP Academies will prepare students to meet the admissions requirements for the next level of their education and receive a health professions degree or certificate. National HCOP Academies’ goals are to:

  • Improve recruitment, matriculation, retention, and graduation rates by implementing tailored enrichment programs designed to address the academic and social needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  • Provide opportunities for community-based experiential health professions training, emphasizing experiences in underserved communities.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health seeks research proposals on the Impacts of Climate Change across the Cancer Control Continuum

This funding opportunity aims to support innovative research relevant to advancing the understanding of the effects of climate change on cancer risks, control, and survivorship, and ways to prevent or mitigate negative health effects. This includes, but is not limited to understanding the impact of climate-related environmental changes on cancer risks, control, and health behaviors; mitigating the impacts of climate-related cancer care delivery disruptions; developing and testing behavioral interventions that reduce cancer risks and improve environmental health; and investigating and reducing health inequities resulting from direct and/or indirect effects of climate change across the cancer control continuum.

This opportunity calls for multidisciplinary observational, intervention, and/or implementation research. Research with consideration for populations that experience cancer health disparities and who are likely to experience a disproportionate burden of effects from a changing climate, is encouraged. Applicants should address how climate change is affecting: cancer risks and carcinogenic exposures; cancer prevention behaviors such as dietary intake, physical activity, and ultraviolet radiation exposure; or disruptions to healthcare systems and cancer care management. Research applications must include collaboration with a researcher with climate change expertise and are encouraged to integrate multiple disciplines because the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on cancer-related outcomes are complex, synergistic, and multilevel.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Entry-Level Modules for Training the Genomics Research Workforce applications due June 1, 2023

The purpose of this program is to develop, implement, and evaluate modules of genomics-related curriculum for the diverse entry-level biomedical research workforce by supporting lead sites teamed with partner sites; and support and facilitate opportunities for the entry-level research workforce to enhance diversity in genomics. This funding opportunity will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on Courses for Skills Development, and training modules will be made freely available, at no cost to the broader community.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Enhancing Science, Technology, EnginEering, and Math Educational Diversity Research Education Experiences applications due June 7, 2023

The Enhancing Science, Technology, EnginEering, and Math Educational Diversity program is designed to foster the development of undergraduate freshmen and sophomores from diverse backgrounds to pursue further studies and careers in bioengineering or STEM fields relevant to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering’s scientific mission. This will prepare students to join, in their junior and senior years, an honors program that promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and entrance into a Ph.D. program. The ultimate goal is for the participants to pursue a doctoral degree and a subsequent research career in bioengineering or NIBIB-relevant field.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award applications due July 14, 2023

The overarching goal of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program is to support educational activities that encourage pre-college students (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. SEPA supports two types of projects: classroom-based projects for pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (pre-college) students and teachers and informal science education projects conducted in outside-the-classroom venues, such as science centers, museums, and libraries.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Awards applications due September 6, 2023

The Director’s Early Independence Award supports rigorous and promising junior investigators who wish to pursue independent research soon after completion of their terminal doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Directors New Innovator Award Program applications due August 18, 2023

The Directors New Innovator Award Program supports early stage investigators of exceptional creativity who propose highly innovative research projects with the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems relevant to the mission of the National Institutes of Health.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Directors Pioneer Award Program applications due September 8, 2023

The Directors Pioneer Award Program supports individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose highly innovative and potentially transformative research towards the ultimate goal of enhancing human health. To be considered pioneering, the proposed research must reflect substantially different scientific directions from those already being pursued in the investigators research program or elsewhere.

U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice Youth Mentoring Research and Evaluation Grants.gov deadline May 30, 2023 and JustGrants deadline June 13, 2023

Mentoring is a prominent strategy for delinquency prevention and victimization recovery that offers at-risk youth structured support from older or more experienced mentors to provide positive role models and promote resilience. The National Institute of Justice seeks applications for rigorous youth mentoring research and independent evaluation projects that address barriers/impediments for youth involved in the justice system to access mentoring services and/or mentoring programs that serve youth involved in the justice system.

U.S. Department of Justice; National Institute of Justice Research and Evaluation on Policing Practices, Accountability Mechanisms, and Alternatives Grants.gov deadline June 6, 2023 and JustGrants deadline June 20, 2023

The National Institute of Justice seeks rigorous, applied research and evaluation projects examining the impact of: police accountability practices; the shifting and sharing of police functions; police training; and police officer health and wellness programs on an array of police performance outcomes (e.g., officer intervening and reporting of misconduct, excessive or unnecessary use of force, civilian complaints, officer and civilian injuries, police accountability and transparency, public trust and confidence in the police, and quality of police-community relationships).

U.S. Department of Labor; Employment and Training Administration Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program applications due July 7, 2023

The purpose of the Department of Labor Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program is to fund public-private partnerships to develop, strengthen, and scale promising and evidence-based training models in H-1B industries and occupations critical to meeting the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and to maximize the impact of these investments. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Grant Program serves dual purposes by implementing and scaling worker-centered sector strategies to support the workforce necessary for successful implementation of the BIL. To embed strong worker voice into these grant projects, applicants should engage workers during the initial grant proposal development phase to ensure that worker needs and priorities and job quality are incorporated into the project design.

