Grants for Special district governments - Education

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), through its Office of Adult Career Pathways (ACP), is offering the Women’s Economic Security Act (WESA) Competitive Grant for State Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. The ACP supports Minnesotans facing barriers to employment by funding workforce training, wrap-around services, and educational programs that prepare individuals for family-sustaining wages, with a focus on eliminating racial disparities and increasing access to high-growth, high-wage jobs. This competitive grant program aims to encourage and assist women in entering high-wage, high-demand, and nontraditional occupations, particularly in skilled trades and STEM fields, thereby increasing representation and economic security for women. Funding totals $1.5 million statewide, with applicants eligible for up to $125,000 per year, or $250,000 total over the two-year period. Awards will be evenly split between SFY 2026 and SFY 2027. Funding must support activities aligned with WESA objectives, including recruitment, preparation, placement, and retention of women in nontraditional occupations; training and education; innovative outreach to girls and women; employer incentives; technical assistance; and supportive services such as childcare and transportation. Target populations include women of color, girls of color aged 16–17, women over 50, and low-income women, with priority given to programs serving women of color. Programs must focus on occupations meeting Minnesota’s high-wage, high-demand criteria or U.S. Department of Labor definitions for nontraditional careers for women. Eligible applicants include community-based organizations, employers, labor unions, business or trade associations with 501(c)(6) status, secondary and postsecondary institutions, workforce and economic development agencies, registered apprenticeship programs, and state, local, or Tribal governments. All applicants must have a Minnesota physical location open to the public, be in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State, and—if nonprofit—hold a recognized tax-exempt designation and be in good standing with the IRS. Each organization may submit one proposal as primary grantee but may partner on other proposals. Applicants must be able to comply with DEED administrative requirements, use Workforce One for participant tracking, and follow applicable state and federal regulations. Applications must be submitted as a single PDF via email to ACPgrants.deed@state.mn.us with the subject “WESA Application – [organization name].” The deadline is 5:00 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Required forms include the cover sheet, narrative responses, work plan, budget, partnership chart and letters of support, conflict of interest disclosures, unemployment insurance account consent, nonprofit financial documents if applicable, and other attestations. Questions must be submitted in writing to Sarah Lee at sarah.lee@state.mn.us by August 21, 2025. DEED hosted an informational webinar on July 16, 2025, and recorded technical assistance sessions are available online. Proposals will be scored on a 100-point scale across seven categories: organizational capacity and experience, program description, implementation work plan, outreach and engagement, partnerships, performance and evaluation, and budget capacity. Reviewers will include DEED staff and community experts in workforce development, education, and relevant industries. Awards are expected to be announced October 8, 2025, with the grant term running from the date of execution through June 30, 2027. Grantees are expected to participate in onboarding, quarterly engagement sessions, evaluation activities, and monitoring visits, and to submit regular performance and financial reports. DEED may offer partial awards to ensure equitable geographic and community distribution of funding. Performance metrics will include job placements, wages, retention, and credential attainment. The grant also carries administrative requirements such as competitive procurement for large purchases, compliance with affirmative action and non-discrimination laws, and retention of records for at least six years. Contact Sarah Lee, ACP Program Coordinator, at sarah.lee@state.mn.us or 651-259-7307 for further information.

This grant provides financial support for early-career cancer researchers transitioning to independent faculty positions, with a focus on promoting diversity and enhancing their professional development.

This grant provides funding for collaborative projects between academic institutions and industry partners to develop innovative diagnostic and treatment technologies that address specific health challenges.

This funding opportunity supports the development and sharing of valuable genomic resources for researchers and organizations involved in basic and clinical genomics, ensuring broad access and community engagement.

This funding opportunity supports the development of new or improved biomedical data repositories and knowledgebases to enhance research and promote data sharing in the biomedical community.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and government agencies in California to create and expand service opportunities specifically for young men and boys, promoting their engagement in community service and personal development.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and government entities for high-quality arts projects that enhance community cultural life and broaden public access to the arts across the United States.

This grant provides funding for research that explores how various social factors, such as race and socioeconomic status, intersect to impact health disparities, with a focus on underserved populations.

This funding opportunity supports innovative engineering research aimed at developing new technologies or improving existing solutions to enhance biomedical research, clinical care, and accessibility.

