Grants for Public and State controlled institutions of higher education - Agriculture

The purpose of this research is to systematically evaluate the diastereomeric composition of LEQVIO (Inclisiran), an FDA-approved, N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated siRNA drug, and to understand the biological/pharmacological activity of each diastereomer in LEQVIO through stereo chemically controlled synthesis and biological activity assessment using in vitro and animal models. The proposed studies will focus on 1) synthesis of each diastereomer of LEQVIO (Inclisiran) in stereo chemically pure form; 2) assessment of the biological activity of each stereo chemically pure diastereomer in inhibiting PCSK9 activity using in vitro assays and in a transgenic mouse model; 3) development of analytical methods to identify and characterize the stereochemical structure of each diastereomer in LEQVIO; and 4) assessment of the individual contribution of each diastereomer to the overall pharmacological activity of LEQVIO. Tools developed in this research can also be applied to other similar GalNAc-conjugated siRNAs specifically, and other siRNAs in general. Knowledge gained from this research will also contribute to the sameness evaluation of generic siRNAs, and to the quality control of oligonucleotide drugs.

The purpose of the Research Facilities Act Program (RFAP) is to assist qualifying institutions with the costs related to constructing, purchasing, updating, renovating, or modifying agricultural research buildings to conduct research in the areas of agriculture and food sciences. The proposed agricultural research facility must expand the institution;apos;s capacity for long-term impactful research and must be the result of thorough strategic planning. Awards may be used to fund the construction of buildings or sites for agricultural research facilities or other facilities that store agricultural research experimental samples or specimens, as well as the purchase of real estate or durable equipment. Activities might include, but are not limited to:Evaluating infrastructure and sitesConceptual planning and design for a newly constructed, restored, or rebuilt structure or placeCreating construction plans and schematics for the facility or site that is being built, restored, or rebuilt.Building, restoring, or remodeling a facility or location.Investing in and putting in permanent equipment for research monitoring and safeguarding samples and specimens.Investing in and putting in essential building systems like electricity, climate control, security, life safety, lighting, utilities, telecommunications, and energy management.

The William Penn Foundation is offering a grant of over $1 million for one to two-year projects aimed at securing and preserving urban garden and farm parcels in Philadelphia, with activities including planning, technical assistance, stewardship, advocacy, and direct acquisition, open to 501(c)3 public charities, educational institutions, and government entities.

The Middle South Georgia Conservation District, a legal subdivision of the state of Georgia established in 1945, offers the Environmental and Agricultural Education Grant to promote education related to agriculture and natural resources within its nine-county service area. The grant supports educators from Pre-K to 12th grade and agricultural or natural resources-based entities in Ben Hill, Brooks, Colquitt, Crisp, Irwin, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties. Applicants can request up to $1,000 for projects including tools, books, software, lab equipment, field trips, and the development of natural resource areas. Applications are due by September 30, 2024.

This program provides financial support to local governments, tribal governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions in Florida to improve urban forestry initiatives and expand community tree canopies.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) SUMMARY INFORMATION Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Wetland Mitigation Banking Program Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-WMBP-24-NOFO0001315 Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.933 Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP) which can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/home. SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes. Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) delivers conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world. NRCS provides leadership and funding to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments and organizations. NRCS is committed to advancing equity, justice, and equal opportunity to ensure equitable access to programs and services available on private agricultural and forest lands. NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $7 million in WMBP grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the wetland conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as amended). WMBP is a competitive grants program accepting proposals from: federally recognized Native American tribal governments; state and local units of government; for-profit entities; nonprofits with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. Applications will be accepted from eligible entities in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation compliance requests. Based on NRCS data, these states are: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio. For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov. Key Dates Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on August 2, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. A webinar for potential WMBP applicants is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. (EST) on June 12, 2024. You can participate in the webinar through the following options: Microsoft Teams: WMBP Webinar Link Meeting ID: 235 488 356 751 Passcode: tykaMc Call-In: +1 (202) 650-0123 PIN: 820 732 935# The agency anticipates making selections by November 2024, and expects to execute awards by February 2025. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $100,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $1 million. The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period. Federal Financial Assistance Training The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/. It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

This grant invites private sector companies and organizations to collaborate with USAID on projects that address economic growth, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability, leveraging their resources and expertise to achieve shared development goals.

This funding opportunity supports projects that promote inclusive economic growth and human development in Equatorial Guinea, encouraging collaboration between local and U.S. organizations, individuals, and educational institutions.

This grant provides funding to U.S. colleges and universities to develop training programs that educate Georgian importers and processors about U.S. poultry products, with the goal of increasing exports to Georgia and surrounding regions.

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program, funded by the USDA, allocates approximately $2 million for infrastructure grants to Vermont businesses and organizations aiming to strengthen local and regional food systems. The grants support projects that improve the aggregation, distribution, manufacturing, processing, storing, transporting, and wholesaling of Vermont food products. This track encourages development of Vermont value-added products and promotes fair wages and job creation. A 50% match is required, which can be reduced to 25% for historically underserved farmers. Grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and are available from fall 2024 through February 2027.

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Office of New Drugs (OND), is announcing this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for a Cooperative Agreement. The proposed work directly supports the U.S. FDAs stated goal of protecting public health from unacceptable risks from nitrosamine impurities in human drugs. Although significant experimental and policy/regulatory initiatives have been undertaken in this area, there remains a need for further research into and development and refinement of translational and implementable practices that will protect the public against nitrosamine risks while ensuring continued safe access to critical therapeutic drugs. The aim is to improve the safety of human drugs with potential nitrosamine impurity liabilities. In addition to the work outlined above, the award recipient will assess how best to ensure that this research and practices development continues among industry members, non-profits, and/or academic institutions once the FDA funding for this cooperative agreement ends.

This funding opportunity supports U.S. colleges and universities in developing and promoting effective alternatives to methyl bromide for pest management in agriculture and related industries.

This program provides funding to various organizations in Indiana to improve the production and marketing of specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables, through innovative projects that benefit the industry and the public.

The Agency will make grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations, (such as States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations) to provide associations Technical Assistance and/or training with respect to essential community facilities programs. The Technical Assistance and/or training will assist communities, Indian Tribes, and Nonprofit Corporations to identify and plan for community facility needs that exist in their area. Once those needs have been identified, the Grantee can assist in identifying public and private resources to finance those identified community facility needs.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is inviting applications for agricultural research grants for projects to be conducted from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026. The projects should address various critical areas such as pest infestation impacts, Chesapeake Bay farm management practices, pollinator protection, food action plans, urban agriculture, energy in agriculture, animal health, and robotic technology in farming. Funding is contingent upon the 2024-2025 budget appropriations, and the deadline for application submission is June 7, 2024. The department will evaluate the proposals based on a 100-point scale considering project needs, research outcomes, methodology, evaluation and replicability, industry support, and research team diversity.

The BARN grant program aims to preserve Kansas barns, reviving underutilized, vacant, or dilapidated structures while fostering new economic activity through agritourism ventures. These building grants are specifically designed to rescue barns from likely demolition or collapse and rehabilitate them into spaces conducive for new or expanding agritourism businesses. The types of projects we are looking for with the BARN grant are those that will encourage people, particularly from out of state, to visit agritourism locations in Kansas. All projects should have an accountable tie to the tourism industry. The future uses of the barn, transformed through the BARN program, are not solely about preserving historical structures. Rather, they are about repurposing these spaces into vibrant hubs for agritourism activities, thereby injecting new life and economic opportunities into communities. Agritourism ventures capitalize on the appeal of agricultural experiences, offering visitors opportunities to engage with farming, local food production, and rural culture in immersive and educational ways.

The National Institute of Food and Agricultures Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI) focuses oncollaborative science engagement that intends to develop a community of researchers across both crops and animalsthat will lay the foundation for expanding knowledge concerning genomes and phenomes of importance to the agriculture sector of the United States. Success of the initiative will inform approaches to understanding how variable weather, environments, and production systems interact with genetic diversity present in crops and animals to impact growth and productivity. This will provide greater accuracy in predicting crop and animal performance under variable conditions and more efficient selection of well-adapted, superior genotypes that farmers and ranchers can produce.

This funding opportunity supports California-based organizations in developing and demonstrating innovative farming practices that reduce chemical pesticide use while promoting sustainable pest management.

The Underserved Farmer to Farmer grant program, managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico division, is a $3 million, 5-year initiative. This program aligns with the mission of addressing critical environmental challenges by empowering historically underserved farming communities. The DNR's strategic priority is to enhance the capacity of these communities to combat nutrient pollution and frequent flooding, thereby fostering environmental resilience and sustainable agricultural practices. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are "underserved farmers" as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture. This includes beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, veteran farmers, and those with limited resources. Other classifications may also be supported through negotiation. The program aims to increase the ability of these farmers to implement practices that mitigate nutrient pollution and reduce the impact of frequent flooding, leading to improved water quality and land management. The grant prioritizes projects that directly address nutrient pollution and flooding. The expected outcomes include a reduction in nutrient runoff into waterways and enhanced flood resilience within historically underserved farm communities. Measurable results would involve tracking the number of projects funded, the types of conservation practices implemented, and the environmental improvements achieved in the targeted areas. The theory of change suggests that by providing financial resources and support to underserved farmers, the program will lead to widespread adoption of environmentally beneficial farming practices. Projects funded through this grant can receive up to $250,000, with $700,000 currently remaining for subawards. Eligibility for subawards extends to a broad range of entities, including conservation districts, institutions of higher learning, local or state government entities (such as Watershed Management Authorities), NGOs and nonprofits, Tribal nations, beginning farmer groups, and U.S. military veteran farmer groups. This inclusive approach ensures that various stakeholders can contribute to the program's overarching goals and amplify its impact across Iowa's agricultural landscape.

This grant provides funding to U.S. agricultural entities to develop and expand markets for American agricultural exports in emerging markets, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.