National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Projects for the Public applications due June 14, 2023

This program supports projects that interpret and analyze humanities content in primarily digital platforms and formats, such as websites, mobile applications and tours, interactive touch screens and kiosks, games, and virtual environments. All projects should:

  • Present analysis that deepens public understanding of significant humanities ideas;
  • Incorporate sound humanities scholarship;
  • Involve humanities scholars in all phases of development and production;
  • Include appropriate digital media professionals;
  • Reach a broad public through a realistic plan for development, marketing, and distribution;
  • Create appealing digital formats for the general public; and
  • Demonstrate the capacity to sustain themselves.

National Endowment for the Humanities Collections and Reference Resources applications due July 18, 2023

The Humanities Collections and Reference Resources program supports projects that provide an essential underpinning for scholarship, education, and public engagement in the humanities. It strengthens efforts to extend the reach of humanities collections and make their intellectual content widely accessible. Awards also support the creation of reference resources that facilitate the use of cultural materials, from works that provide basic information quickly to tools that synthesize and codify knowledge of a subject for in-depth investigation.

National Science Foundation Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 letters of intent due May 15, 2023

The Mid-scale Research Infrastructure Programs funds research infrastructure, including equipment, cyberinfrastructure, large-scale datasets and personnel, whose costs fall between $20 and $100 million.

National Science Foundation Safe Learning-Enabled Systems proposals due May 26, 2023

The objective of the Safe Learning-Enabled Systems program is to foster foundational research that leads to the design and implementation of learning-enabled systems in which safety is ensured with high levels of confidence. While traditional machine learning systems are evaluated pointwise with respect to a fixed test set, such static coverage provides only limited assurance when exposed to unprecedented conditions in high-stakes operating environments. Verifying that learning components of such systems achieve safety guarantees for all possible inputs may be difficult, if not impossible. Instead, a system’s safety guarantees will often need to be established with respect to systematically generated data from realistic (yet appropriately pessimistic) operating environments.

NEW: National Science Foundation Building the Prototype Open Knowledge Network proposals due June 20, 2023

This program supports the creation of a prototype Open Knowledge Network, an interconnected network of knowledge graphs supporting a very broad range of application domains. Open access to shared information is essential for the development and evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-powered solutions needed to address the complex challenges facing the nation and the world. Knowledge graphs, which represent relationships among real-world entities, provide a powerful approach for organizing, representing, integrating, reusing, and accessing data from multiple structured and unstructured sources using ontologies and ontology alignment. Currently, private-sector investments in knowledge graphs power numerous consumer applications including web search, e-commerce, banking, drug discovery, and advertising. Undertaking a similar but inclusive, open, and community-driven effort and making use of publicly available data holds the potential to create a platform that would empower government and non-government users, fueling evidence-based policymaking, continued strong economic growth, game-changing scientific breakthroughs, while addressing complex societal challenges from climate change to social equity. Projects funded by this program will provide an essential public-data infrastructure to power the next information revolution similar to the Internet, transforming our ability to unlock actionable insights from data by semantically linking information about related entities.

National Science Foundation; Centers for Research Innovation in Science, the Environment and Society proposals due June 26, 2023

This opportunity supports researchers in the social, behavioral and economic sciences who use empirical methods to grapple with crises that impact individuals, families, organizations, regions, nations or our entire planet. The Centers for Research in Science, the Environment and Society initiative invites proposals to take the first steps toward developing large-scale interdisciplinary research activities that will address today’s crises and ultimately enhance people’s quality of life.

National Science Foundation CyberCorps Scholarship for Service applications due July 17, 2023

The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program seeks proposals to establish scholarship programs in cybersecurity. The program goals are to: increase the number of qualified and diverse cybersecurity candidates for government cybersecurity positions; improve the national capacity for the education of cybersecurity professionals and research and development workforce; hire, monitor, and retain high-quality CyberCorps graduates in the cybersecurity mission of the Federal Government; and strengthen partnerships between institutions of higher education and federal, state, local, and tribal governments. A proposing institution must provide clearly documented evidence of a strong existing academic program in cybersecurity.

National Science Foundation A Science of Science Approach to Analyzing and Innovating the Biomedical Research Enterprise proposals due September 11, 2023

The National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health are interested in proposals that will propel our understanding of the biomedical research enterprise by drawing from the scientific expertise of the science of science policy research community. This partnership will result in a portfolio of high-quality research to provide scientific analysis of important aspects of the biomedical research enterprise and efforts to foster a diverse, innovative, productive and efficient scientific workforce, from which future scientific leaders will emerge.

National Science Foundation Computer and Information Science and Engineering Research Initiation Initiative applications due September 20, 2023

The Computer Research Initiation Initiative program seeks to develop and grow the research capabilities of future generations of computer and information scientists and engineers, including computational and data scientists and engineers. This solicitation provides the opportunity for early-career researchers who do not have adequate organizational or other means of support to pursue their early-career research, including to recruit and mentor their first graduate students or undergraduate students, in the case of faculty at undergraduate and two-year institutions, which is one critical step in a career pathway that is expected to lead to research independence and a subsequent stream of projects, discoveries, students and publications.

National Science Foundation’s Growing Research Access for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity Initiative releases first program description funding opportunity with applications accepted at anytime

The Growing Research Access for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity (GRANTED) initiative supports ambitious ideas and innovative strategies to address challenges and inequalities within the research enterprise. The research enterprise is broadly defined and includes administrative support and service infrastructure such as, but not limited to, human capital, research development and administration, research analytics, technology transfer and commercialization, corporate relations/public-private partnerships, research integrity, compliance and security, research policy, administration of student research training, and research leadership.

Proposals in response to the GRANTED program description should be broadly inclusive and engage the professional, administrative research support and service workforce in project leadership roles described within proposals. Proposed projects should look beyond individual and discipline-specific research needs and focus on activities that create institution/organization-wide impact. Projects that identify nationally scalable models to build and sustain research enterprise infrastructure are strongly encouraged. Competitive proposals will recognize structural challenges and include goals to implement interventions, solutions, and/or strategies that will mitigate the challenges and broaden participation. Proposals must be centered around one or more of the three main themes of GRANTED:

  • Enhancing practices and processes within the research enterprise;
  • Developing and strengthening human capital within the research enterprise;
  • Translating effective practices related to the research enterprise into diverse institutional and organizational contexts though partnerships with professional societies and organizations.

While proposals are accepted anytime funding has been NSF strongly encourages proposals to be submitted as soon as possible so that they can be reviewed and receive funding in FY23.

Local Government G-News April 11, 2023

April 11, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Health Resources and Services Administration Rural Health Care Coordination Program applications due May 26, 2023
The purpose of this program is to promote rural health care services outreach by improving and expanding delivery of health care services through comprehensive care coordination strategies in rural areas. The program’s goals are to expand access to and quality of equitable health care services through care coordination strategies exclusively in rural areas; utilize an innovative evidence-based, promising practice, and/or value-based care model(s) that is known to, or demonstrates strong evidence to, improve patient health outcomes and the planning and delivery of patient-centered health care services; increase collaboration among multi-sector and multidisciplinary network partnerships to address the underlying factors related to social determinants of health; and develop and implement deliberate and sustainable strategies of care coordination into policies, procedures, staffing, services, and communication systems. Applicants are required to select one primary focus area from the following: 1) heart disease; 2) cancer; 3) chronic lower respiratory disease; 4) stroke; or 5) maternal health.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Strategic Prevention Framework – Partnerships for Success for Communities, Local Governments, Universities, Colleges, and Tribes/Tribal Organizations applications due June 5, 2023
The purpose of this program is to help reduce the onset and progression of substance misuse and its related problems by supporting the development and delivery of community-based substance misuse prevention and mental health promotion services. The program is intended to expand and strengthen the capacity of local community prevention providers to implement evidence-based prevention programs.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FY23 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants applications due June 6, 2023
The Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants support the development of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans which focus on directing resources to address three core goals: Housing, People and Neighborhood. To achieve these core goals, communities must develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or Transformation Plan. The Transformation Plan will become the guiding document for the revitalization of the public and/or assisted housing units while simultaneously directing the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood and positive outcomes for families.

U.S. Department of Justice; Community-Oriented Policing Services FY23 Law Enforcement Agency De-Escalation Grants -Community Policing Development Grants.gov deadline May 15, 2023; JustGrants deadline May 24, 2023
The Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Law Enforcement Agency De-Escalation Grant program funds state and local agencies’ ability to participate in de-escalation, implicit bias, and duty to intervene train-the trainer programs to establish internal de-escalation implicit bias, and duty to intervene training programs, purchase of VR/AR de-escalation training technology to support and maintain officers’ de-escalation techniques.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention OJJDP FY 2023 Opioid Affected Youth Initiative Grants.gov deadline May 16, 2023; JustGrants deadline May 30, 2023
This funding opportunity funds projects to develop and implement effective programs for children, youth, and their families who have been impacted by the opioid crisis and drug addiction. Proposed activities should incorporate harm reduction strategies as an overdose prevention technique that reduces the overdose risk, connects people who use drugs with access to treatment and recovery services, enhances health and public safety, and demonstrates a clear nexus between youth and the effects of opioids and other substances.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention FY 2023 Second Chance Act Youth Reentry Program Grants.gov deadline May 23, 2023; JustGrants deadline June 5, 2023
The Second Chance Act Youth Reentry Program funds projects that enhance collaboration between state agencies, local government agencies, Tribes, and community- and faith-based organizations to improve and address the challenges that reentry and recidivism reduction pose for youth assessed at a moderate to high risk of reoffending and who are returning to their communities from juvenile residential or correctional facilities. The program also supports intensive assistance for jurisdictions working to improve their community supervision practices and build strong juvenile reentry data and performance measurement capacity.

U.S. Department of Justice; Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 23 Community Courts Initiative Grants.gov deadline May 24, 2023; JustGrants deadline May 31, 2023
The Community Courts Initiative support efforts by state, tribal, and local governments to establish and enhance community courts in their jurisdictions. There are 2 application categories: Category 1 (Planning and Implementation grants) provides funding to plan or implement community court programs that address substance use disorders and other issues using evidence-based principles and practices; Category 2 (Enhancement) provides funding to enhance existing community court programs that address substance use disorders and other issues using evidence-based principles and practices.

U.S. Department of Justice; Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 23 Smart Reentry: Expanding Jail Programs and Services Grants.gov deadline June 5, 2023; JustGrants deadline June 12, 2023
This funding opportunity provides funding to state, local, and tribal governments to enhance or implement evidence-based activities or services to improve reentry, reduce recidivism, and address the treatment and recovery needs of people who are currently or
formerly involved in the criminal justice system.

U.S. Department of Labor; Employment and Training Administration Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program applications due July 7, 2023 and June 14, 2024
The Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program will fund public-private partnerships to develop, implement, and scale worker-centered sector strategy training programs that train and prepare the skilled workforce needed to meet the demands of the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). To maximize the impact of the BIL investment, this grant program will train job seekers in advanced manufacturing; information technology; and professional, scientific, and technical services occupations that support renewable energy, transportation, and broadband infrastructure sectors. This grant program will expand the workforce partnerships necessary to build equitable pathways to good infrastructure jobs, particularly for workers from underserved and underrepresented populations in the local/regional
communities where these infrastructure projects are located, as well as within these occupations (such as women).

U.S. Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program applications due May 30, 2023
The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program supports modern and sustainable infrastructure accessible to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles. The program funds projects that strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure projects in urban and rural communities in publicly accessible locations, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities.

U.S. Department of Transportation; Office of the Under Secretary for Policy Safe Streets and Roads for All Funding Opportunity applications due July 10, 2023
The purpose of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and refinement and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, and commercial vehicle operators. The SS4A program provides funding for two main types of grants. Planning and Demonstration Grants support comprehensive safety action plans, including supplemental safety planning, and/or safety demonstration activities. Implementation Grants support projects to develop, complete, or supplement a comprehensive safety action plan, as well as carry out demonstration activities that inform an Action Plan.

U.S. Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration Fiscal Years 2022-2023 Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) applications due August 1, 2023
The goal of the Wildlife Crossing Program (Wildlife Crossings Program) is to reduce Wildlife Vehicle Collisions (WVCs) while improving habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. The program provides funding for construction and non-construction projects. Construction Projects include engineering, design, permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and other activities related to the construction of infrastructure improvements, such as the building of a wildlife crossing overpass or underpass. Non-Construction projects include planning, research, and educational activities that are not directly related to construction of infrastructure improvements, such as a hot spot analysis of WVCs.

April 2023 – Vol. 12; Issue 4

Planting the Seeds of a Sustainable New Brand

Cross-Pollination

In any acquisition, a key consideration is post-closing branding. Will the buyer take a “to the victor go the spoils” approach, or will there be a new brand created that reflects both legacy companies? Whatever the outcome, it is critical to be transparent with the process and execute the rebranding as soon as possible after the transaction closes. The process of branding/rebranding needs to mitigate egos, emotions, and pride of ownership. Bringing in a neutral third party to survey the market, assess relative strengths in a dispassionate way, and facilitate branding discussions can help ensure a good outcome. This is especially true when two strong brands come together, as was true with Deep Water Point and Wolf Den. As thought leaders and seasoned practitioners in federal M&A and post-merger integration (PMI), we know the importance of succeeding in this area, and that the process we followed to create our new brand is a case study in PMI best practices.

Grafting Rootstock

While at first glance our new brand may seem fairly obvious, it represents the result of a thorough, data-backed process that involved hiring a third-party consultant to “test the soil” and conduct primary research into relative brand strengths. Going into our branding strategy, we thought we would sow the seeds to create a completely new brand that represented the best of our legacy organizations. However, cultivating seeds requires you to remain flexible and adaptable and research showed that the strengths of the two brands warranted refreshing one legacy brand as opposed to discarding the brand equity of both legacy organizations. Based on overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers and federal government executives, it was clear that the right decision was to graft a refreshed brand onto the strength of the legacy rootstock. In this way, we preserve the strength of our reputation and brand awareness, while repositioning the new brand for the broader scope of our combined capabilities.

Deep Water Point & Associates merger infographic

Roots Run Deep

Our third-party consultant ran the numbers and found that 100% of those surveyed indicated our merger was favorable. Furthermore, 90% believed that the two companies’ offerings were complementary (not overlapping) and 87% thought the companies were stronger together. Additional data showed >75% of respondents agreed both companies held strong positive brands. Based on this data, we embarked on a collaborative effort to incorporate legacy roots into the design of our new logo. Existing brand elements such as the wolf paw print and the lighthouse were considered, but ultimately proved too inflexible. We also considered both legacy fonts as well as a host of new ideas in an effort to modernize two logos that had not changed in two decades. Finally, we considered the entire spectrum of color combinations in order to visually merge the two legacy brands while also standing out from a garden of red, white, blue, black, and gray consulting logos.

Bud Break

The choice of teal and orange pay homage to Wolf Den’s teal presentation templates and Deep Water Point’s pervasive use of orange. The ultimate font choice is deliberately modern, fresh, without serifs, and reinforces our emphasis on future growth. Our final logo was designed to reflect a double meaning. The image displays a diamond eye with an arrow and embedded chevron. This is meant to convey that our companies are greater together and displays our shared passion for helping organizations move forward in the federal market, with the benefit of our strategic vision. Lastly, incorporating “Associates” is a nod to the legacy Wolf Den spirit of collegiality and the “best idea wins” ethos while the use of the ampersand foreshadows future acquisitions and the intent to incorporate them under our broad brand appeal to yield bountiful results for all customers. Growing doesn’t mean you abandon your roots, and our combined DWP&A remains dedicated to our core values, mission, and passion towards our work and our clients.

Branding Considerations That Did Not Grow Roots

April 2023 – Vol. 12; Issue 𝜋

Procurement Reform Takes Center Stage in 2024 Budget Request

Current State of Affairs

We have seen the struggles. They are real. Since the advent of COVID-19 and with the move to remote work, procurement shops are having more and more difficulty getting their work done. These procurement shops are often understaffed and the technical teams that help them write and release RFPs are also working remotely, with their job and procurement demands far exceeding hours in the day. This has driven contract delays as procurement shops struggle to release RFPs on time and to release them with consistently high quality. Delays are compounded by the Sisyphean attempts to slow down and “protest proof” procurements, only to have many protested anyway. According to the FY22 GAO report, the number of protests has gone down year-over-year, likely as a result of delays. At the same time, the effectiveness rate where the protestor obtains some sort of relief has reached an all-time high of 51%. Nobody is happy.

Efficiency Gains

To combat these challenges, the government has attempted to drive efficiencies. Contract consolidations and scorecard evaluations are response to the need to lessen the burden on procurement teams, but these are mere band-aids over bullet holes. The 2024 Presidential Budget Request includes several initiatives aimed at achieving real efficiency gains. To combat the attrition in the contracting officer community, the 2024R budget proposes broad use of ChatGPT and other emerging AI/ML tools to automate RFP generation. While this promises to dramatically decrease RFP cycle times and improve writing quality, efficiency gains are most sorely needed in the proposal evaluation process. Where early OCR efforts to automate scoring met with mixed results, the 2024R budget proposes sweeping reforms to the evaluation process, to include crowd sourcing, web-based polling approaches, and – a particular favorite of the Biden administration – borrowing the Social Credit System that the PRC has proven to be a best practice.

Force reconstitution by source chart

Protest Reform

As no real procurement process improvement can be had without protest reform, the 2024R budget promises the most sweeping changes since establishing the OFPP in 1974. For starters, introducing “loser pays” terms to the protest ecosystem would dramatically cut down on the number of frivolous protests. Similarly, changing the default setting from allowing incumbents to continue performing work in the wake of a timely protest would erase the overwhelmingly positive net present value of a protest and make incumbents think twice. The 2024R budget goes further still, borrowing some commercial innovation from Roger Goodell and limiting bidders to a maximum of two “challenges” per fiscal year. Taking a page out of the Fairfax County Public Schools handbook, the 2024R budget proposes to cut down on protests by no longer notifying winning bidders, so as not to hurt the self-esteem of losing bidders and would-be protestors.

Reconstituting the Force

The third leg of the procurement improvement troika is immediately reconstituting the force. Unlike the false claim that the IRS would be hiring 87,000 agents, this surge is real. Procurement staffing is at 1970s levels and the 2024R budget calls out the need to hire nearly 100,000 contracting officers, COTRs, and legal specialists. Attracting this talent in a tight labor market – and ensuring they are the most diverse work force – will require tapping non-traditional talent pools. While Buy American mandates forbid offshoring, opportunities abound in sourcing procurement talent from the ranks of recently displaced tech workers and treasury managers at SVB. Relaxing citizenship requirements and prohibitions on felonies will also enable procurement nearshoring opportunities along the southern border, in Martha’s Vineyard, and from prison populations. Finally, the Administration will harness the power of the Gig Economy with on-demand staffing from the new procurement app, “Güber.”

2024R Initiatives to Improve Procurement

Fools’
202-205-8800
Fools@dwpassociates.com

Day
800-488-3111
Day@dwpassociates.com

Former President Trump Officially Indicted

Congress Heads to Two Week Recess after another Contentious Week

House Republicans managed to pass their signature energy package this week, H.R. 1 the Lower Energy Costs Act, which aims to expedite the development, importation, and exportation of energy resources by waiving certain environmental review requirements, rolls back Biden Administration bans on fracking, and expands energy permits on federal land. House Speaker McCarthy and Majority Leader Scalise had just a few hours to tout their signature accomplishment and capture headlines before the news cycle turned to former President Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. He is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday and has already stated that this would in no way effect his run for the presidency.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

Partisan Tensions Continue on Key Committees and No Progress on Debt Limit Discussions. On Wednesday Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders questioned former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz under oath about what he views as the company’s union busting activities while Senate Republicans countered that the National Labor Relations Board has taken a partisan turn. In the House, in a hearing of the new House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, Democrat Members charged that they were denied the right to question witnesses. And just off the House floor, a heated argument broke out among a House Democrat and House Republican Member over the cause of the school shooting in Nashville, TN. President Biden and Speaker McCarthy also traded jabs on who is to blame on failure to begin negotiations on the debt limit.

The Senate repeals the AUMF. The Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that has stood for over 20 years and was signed under President George W. Bush and paved the way for the invasion of Iraq and the justifications for the broader War on Terror. Elsewhere in the Senate, Sen. Tuberville (R-AL) is holding up virtually all military promotions, over 160 currently pending which typically sail through the chamber, over a DoD policy permitting access to abortion procedures. Critics argue his efforts are impacting military readiness while supporters say it is a legitimate political tactic.

SCHEDULING NOTE: Congress is on spring recess for the next two weeks. As partisan pressures mount in Washington, Members are headed back home to their states and districts. Speaker McCarthy is tentatively scheduled to visit with the President of Taiwan in California amid increased tensions with China. CONGRESS RETURNS ON APRIL 17TH.

Local Government G-News March 27, 2023

March 27, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Natural Resources Conservation Service Composting and Food Waste Reduction Pilot Project applications due June 15, 2023
The Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) program assists local and municipal governments with projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans.

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Rural Utilities Service Community Connect Grant Program applications due June 20, 2023
The Community Connect Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide service at or above the Broadband Grant Speed to all premises in rural, economically challenged communities where broadband service does not exist.

U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Decarbonization and Emissions Reduction Demonstration-to-Deployment Funding Opportunity Announcement concept papers due April 21, 2023
This is an opportunity to catalyze high-impact, large-scale, transformational advanced industrial facilities to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in energy-intensive industrial subsectors. Activities funded under this funding opportunity are further expected to create good-paying jobs for American workers, offer opportunities for broadly shared prosperity in communities, and enable a clean, more equitable future for all Americans.

U.S. Economic Development Administration FY 2023 Public Work and Economic Adjustment Assistance (PWEAA) applications accepted on an ongoing basis
The goal of this grant opportunity is to address environmental justice priorities and improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by providing pollution prevention technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction. There are no application submission deadlines for this opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the publication of a new notice of funding 0pportunity (NOFO), cancellation of the FY 2023 NOFO, or all available funds have been expended.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY 2023-2024 Pollution Prevention Grants: Environmental Justice in Communities applications due June 6, 2023
The goal of this grant opportunity is to address environmental justice priorities and improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by providing pollution prevention technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY 2023-2024 Pollution Prevention Grants: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable Products applications due June 20, 2023
The goal of this grant opportunity is to address environmental justice by providing pollution prevention technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) to improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by increasing the supply, demand, and use of safer and more sustainable products.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Children and Families – The Office of Refugee Resettlement Employer Engagement Program applications due May 8, 2023
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to strengthen employer engagement in the integration and self-sufficiency of refugees within the community. Program recipients will enter into formal partnerships with employees to develop training curricula, provide career counseling, and strengthen opportunities for workplace-based training, apprenticeships, and internships for refugee participants. Program recipients will provide support in identifying and funding workplace instructors and will supply liaisons to design work-oriented language and training curricula, schedule and announce services, and coordinate with employment case managers for referral and enrollment to support career advancement.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Health Resources and Services Administration Rural Health Care Coordination Program applications due May 15, 2023
The purpose of this program is to promote rural health care services outreach by improving and expanding delivery of health care services through comprehensive care coordination strategies in rural areas. This award is intended to serve as initial seed funding to implement creative community-based health solutions in rural communities to expand access to and coordination of care with the expectation that awardees will then be able to sustain the program after the federal funding ends.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Cooperative Agreements for School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth applications due May 8, 2023
The purpose of this program is to increase student access to evidence-based and culturally relevant trauma support services and mental health care by developing innovative initiatives, activities, and programs to link local school systems with local trauma-informed support and mental health systems, including those under the Indian Health Service. This program aims to further enhance and improve trauma-informed support and mental health services for children and youth.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Planning, Development, and Implementation Grant applications due May 22, 2023
The purpose of this program is to transform community behavioral health systems and provide comprehensive, coordinated behavioral health care by: assisting organizations in the planning for and development and implementation of a new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC), providing a comprehensive range of outreach, screening, assessment, treatment, care coordination, and recovery supports based on a needs assessment, and supporting recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorders (SUD) by providing access to high-quality mental health and SUD services, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Improvement and Advancement Grant applications due May 22, 2023
The purpose of this program is to transform community behavioral health systems and provide comprehensive, coordinated behavioral health care by (a) enhancing and improving Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHCs) that meet the CCBHC Certification Criteria; (b) providing a comprehensive range of outreach, screening, assessment, treatment, care coordination, and recovery supports based on a needs assessment with fidelity to the CCBHC Certification Criteria; and (c) supporting recovery from mental illness and/or substance use disorders by providing access to high-quality mental health and substance use services, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.

U.S. Department of Justice; Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 2023 The Smart Policing Initiative Grant Program Grants.gov deadline May 1, 2023, and JustGrants deadline May 8, 2023
Through this opportunity, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) seeks applications for funding to support innovative and evidence-based policing practices, more effective information sharing, and multiagency collaboration under the Smart Policing Initiative Program to provide funding to law enforcement agencies seeking to improve their use of evidence-based policing practices, data, and technology.

U.S. Department of Justice; Community Oriented Policing Services FY23 Implementing Crisis Intervention Teams- Community Policing Development Solicitation Grants.gov deadline May 1, 2023, and JustGrants deadline May 8, 2023
The goal of FY 2023 Implementing Crisis Intervention Teams solicitation is to provide funding to support the implementation of crisis intervention teams, including embedding behavioral or mental health professionals with law enforcement agencies, training for law enforcement officers and embedded behavioral or mental health professionals in crisis intervention response, or a combination of these strategies.

U.S. Department of Justice; Community Oriented Policing Services FY23 Microgrants -Community Policing Development Solicitation Grants.gov deadline May 1, 2023 and JustGrants deadline May 8, 2023
The Fiscal Year 2023 Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants Program funds are used to develop law enforcement’s capacity to implement community policing strategies by providing funding to local, state, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.

U.S. Department of Justice; Community Oriented Policing Services FY23 Community Policing Development Solicitation (COPS) Hiring Program Grants.gov deadline May 4, 2023, and JustGrants deadline May 11, 2023
The goal of the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is to provide funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire additional career law enforcement officers in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Anticipated outcomes of this program include engagement in planned community partnerships, implementation of projects to analyze and assess problems, implementation of changes to personnel and agency management in support of community policing, and increased capacity of agency to engage in community policing activities.

U.S. Department of Justice; Community Oriented Policing Services FY23 Community Policing Development Solicitation School Violence Prevention Program Grants.gov deadline May 10, 2023 and JustGrants deadline May 17, 2023
The goal of the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is to improve security at schools and on school grounds through the implementation of evidence-based school safety programs and technology. SVPP awards will contribute to this goal by funding projects which include funding of civilian personnel to serve as coordinators with local law enforcement, training for local law enforcement officers, purchase and installation of certain allowable equipment and technology, and other measures to significantly improve school security.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office for Victims of Crime FY 2023 Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Grants.gov deadline May 4, 2023 and JustGrants deadline May 11, 2023
Office for Victims of Crime leads the Nation in supporting victim-centered and trauma-informed programs, policies, and resources that promote justice, access, and empowerment to enhance capacity to identify, assist, and provide services to all victims of human trafficking. With this solicitation, Office for Victims of Crime seeks to provide funding for services to victims of severe forms of human trafficking.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office on Violence Against Women Grants to Prevent and Respond to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Sex Trafficking Against Children and Youth Program Grants.gov deadline March 24, 2023 and JustGrants deadline March 28, 2023
This funding opportunity supports comprehensive, community-based efforts to develop or expand prevention, intervention, treatment, and response strategies to address the needs of children and youth impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office on Violence Against Women Grants to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls Program Grants.gov deadline March 24, 2023 and JustGrants deadline March 28, 2023
This funding opportunity supports projects that create educational programming and community organizing to encourage men and boys to work as allies with women and girls to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office on Violence Against Women Fiscal Year 2023 Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Response Grants.gov deadline April 20, 2023, and JustGrants deadline April 27, 2023
The Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Response Program encourages state, local, and tribal governments, and courts to improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as serious violations of criminal law, and to seek safety and autonomy for victims, by requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system.

U.S. Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program applications due May 30, 2023
The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program) is a new competitive grant program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work, urban and rural areas alike, in addition to along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. CFI Program investments will make modern and sustainable infrastructure accessible to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and L gas vehicles.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program applications due May 19, 2023
The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program enables Veterans Affairs to provide resources toward community-based suicide prevention efforts to meet the needs of Veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and connection to Veterans Affairs and community resources.

Next Phase of FY24 Appropriations Process Begins

Administration Officials Head to the Hill to Make FY24 Budget Case

With most Member deadlines for constituent requests for the FY24 appropriations cycle coming to a close this week and next, Members and staff must now sort through the hundreds if not thousands of requests and recommendations received and decide which to put forward to the Committee and Subcommittee by those deadlines over the course of the next few weeks. While that internal process is taking place, Administration officials are headed to Capitol Hill to appear in front of both authorizing and appropriations committees to justify their FY24 budget requests. Among them, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra appeared this week. Your WSW team will be reporting out to you directly on hearings impacting your key areas of interests. All of these activities come in advance of the mark-up of FY24 appropriations bills which we expect could begin as early as this spring or early summer in both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

Here’s what else you may have missed this week:

President Biden issues first veto. President Biden issued the first veto of his presidency this week to protect an administrative initiative promoting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies for retirement fund managers. Republicans oppose ESG practices, claiming such practices can be contrary to the interests of investors. Their attempt to override the president’s veto failed in the House on Thursday.

Recent bank failures add pressure to debt limit negotiations. The Congressional agenda is only getting more challenging with recent bank failures adding to significant economic uncertainties and making the stakes around raising the nation’s debt ceiling even higher. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates again this week in continued attempts to drive down inflation while expressing confidence that the U.S. banking system was sound. House Leader McCarthy continues to call for major concessions on reducing overall levels of federal spending while President Biden continues to call for early action on a clean measure to raise the debt limit and to do so sooner rather than later to add certainty to an otherwise uncertain landscape. This standoff shows no signs of abating in the near-term. In the weeks to come, the Biden Administration is expected to hit the road to continue to highlight major economic investments resulting from the work of the last two years including the Infrastructure Act and the CHIPS Act.

High profile Congressional hearings continue. The parade of CEOs before Congress continued this week with TikTok’s CEO facing bipartisan fire over the social media company’s Chinese ownership and invasive presence in the private lives of Americans and the security threat posed by the Chinese Communist party’s access to the company. Both Executive Branch and Legislative action restricting and even barring access to TikTok in the U.S. is anticipated. Next week, recently retired Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz will face Senate HELP Chairman Bernie Sanders over what Sanders views as the company’s anti-union practices.

IHE G-News: Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Agriculture Scientific Cooperation and Research applications due May 10, 2023
The Scientific Cooperation Research Program supports joint research, extension, and education projects — lasting up to two years — between U.S. researchers and researchers from selected emerging market economies. The projects address issues including agricultural trade and market access, climate-smart agriculture, animal and plant health, biotechnology, food safety and security, and sustainable natural resource management. Since 1980, the program has supported hundreds of projects, enhancing the technical skills of agricultural professionals and helping beneficiary countries to be more competitive consumers of U.S. agricultural products.

U.S. Department of Defense; Department of the Army – Materiel Command U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavior and Social Sciences Broad Agency Announcement for Basic Research applications due July 15, 2023
The mission of the Basic Research Program is to execute high-risk, high-reward foundational research to develop state-of-the-art theory, methods, and models to create the innovative concepts required to support the Army’s future capabilities and needs related to personnel readiness. The Basic Research program employs four strategic focus areas for advancing science.

1. Science of Measurement of Individuals and Collectives: Advanced psychometric theory for deriving valid measurements from complex assessments and continuous streams of data.
2. Understanding Multilevel and Organizational Dynamics: Multilevel theory and methods for understanding dynamic restructuring, coordination, and composition processes in complex organizations.
3. Formal/Informal Learning and Development: Holistic models of individual and collective learning across work settings and contexts throughout the career span.
4. Context of Behavior in Military Environments: Integrative theory specifying the interactive relationships between individual characteristics and contextual drivers in predicting human behavior.