This funding opportunity supports small research projects that analyze genomic and phenotypic data related to childhood cancers and structural birth defects, aiming to improve diagnostics and therapies for these conditions.

The "Utilizing the PLCO Biospecimens Resource to Bridge Gaps in Cancer Etiology and Early Detection Research" grant aims to fund research projects that use the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening Trial's biorepository to study cancer causes and develop early detection biomarkers.

The Summer Research Education Experience Program (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a federal funding opportunity administered by the National Institutes of Health, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Multiple NIH institutes participate in this program, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Eye Institute, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and others, each contributing mission-specific priorities. The program is designed to strengthen the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce by supporting structured educational experiences that complement existing training programs. The opportunity specifically emphasizes early-stage engagement in research through immersive summer experiences. The primary purpose of this program is to fund research education activities that provide hands-on, open-ended research experiences for high school students, undergraduate students, and high school science teachers. These activities are expected to occur during the summer academic break and include laboratory or field-based research aligned with NIH mission areas. In addition to research exposure, programs must incorporate complementary training such as scientific writing, presentation skills, and instruction in rigor and reproducibility. The overarching goal is to enhance participant knowledge, stimulate interest in research careers, and build a pipeline of future scientists. Funding supports programmatic costs associated with designing and implementing the research experience, including administrative personnel, participant compensation, and program-related expenses. Direct costs are capped at 125000 dollars per year, and project periods may extend up to five years. Allowable expenses include participant salaries, housing support, and limited travel, while certain costs such as faculty mentor salaries and general institutional administrative expenses are not permitted. No cost sharing or matching requirement is imposed. Participants must be engaged for a minimum of eight weeks and may participate up to the equivalent of fifteen weeks within a twelve month period. Eligibility for applicants is broad and includes higher education institutions, nonprofits, for profit organizations, and various government entities such as state, local, and tribal governments. However, foreign organizations and non domestic components are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate institutional commitment, including adequate facilities, staff, and resources. Program directors must be qualified investigators capable of leading both the scientific and administrative aspects of the program. Participants supported must generally be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, unless otherwise justified. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or NIH ASSIST systems, with tracking through eRA Commons. While a letter of intent is not required, it is encouraged and due thirty days prior to the application deadline. Required application components include a detailed research education program plan, evaluation plan, dissemination strategy, and documentation of institutional support. Applications must adhere strictly to NIH submission guidelines, and incomplete or non compliant applications will not be reviewed. Applications are evaluated through NIH peer review processes based on criteria such as significance, investigator capability, innovation, approach, and environment. Additional considerations include the effectiveness of the educational environment and plans for responsible conduct of research. Review cycles occur annually, with application deadlines typically in March, followed by scientific review in July, advisory council review in October, and earliest project start dates in December. The program operates on a recurring annual cycle, though the current funding announcement expired early on July 8, 2026. Historically, application deadlines have occurred in March each year, indicating an annual cadence. Prospective applicants are advised to monitor NIH communications for reissuance or related opportunities. For inquiries, applicants may contact NIH program staff such as Marguerite Matthews at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke via email or phone. Overall, this program represents a significant federal investment in early research education and workforce development in biomedical sciences.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for small-scale cancer research projects that can be completed quickly, targeting a wide range of organizations, including universities, nonprofits, and businesses, to advance cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

This grant provides funding to various organizations and entities in California to promote innovation and sustainability in the forest products industry, supporting projects that enhance wood utilization and address workforce gaps.

This funding opportunity supports researchers in developing and testing new small molecules that can advance cancer treatment and understanding by creating innovative assays and screening methods.

This funding opportunity supports innovative research into how co-infections contribute to cancer development and disparities, encouraging studies that explore molecular mechanisms, risk factors, and potential biomarkers for early detection.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that train and assist state agencies in delivering independent living services to older individuals who are blind, helping them achieve greater independence and self-sufficiency.

This grant provides salary support for scientists with advanced degrees who contribute specialized expertise to NCI-funded cancer research programs within core facilities, promoting career stability without requiring independent investigator roles.

This funding opportunity supports doctoral candidates conducting research on substance use and addiction, focusing on innovative approaches to prevention, treatment, and health disparities among underserved populations.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for projects aimed at improving South Florida's aquatic ecosystems, targeting eligible applicants such as state and local governments, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations.