Local Government G-News September 6, 2023

September 6, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fiscal Year 2024 Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law letters of intent due October 27, 2023

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support the removal of large marine debris throughout the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. These removal projects should focus on large marine debris, including abandoned and derelict vessels, derelict fishing gear, and other debris that is generally unable to be collected by hand.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fiscal Year 2024 Marine Debris Interception Technologies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law letters of intent due November 15, 2023

The Marine Debris Program, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support the installation of proven marine debris interception technologies, throughout the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. Projects will focus on the installation, monitoring, and maintenance of proven marine debris interception technologies that will capture marine debris at or close to known marine debris sources or pathways.

U.S. Department of Energy; National Energy Technology Laboratory Inflation Reduction Act Transmission Siting and Economic Development Program concept papers due October 31, 2023

This program aims to ensure the timely siting and construction of new or upgraded interstate or offshore electric transmission facilities while providing economic benefits to impacted communities. In order to accelerate and strengthen siting and permitting activities carried out by state, local, and Tribal siting and permitting authorities, this program will support efforts to standardize and streamline siting and permitting processes, coordinate across jurisdictions, and carry out robust public engagement, among other things. In order to provide economic benefits to communities impacted by the construction and operation of interstate or offshore transmission lines, including economically disadvantaged communities and environmental justice communities, this program will provide funds to siting authorities or other types of state, local, or Tribal governmental entities to support a wide range of projects that provide benefits targeted to the needs of impacted communities.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2 Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024 Wetland Program Development Grants applications due October 24, 2023

Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) assist state, tribal, territory, and local government agencies and interstate/intertribal entities in developing or refining state, tribal, territory, local programs which protect, manage, and restore wetlands. The primary focus of these grants is to develop or refine state, tribal, and territory wetland programs. A secondary focus is to develop or refine local (e.g., county or municipal) programs. Projects must be performed within one or more of the states, territories, and federally recognized tribal nations of EPA Region 2 specifically within the geographic boundary of New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and/or the U.S. Virgin Islands to be eligible to apply for funding.

IHE G-News August 30, 2023

August 30, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Removal Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law letters of intent due October 27, 2023

The overall objective of this funding opportunity is to support impactful, large marine debris removal projects that will improve the resilience of the coastal and marine environment. This competition considers impactful projects to be those that will have long-lasting and transformational benefits to marine and coastal trust resources, coastal communities, and/or local economies. To accomplish this, the Marine Debris Program seeks proposals for projects that remove and dispose of large marine debris, such as abandoned and derelict vessels, derelict fishing gear, and other large debris, and prevent the re-accumulation of marine debris in the environment.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Interception Technologies Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law letters of intent due November 15, 2023

This funding opportunity will support the installation, monitoring, and maintenance of proven marine debris interception and removal technologies to benefit marine and coastal trust resources, coastal communities, and/or local economies. For the purpose of this funding opportunity, marine debris interception technologies include devices, such as litter traps, shoreline removal technologies, booms, skimmers, conveyors with receptacles, floating collection devices, etc., that capture trash, plastics, and other macro-debris. Proven interception technologies are those that are not prototype devices and do not require additional research and development prior to deployment, and have been used successfully in the environment in which they are being proposed. These interception technologies may be utilized alone or together as part of a wider interception strategy.

NEW: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health Precision Surgical Interventions abstracts due September 21, 2023

The aim of the Precision Surgical Interventions (PSI) program is to catalyze advancements in the surgical field, with the final goals of providing the surgeon with revolutionary tissue visualization and classification tools, thus increasing surgical precision, decreasing reoperations, and improving patient care. PSI seeks to develop technologies that improve surgical outcomes through two technical areas:

  • Area 1 aims to develop systems that image tumors intraoperatively at microscopic scales, and requires performers to develop an end-to-end pathology system that operates at the bedside or in vivo and classifies margins as positive or negative within 15 minutes, without a pathologist.
  • Area 2 aims to develop devices and software to localize and visualize critical anatomical structures (nerves, blood vessels and organs) in three-dimensional during surgery, and requires performers to develop a real-time, end-to-end system that enables visualization of critical structures buried up to one centimeter deep.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities applications due November 1, 2023

This program solicits proposals on behalf of individuals pursuing or planning to pursue master’s or doctoral degrees in relevant space technology disciplines at accredited U.S. universities. Space Technology Graduate Research Fellows will perform research at their respective campuses and at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Centers. Each recipient will be matched with a technically relevant and community-engaged NASA researcher who will serve as the research collaborator on the award. Through this collaboration, graduate students will be able to take advantage of broader and/or deeper space technology research opportunities directly related to their academic and career objectives, acquire a more detailed understanding of the potential end applications of their space technology efforts, and directly disseminate their research results within the NASA community.

National Science Foundation Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases proposals due November 15, 2023

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, organismal, and social drivers that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be the quantitative, mathematical, or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease (re)emergence and transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of (re)emergence and transmission among any host species, including but not limited to humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of vectors and reservoir species or hosts; how the physiology or behavior of the pathogen, vector, or host species biology affects transmission dynamics; the feedback between ecological transmission and evolutionary dynamics; and the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of pathogen transmission and disease. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, enteric, or respiratory pathogens of either terrestrial, aquatic, or marine systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems.

Local Government G-News August 25, 2023

August 25, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act applications due November 17, 2023

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) seeks habitat restoration projects that enhance coastal resilience. This solicitation will fund projects that demonstrate high priority and transformative potential within the geographic region where restoration actions are proposed. A variety of habitat types are eligible within this funding opportunity, ranging from marine, estuarine, and coastal ecosystems at the land-sea interface (including coastal rivers), to the freshwater coastal ecosystems of the Great Lakes. Applicants should address the following set of program priorities: 1) sustaining productive fisheries and strengthening ecosystem resilience; 2) enhancing community resilience to climate hazards and providing other co-benefits; 3) fostering regionally important habitat restoration; and 4) providing benefits to tribal, indigenous, and/or underserved communities, including through partnerships.

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention FY 2023 Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success Grants.gov deadline September 28, 2023, and Justgrants deadline October 10, 2023

With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks to support communities in conducting planning and assessment activities that will inform the development of a community-based continuum of promising and evidence-based prevention and intervention services that will serve as a strong foundation for preventing youth from entering the juvenile justice system, diverting them from moving deeper into the system (i.e., detention and corrections) and ultimately providing them with the skills they need to lead productive, safe, healthy, and law-abiding lives. The Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative will provide funding to state and local jurisdictions that have high rates of youth incarceration to develop a continuum of care that includes a focus on positive youth development, prevention, diversion, and treatment services.

National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Advancement Grants applications due January 1, 2024

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Office of Digital Humanities is accepting applications for the Digital Humanities Advancement Grants program. The program supports innovative, experimental, and/or computationally challenging digital projects leading to work that can scale to enhance scholarly research, teaching, and public programming in the humanities.

IHE G-News August 18, 2023

August 18, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants due November 17, 2023

The goal of this funding opportunity is to support transformational habitat restoration projects that restore marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lakes ecosystems, using approaches that enhance community and ecosystem resilience to climate hazards. Funding will prioritize habitat restoration actions that: demonstrate significant impacts; rebuild productive and sustainable fisheries; contribute to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species; promote climate-resilient ecosystems, especially in underserved communities; and improve economic vitality, including local employment.

U.S. Department of Education; Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Program for Career-Connected High Schools applications due October 13, 2023

The purpose of the Perkins Innovation and Modernization grant program is to identify, support, and rigorously evaluate evidence-based and innovative strategies and activities to improve and modernize career and technical education (CTE) and ensure workforce skills taught in CTE programs align with labor market needs. Specifically, this funding opportunity will support projects that will build capacity among secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce development systems to expand access to career-connected high school programs for more students. Career-connected high schools are those that offer systematic postsecondary counseling and career advising, dual or concurrent enrollment, work-based learning, and programs that offer opportunities to earn an industry-recognized credential.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health releases Personal Health Informatics for Delivering Actionable Insights funding opportunity announcement

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to advance the development of novel informatics and data science approaches that can help individuals understand and improve their health through actionable insights. Applications will further the science of personal health informatics by providing meaningful and actionable insights to individuals through innovative personal health data collection, integration, analysis, and personalized risk assessments and interpretation. Applications seeking to advance the understanding of how informatics tools, systems, and platforms can best present the results, interpretation, and limitations of personalized assessments for the benefit of individuals are encouraged. Applications should include end user engaged approaches and real-world evaluation to inform the design of generalizable, reusable, and scalable personal health informatics tools, systems, and platforms for the benefit of individuals in understanding and improving their health.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health reissues Alcohol and Other Substance Use Research Education Programs for Health Professionals funding opportunity announcement

The goal of this program is to support educational activities that foster a better understanding of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research on alcohol and other substance use disorders and their implications. To accomplish this goal, this funding opportunity will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on outreach. Specifically, this funding opportunity will support projects designed to engage practicing health care professionals in education about current and emerging knowledge derived from scientific research on the neurobiology, epidemiology, prevention, and/or treatment of alcohol and other substance use disorders and related health conditions, with the ultimate goal of improving care for individuals who use alcohol and other substances.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health reissues Alcohol Health Services Research funding opportunity announcement

This funding opportunity will broadly focus on closing the treatment gap for individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Within this focus, there are five major areas of emphasis:

  • Increasing access to treatment for AUD;
  • Making treatment for AUD more appealing;
  • Examining cost structures and insurance systems;
  • Conducting studies on dissemination and implementation of existing evidence-based approaches to treating AUD; and
  • Reducing health disparities as a means of addressing the treatment gap in AUD for health disparity populations.

U.S. Department of Labor; Employment and Training Administration Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants due November 14, 2023

The purpose of this grant program is to build community colleges’ capacity to meet the skill development needs of employers and equitably support students in obtaining good jobs in in-demand industries. Proposed projects should enhance sector-based career pathways programs using strategies rooted in evidence and designed to build further evidence on the effectiveness of sector-based career pathways programs in leading to positive employment outcomes. Successful applicants will use the diverse strengths of their partnership members to accomplish and sustain systems change, and enhancements funded by this grant program will ultimately benefit a broad range of current and future students at participating institutions, including dislocated workers, employed workers, and new entrants to the workforce.

Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grants for Museums applications due November 15, 2023

This program is designed to support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public. Projects are expected to:

  • Generate results such as models, new tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated;
  • Reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the subject matter and an awareness of and support for current strategic priorities in the field;
  • Use collaboration to demonstrate broad need, field-wide buy-in and input, and access to appropriate expertise;
  • Articulate intentional impact across one or more disciplines within the museum field; and
  • Employ novel approaches to the project area, as may be appropriate.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Museums for America applications due November 15, 2023

The Museums for America program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff applications due November 15, 2023

This program is designed to support projects that use the transformative power of professional development and training to generate systemic change within museums of all types and sizes. Projects are expected to involve multiple levels of staff, leadership, and volunteers in a set of logical, interrelated activities tied directly to addressing a key need or challenge; reflect a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about professional development; and generate measurable results.

National Endowment for the Humanities Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education applications due October 18, 2023

The Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education program supports the exploration and development of small projects that would benefit underserved populations through the teaching and study of the humanities at small and medium-sized colleges and universities. The program supports activities including but not limited to curricular or program development, expert consultations, speakers’ series, student research, creation of teaching resources, and community engagement. Projects may benefit students, faculty, the institution or organization, and/or the community.

National Endowment for the Humanities Collaborative Research applications due November 29, 2023

This program supports groups of two or more scholars seeking to increase humanistic knowledge through convenings, manuscript preparation for collaborative publications, the creation of scholarly digital projects, or the planning of an international collaboration. Projects must pursue significant research questions and lead to a tangible interpretive product. The collaborative work can be rooted in a single field or cross disciplines. Collaboration with scholars working in the natural or social sciences is encouraged, but projects must focus on humanistic content and employ humanistic methods.

National Science Foundation Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes preliminary proposals due October 31, 2023

This solicitation expands the nationwide network of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes by inviting proposals for institutes that have a principal focus in one of the following three new themes aimed at transformational advances in a range of economic sectors, and science and engineering fields:

  • Theme 1: AI for Astronomical Sciences;
  • Theme 2: AI for Discovery in Materials Research; and
  • Theme 3: Strengthening AI.

National Science Foundation Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science proposals due November 9, 2023

The purpose of this program is to support the development of transformative high-risk, high-reward advances in computer and information science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, behavioral and/or cognitive research to address pressing questions in the biomedical and public health communities. Transformations hinge on scientific and engineering innovations by interdisciplinary teams that develop novel methods to intuitively and intelligently collect, sense, connect, analyze and interpret data from individuals, devices and systems to enable discovery and optimize health. Solutions to these complex biomedical or public health problems demand the formation of interdisciplinary teams that are ready to address these issues, while advancing fundamental science and engineering.

Local Government G-News August 9, 2023

August 9, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Energy; Golden Field Office 2023 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Energy Future Grants (EFG) Creating a Community-Led Energy Future applications due September 30, 2023

The Energy Future Grants (EFG) provides financial assistance to support local, state, and tribal government-led partnership efforts that will advance clean energy program innovation. EFG seeks to enhance energy affordable and access for communities, ensuring the broad benefits of a clean energy economy—including heath, economic development and jobs and emissions reductions—flow to disadvantaged communities.

U.S. Department of Energy; National Energy Technology Laboratory BIL – Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Section 40302 Concept papers accepted on a rolling basis and full applications due April 30, 2024

With funding provided from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Section 40302, the Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants program will help offset 50% of the costs to states, local governments, and public utilities or agencies to procure and use products developed through the conversion of captured carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions. The commercial or industrial products to be procured and used under these grants must demonstrate a significant net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to incumbent products via a life cycle analysis (LCA).

U.S. Department of Transportation Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Stage I Planning and Prototyping grant applications due October 10, 2023

The Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety. The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for Stage 1 Planning and Prototyping applications for demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) applications due December 1, 2023

To address these diesel emissions and protect public health and air quality, authorized under Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), this funding opportunity provides assistance to accelerate the upgrade, retrofit, and turnover of the legacy diesel fleet.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Children and Families – Office of Refugee Resettlement Support for Trauma-Affected Refugees (STAR) applications due October 2, 2023

The goals of the Support for Trauma-Affected Refugees (STAR) Program are the integration and successful achievement of sustained physical, social, emotional, and economic well-being of those underserved refugees and other newcomers eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) services (hereafter referred to as “newcomers” for simplicity) whose experience of trauma is impeding their ability to function effectively at home, school, work or in social settings. Using STAR funds, recipients will provide eligible newcomers with holistic and integrated case management services, including health, psychological, and social adjustment services directly. Through project-related activities, recipients will simultaneously enhance their capacity to serve such populations.

IHE G-News July 31, 2023

July 31, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences Education Research applications due September 21, 2023

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports field-initiated research to build knowledge and understanding of education practice and policy that will help improve education experiences and outcomes for all learners across the lifespan in the U.S. Through this program, IES supports both basic and applied research that contributes to scientific knowledge and theory of teaching, learning, and organizing education systems; yields outcomes and products that are useful to learners and the educators and education institutions that serve them; and informs stakeholders about the cost and practical benefits and effects of programs, practices, and policies on relevant outcomes. IES will consider applications that address one of the following topics:

  • Career and Technical Education
  • Civics Education and Social Studies
  • Cognition and Student Learning
  • Early Learning Programs and Policies
  • Improving Education Systems
  • Literacy
  • Policies, Practices, and Programs to Support English Learners
  • Postsecondary and Adult Education
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
  • Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Context for Teaching and Learning
  • Teaching, Teachers, and the Education Workforce

U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences Special Education Research applications due September 21, 2023

This program supports rigorous special education research that addresses practical problems and issues facing learners with or at risk for disabilities, their families, practitioners, and policymakers. IES encourages a broad range of research, including studies that may have more than one research focus, such as reading and behavior, and may focus broadly on students with disabilities or on a particular disability, such as autism spectrum disorders. The range of research supported through this program includes, but is not limited to, programs to improve child development and school readiness; academic and/or behavioral interventions; instructional practices and/or professional development programs for teachers and other school-based personnel; strategies for improving the family support and engagement critical to the success of students with disabilities; policies and systems-level interventions and programs to address school finance, school-community collaborations, or school structures that affect educational progress for students with disabilities; transition from secondary school to postsecondary education, career, and/or independent living; as well as access to, persistence in, and completion of postsecondary education.

U.S. Department of Education; Institute of Education Sciences Research Training Programs in Special Education applications due September 21, 2023

This program prepares researchers to conduct rigorous and relevant early intervention and special education research. The intention is to support investigators in the early stages of their academic careers who have an established interest in special education research and to prepare them for an independent research career focused on learners with or at risk of disabilities. Under this program, investigators complete an integrated research and career development plan with guidance from experienced mentors.

U.S. Department of Education; Office for Postsecondary Education Postsecondary Student Success Program applications due September 25, 2023

The purpose of this program is to equitably improve postsecondary student outcomes, including retention, transfer, credit accumulation, and completion, by leveraging data and implementing, scaling, and rigorously evaluating evidence-based activities to support data-driven decisions and actions by institutional leaders committed to inclusive student success.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative: Novel Targets for Opioid Use Disorders and Opioid Overdose applications due February 1, 2024

This opportunity is part of the National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addictions Long-term (HEAL) initiative to accelerate the development of novel medications to treat all aspects of the opioid addiction cycle, including progression to chronic use, withdrawal symptoms, craving, relapse, and overdose. This specific funding opportunity will support research focusing on the identification of druggable new targets and discovery of optimizable probes for development of safe and efficacious medications to prevent and treat opioid use disorders, opioid overdose, and opioid-polysubstance use comorbidities.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences applications due February 15, 2024

The overarching goal of this program is to encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce, to pursue further studies or careers in research by supporting creative educational activities with a primary focus on courses for skills development, research experiences, and mentoring activities. The fully integrated educational activities should prepare undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences. To accomplish this institutional awards will be provided to develop neuroscience research education programs comprised of collaborative partnerships integrated across different educational institution types. Each partnership must include:

  • one or more institutions that either have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research or have a documented track record of recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students, which has resulted in a historically documented contribution by the institution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers;
  • a research-intensive institution that has an established neuroscience or neuroscience-related program;
  • integrated curriculum/academic enhancement and research experience activities designed to increase participants’ preparation to enter doctoral programs in the neurosciences; and
  • well-described plans to provide early communication and interaction between participating students and graduate neuroscience programs across the country.

National Endowment for the Humanities Dangers and Opportunities of Technology: Perspectives from the Humanities applications due October 11, 2023

This program supports research that examines technology and its relationship to society through the lens of the humanities, with a focus on the dangers and/or opportunities presented by technology, broadly defined. The National Endowment for the Humanities is particularly interested in projects that examine the role of technology in shaping current social and cultural issues.

National Science Foundation Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems proposals due November 17, 2023

The Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems (DISES) Program supports research projects that advance basic scientific understanding of integrated socio-environmental systems and the complex interactions within and among the environmental and human components of such a system. The program seeks proposals that emphasize the truly integrated nature of a socio-environmental system versus two discrete systems (a natural one and a human one) that are coupled. DISES projects must explore a connected and integrated socio-environmental system that includes explicit analysis of the processes and dynamics between the environmental and human components of the system.

Local Government G-News July 24, 2023

July 24, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Rural Utilities Service Powering Affordable Clean Energy letters of interest due September 29, 2023

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program PACE helps make clean, affordable, and reliable energy accessible to the people of rural America. PACE will forgive up to 60 percent of loans for renewable energy projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass, as well as for renewable energy storage projects. The PACE program is available to eligible applicants that generate electricity for resale to residents in both rural and nonrural areas. However, at least 50 percent of the population served by the proposed renewable energy project must live in communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FY2023 Ocean-Based Climate Resilience applications due September 11, 2023

The Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators funding opportunity seeks to fund develop business accelerators that provide specific programming and opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs aligned with identified marine-based climate resilience theme areas: ocean renewable energy; coastal and ocean carbon sequestration monitoring and accounting; Hazard Mitigation and Coastal Resilience; and ecosystems services, including change detection, change analysis, and change adaptation/mitigation. The accelerators will support entrepreneurs and startups with training, resources, mentorship, and funding to bring ocean-based climate resilience solutions to market. This funding opportunity announcement addresses Phase One of what will be implemented as a two-phase process. In Phase One, NOAA seeks proposals from qualified accelerator entities that define an approach for scoping, planning, and designing climate resilience accelerator activities according to the requirements defined in this announcement.

U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund- African American Civil Rights- History Grants applications due October 10, 2023

The National Park Service’s (NPS) African American Civil Rights Grant Program (AACR) will document, interpret, and preserve the sites and stories of the full history of the African American struggle to gain equal rights from transatlantic slave trade forward. The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) will fund a broad range of history projects including survey and planning, research and documentation, interpretation and education, and collections conservation.

U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund- African American Civil Rights- Preservation Grants applications due October 10, 2023

Under the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), Preservation Grants will fund a broad range of preservation projects for historic sites including architectural services, historic structure reports, preservation plans, and physical preservation to structures.

Senate Appropriators Add $13.7 Billion Above Spending Caps

House and Senate Republicans Continue to Stymie the Biden Administration

Senate Appropriators on Thursday announced a bipartisan agreement to add $13.7 billion above the spending caps set by the Debt Limit Agreement to FY24 spending bills for both defense and domestic priorities. Senate Appropriations Chair Murray and Ranking Member Collins announced their intention to add $8 billion in defense spending and $5.7 billion in domestic spending. This decision comes as both House and Senate Appropriations Committees race to complete committee action on their respective versions of the FY24 appropriations bills before the August recess, a process which has seen increasingly heated debates in the House Appropriations Committee. As a reminder, the House has been marking up bills to spending levels well below the benchmark reached in the Debt Limit Agreement and adding numerous policy riders, so the gap continues to widen between the House and Senate with just weeks to go before the end of the current fiscal year on September 30, 2023. To track all the FY2024 appropriations developments please refer to the Congressional Research Service FY2024 Appropriations status table here.

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

Republican Senators are blocking a growing list of Biden nominees. Senators J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Rand Paul (R-KY) are taking a page from Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) playbook (who is blocking Department of Defense nominations over abortion policy) and blocking dozens of Biden Administration nominees to serve as U.S. ambassadors to a variety of countries. Most of these nominees are career Foreign Service officers, the types of nominees who typically sail through the Senate unimpeded. But Senators Vance and Paul are blocking these nominations to protest diversity initiatives in the Department of State and a lack of investigations on the origins of COVID-19, respectively. Other Senators critical of these actions have said that it is weakening America’s position in the world as adversaries have better and more direct relationships to other countries than we do. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has even threatened to have Senators work through the August recess to clear the log jam and go through the parliamentary processes to get these positions filled. Perhaps the threat will be enough to move the needle, but Republicans have seemed determined to keep the Biden Administration from getting any easy wins this year.

Speaker McCarthy reportedly promised to hold a vote to expunge former President Trump’s impeachments. As first reported exclusively by Politico earlier this week, Speaker McCarthy may have made assurances that the House would vote to expunge Trump’s record perhaps as early as next week. These promises were made privately, apparently in response to a growing spat between the embattled former-president and Speaker McCarthy over him refusing an endorsement this early in the Republican Presidential Primary. See the full article from Politico here.

House investigations continue, including IRS whistleblowers and a review of the DOJ. On Wednesday, House Republicans continued investigating the Biden Administration, holding a hearing with IRS whistleblowers to look into alleged pressure from the Department of Justice in seeking reduced penalties for President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, for tax fraud and gun charges to which he has plead guilty. The two IRS whistleblowers claimed during the House Oversight Committee Hearing that the investigation was slow-walked and given preferential treatment by the U.S. Attorney overseeing the case. This hearing in many ways was designed to build the case for an impeachment of Attorney General Merrick Garland or even President Biden, although many observers feel the hearing lacked any significant new revelations to make that outcome likely.

IHE G-News July 18, 2023

July 18, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

NEW: U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean-Based Climate Resilience applications due September 11, 2023

Funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Climate Resilience Accelerators will fund accelerator entities that will support businesses navigating commercialization pathways for coastal and ocean-based reliance solutions related to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s mission to help communities prepare for, adapt to and build resilience to climate challenges. The accelerators will support entrepreneurs and startups with training, resources, mentorship, and funding to bring ocean-based climate resilience solutions to market. This funding opportunity addresses Phase One of what will be implemented as a two-phase process. Phase One seeks proposals from qualified accelerator entities that define an approach for scoping, planning, and designing climate resilience accelerator activities according to the program requirements.

Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grants for Libraries preliminary proposals due September 20, 2023

The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program supports projects that address critical needs of the library and archives fields and have the potential to advance practice and strengthen library and archival services for the American public. Successful proposals will generate results such as new models, tools, research findings, services, practices, and/or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend and leverage the benefits of federal investment. Specifically, the goals for this program are to generate projects of far-reaching impact that:

  • Build the workforce and institutional capacity for managing the national information infrastructure and serving the information and education needs of the public.
  • Build the capacity of libraries and archives to lead and contribute to efforts that improve community well-being and strengthen civic engagement.
  • Improve the ability of libraries and archives to provide broad access to and use of information and collections with emphasis on collaboration to avoid duplication and maximize reach.
  • Strengthen the ability of libraries to provide services to affected communities in the event of an emergency or disaster.
  • Strengthen the ability of libraries, archives, and museums to work collaboratively for the benefit of the communities they serve.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program preliminary proposals due September 20, 2023

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program supports the training and professional development of library and archives professionals; developing faculty and information leaders; and recruiting, educating, and retaining the next generation of library and archives professionals in order to develop a diverse library and archival workforce and meet the information needs of their communities. Specifically, the goals for this program are to generate projects of far-reaching impact that:

  • Recruit, train, develop, and retain a diverse workforce of library and archives professionals.
  • Develop faculty, library, and archives leaders by increasing the institutional capacity of libraries, archives, and graduate programs related to library and information science.
  • Enhance the training and professional development of the library and archival workforce to meet the needs of their communities.

NEW: National Science Foundation National Quantum Virtual Laboratory letters of intent due October 6, 2023

The new National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) is a shared infrastructure designed to facilitate the translation from basic science and engineering to resultant technology, while at the same time emphasizing and advancing scientific and technical value. The NQVL aims to develop and utilize use-inspired and application-oriented quantum technologies. In the process, NQVL researchers will explore quantum frontiers, foster the Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) workforce education and training, engage in outreach activities at all levels, and promote broadening participation, diversity, equity, and inclusion in QISE, thereby lowering barriers at all entry points of the research enterprise.

Local Government G-News July 5, 2023

July 5, 2023
Federal Funding Opportunities

Environmental Protection Agency Solar for All notice of intent to apply due August 14, 2023 and applications due September 26, 2023

The Solar for All competition will fund applicants applying to expand existing or develop new Solar for All programs that ensure low-income households have access to residential rooftop and residential-serving community solar energy, often through providing financial support and other incentives.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Resilience Regional Challenge letters of intent due August 21, 2023

The Climate Resilience Regional Challenge supports collaborative approaches to achieving resilience and adaptation strategies for coastal areas. The challenge is a two-track competition designed to meet the needs of coastal communities wherever they are in the resilience and adaptation process. The goal of Track One is to collectively move more coastal communities closer to taking action, especially those that are marginalized, underserved, or underrepresented. Track One funding can be used to initiate new, regional-scale collaborations or to advance existing partnerships focused on climate resilience. Track Two funding is intended to support the implementation of a complementary suite of ambitious and achievable actions (approximately three to eight) that are grounded in existing plans and/or strategies aimed at addressing the resilience and adaptation challenges within a specified region.

U.S. Department of Commerce; Economic Development Administration FY 2023 Recompete Pilot Program – Phase 1 applications due October 5, 2023

The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) aims to alleviate persistent economic distress and support long-term, comprehensive economic development and job creation in places with a high prime-age (25 to 54 years) employment gap. EDA will run this competition in two phases through two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). In this Phase 1 NOFO, EDA will fund Strategy Development Grants and will approve Recompete Plans for certain regions. The Phase 2 NOFO, will allow eligible entities to compete for Implementation Grants which can fund a wide range of non-construction and construction activities that aim to increase regional capacity across the following four categories: workforce development; business and entrepreneur development; infrastructure; and additional planning, predevelopment, or technical assistance. Applicants must serve or be contained within an eligible geographic area. Applicants can determine eligibility using the Recompete Eligibility Mapping Tool.

U.S. Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2023 Inflation Reduction Act Climate-Ready Workforce for Coastal States and Territories Competition letters of intent due November 30, 2023

This funding opportunity assist communities in coastal and Great Lakes states and territories to form partnerships that will work collaboratively to support regional economies and their associated workforces by developing training programs that build in-demand skills, offering wraparound services that allow workers to successfully enroll in and complete training, and helping workers enter or advance into good jobs that enhance climate resilience. Wraparound services allow people to overcome barriers to participate in the program, especially individuals in underserved groups. Examples of wraparound services include transportation, childcare, elder care, and housing services.

U.S. Department of Energy Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Weatherization Program Assistance (WAP) Enhancement & Innovation applications due January 5, 2024

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Enhancement & Innovation grant program seeks applications from current WAP grantees and subgrants to expand the impact of the Department of Energy’s existing residential weatherization programs by utilizing leveraged resources and enhanced community partnerships to perform deep energy retrofits of low-income residential buildings and empower local community representation within the energy workforce. The Department seeks proposals that drive innovative approaches to program coordination and service delivery while fostering the collaboration of dynamic and diverse teams. Applicants can apply for one of the following three topic areas: 1) Multifamily Housing; 2) Single Family and Manufactured Housing; and 3) Workforce Development.

U.S. Department of Transportation FY 2023-2024 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity (MPDG) applications due August 21, 2023

This funding opportunity contains three grant programs: the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program (Mega), the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program (INFRA), and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (Rural). The funding opportunities support surface transportation infrastructure projects—including highway and bridge, intercity passenger rail, railway-highway grade crossing or separation, wildlife crossing, public transportation, marine highway, and freight projects, or groups of such projects—with significant national or regional impact, or to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas.

U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program applications due September 28, 2023

The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program supports planning, capital construction, and regional partnership activities that aim to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation or replacement of highways, roadways, or other infrastructure facilities that create barriers to mobility, access or economic development. The RCN funding opportunity is a combination of two major discretionary grant opportunities: The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) and Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Programs.