U.S. Department of Energy; Office of Science Quantum Testbed Pathfinder pre-applications due March 31, 2023
The mission of this program is to discover, develop, and deploy computational and networking capabilities to analyze, model, simulate and predict complex phenomena for the advancement of science. Applications should address the following questions:

1. What can fundamental physical limits on quantum processors tell us about what quantum computers can and cannot do?
2. How can we use Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices to move our understanding of when and how quantum computers might be useful as far forward as possible?
3. How can we best assess the utility of a given (existing or hypothetical) quantum processor for advancing the frontiers of computational science?

U.S. Department of Energy; Office of Science Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing pre-applications due April 7, 2023
This funding opportunity invites new applications for the Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing (SciDAC-5) Partnerships that enable or accelerate scientific discovery and programmatic objectives, aligned with the Fusion Energy Sciences mission and the Department of Energy’s vision for fusion energy, through effective collaborations between fusion/plasma scientists and applied mathematicians and/or computer scientists from the SciDAC Institutes that fully exploit the capabilities of the Department of Energy’s High Performance Computing facilities.

U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Decarbonization and Emissions Reduction Demonstration-to-Deployment Funding Opportunity Announcement concept papers due April 21, 2023
This funding opportunity offers a critical opportunity to solidify a “first-mover” advantage for U.S. industry, bolstering its competitiveness globally for decades into the future. Activities funded under this funding opportunity are expected to create good-paying jobs for American workers, offer opportunities for broadly shared prosperity in communities, and enable a clean, more equitable future for all Americans. Demonstrating the technical and commercial viability of industrial decarbonization approaches will promote widespread technology implementation and drive a U.S. edge in low- and net-zero carbon manufacturing while helping to substantiate a market for low-carbon products.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Exploratory Grants for Climate Change and Health Research Center Development applications due May 1, 2023
This program will support the development of a transdisciplinary research environment to sustain a program of fundamental and applied research to examine the impacts of climate change on health and to develop action-oriented solutions to protect the health of individuals, communities, and nations from the hazards posed by climate change. This opportunity will allow development of new research teams collaborating with communities and other partners to develop projects that generate data that will build or expand research capacity across a range of thematic scientific areas in support of the four core tenets of the National Institute of Health’s Initiative in climate heath research: health effects research, health equity, intervention research, and training and capacity building.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Short Courses for Mental Health Related Research letters of intent due May 25, 2023
This program supports research education activities in the mission areas of the National Institutes of Health. The over-arching goal of this program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nations biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Mentoring Networks for Mental Health Research Education letters of intent due April 25, 2023
This program supports research education activities in the mission areas of the National Institutes of Health. The over-arching goal of this program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nations biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Research Education Programs for Psychiatry Residents applications due May 25, 2023
The over-arching goal of the Health Research Education Programs for Psychiatry Residents program is to support educational activities that help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds to research careers in biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Minority Fellowship Program applications due May 9, 2023
The purpose of this program is to recruit, train, and support master’s and doctoral level students in behavioral health care professions by: increasing the knowledge of mental and/or substance use disorder behavioral health professionals on issues related to prevention, treatment, and recovery support for individuals who are from racial and ethnic minority populations and have a mental or substance use disorder; increasing the number of culturally competent mental and substance use disorders professionals who teach, administer services, conduct research, and provide direct mental and/or substance use disorder services to racial and ethnic minority populations; and improving the quality of mental and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services delivered to racial and ethnic minority populations. With this program, SAMHSA aims to reduce behavioral health disparities, advance the quality of mental and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services, and improve health care outcomes for racial and ethnic minority populations.

U.S. Department of Justice; National Institute of Justice Research on Juvenile Justice Topics Grants.gov deadline May 29, 2023 and JustGrants deadline June 12, 2023
This solicitation seeks proposals for studies that advance knowledge and understanding in the following three categories:
1. Research and evaluation of legislative and administrative policy changes affecting youth involved in the justice system. Applicants must address one or more of the following three specified juvenile justice issues:
providing community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, with a focus on very high need/risk youth who have traditionally been held securely; sealing and expungement of juvenile justice records; and/or reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.
2. Research to assess dual system youth data capacity and service delivery across juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
3. Analysis on the use of the valid court order exception.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office on Violence Against Women Strengthening Culturally Specific Campus’ Approaches to Address Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative Grants.gov deadline April 27, 2023 and JustGrants deadline May 2, 2023
This grant encourages institutions of higher education to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus, develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving such crimes on campus, and develop and strengthen prevention education and awareness programs.

U.S. Department of Justice; Office on Violence Against Women Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus Program Grants.gov deadline May 4, 2023 and JustGrants deadline May 9, 2023
The Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus encourages institutions of higher education to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus, develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving such crimes on campus, and develop and strengthen prevention education and awareness programs.

U.S. Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program applications due May 30, 2023

*Public Institutions of Higher Education could be eligible as an agency of the State*

The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program) is a new competitive grant program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work, urban and rural areas alike, in addition to along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. CFI Program investments will make modern and sustainable infrastructure accessible to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles. This program provides two funding categories of grants: Community Charging and Fueling Grants; and Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pollution Prevention Grants: Environmental Justice in Communities applications due June 6, 2023
The goal of this grant opportunity is to address environmental justice priorities and improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by providing pollution prevention technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction. Implementing pollution prevention approaches can help businesses reduce the use and release of hazardous substances that can adversely impact human health and the environment while at the same time help businesses save money by reducing their resource use, expenditures, waste, and liability costs.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pollution Prevention Grants: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable Products applications due June 20, 2023
The goal of this grant opportunity is to address environmental justice by providing pollution prevention technical assistance to businesses to improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by increasing the supply, demand and use of safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice Program, or those that conform to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing.