Grants for County governments - Science and Technology

This funding opportunity supports innovative, time-sensitive research projects that enhance ongoing clinical studies related to arthritis, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases by leveraging existing patient data and samples.

The Massachusetts Food Ventures Program (MFVP) is a grant program designed to enhance access to healthy, affordable food options and generate economic opportunities within low to moderate income communities. It aligns with a broader mission to implement the goals of the Massachusetts Local Food Action Plan and contribute to the financial needs of local Massachusetts food enterprises. The program’s strategic approach emphasizes expanding investment to improve access to Massachusetts grown, harvested, or caught food products through the development of collaborations between local agricultural enterprises and private/public entities. The primary target beneficiaries of the MFVP are low to moderate income communities, including Gateway Cities and rural communities within Massachusetts. The program aims to improve commercial food access and distribution in these areas. The expected outcomes include increased availability of Massachusetts-produced foods, creation of new permanent jobs, greater access to affordable fresh food, and year-round access to diverse food production and distribution. The overall impact goal is to strengthen the local food system and foster equitable access to healthy food options. Key areas of investment for the MFVP include food processing infrastructure to meet the needs of the expanding local food system, improved distribution systems to support equitable access to fresh local food, and retail outlet strategies that enhance access to healthy food. Specific project types considered eligible reflect these priorities, such as the creation of commercial food processing infrastructure benefiting low and moderate income households, innovative proposals by commercial food commissaries that connect local farms, proposals for construction or renovation of food co-ops, development of greenhouses and farmers’ markets, and capital for food hubs. Additionally, the program focuses on innovative projects for commercial markets that connect local food producers and partners to develop or renovate large-scale retail markets for healthy, locally produced food. Mobile markets and other innovative market initiatives are also supported to purchase, design, and upgrade vehicles that provide healthy Massachusetts food. Each of these focus areas is intended to directly contribute to the program's theory of change, which posits that strategic investments in food infrastructure, distribution, and retail will lead to improved food access and economic opportunities for underserved communities. Applicants eligible for the MFVP include Massachusetts Municipalities, Massachusetts Non-Profit or For-Profit Organizations, and Individual Residents of Massachusetts. The program specifically excludes funding for audits, feasibility studies, design work, operation or maintenance costs, and reimbursement for already completed projects or staff/consultant time on proposals for completed projects. This ensures that the grants are directed towards new investments and initiatives that directly support the program’s objectives.

The Northeast SARE Professional Development Grant program aims to advance sustainable agriculture practices by enhancing the knowledge, awareness, skills, and attitudes of agricultural and other service providers. This directly aligns with the foundation's mission to support sustainable agriculture through education and professional development. The grant focuses on empowering professionals who work with farmers, enabling them to teach, advise, or assist in the adoption of sustainable methods. The program seeks to create a ripple effect, where trained service providers then apply their learned expertise to help farmers improve their agricultural practices, fostering a more sustainable food system within the Northeast region. The primary beneficiaries of this program are agricultural service providers, including those in non-profit organizations, colleges, universities, Cooperative Extension, and other entities that serve the farming community. Additionally, the program extends its reach to other service providers such as real estate agents, bankers, and attorneys, who can indirectly influence farmers. The overarching impact goal is to cultivate a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape in the Northeast by equipping these professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge. Expected outcomes include increased adoption of sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices by farmers, improved ecological and economic resilience to climate change, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The program prioritizes a wide array of topics, encompassing marketing and business, crop production, raising livestock, aquaculture, social sustainability, urban and Indigenous agriculture, and traditional ecological knowledge. A significant focus is placed on climate-smart agriculture practices, which are intended to improve ecological, social, and economic resilience to climate change. This includes practices such as reduced and no-till farming, cover cropping, prescribed grazing, ruminant feed management, manure management, fertilizer management, and on-farm energy efficiency. The program's strategic priorities are clearly aligned with addressing contemporary agricultural challenges through education and practical application. Northeast SARE actively encourages projects from, or in collaboration with, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Furthermore, it encourages proposals from Minority Serving Institutions and other organizations in the Northeast that work with historically underserved communities, demonstrating a commitment to equity and inclusivity in agricultural development. The theory of change behind these priorities is that by supporting a diverse range of voices and institutions, the program can foster more innovative and equitable solutions for sustainable agriculture, leading to broader and more effective adoption of sustainable practices across the region. The expected measurable results include an increase in the number of service providers trained in sustainable agriculture, a documented increase in farmers adopting climate-smart practices, and the successful implementation of projects that demonstrate improved ecological, social, and economic resilience. Awards typically range from $30,000 to $150,000, with project lengths usually spanning 2 to 3 years, and a maximum allowed duration of 3.5 years. The program's geographical focus is exclusively on the Northeast region, which includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., ensuring targeted and localized impact within this specific area.

The Vinton County Community Fund, in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, is accepting grant applications to support projects and programs that benefit Vinton County residents and communities. This initiative aligns with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio's broader mission to advance opportunities across the region, particularly focusing on local community needs. The fund seeks to foster positive change and development within Vinton County by supporting various community-driven efforts. The grants are specifically targeted towards nonprofits, schools, and public organizations, as well as groups working under fiscal sponsorship. The primary beneficiaries are individuals of all ages residing in Vinton County. The program's impact goals are centered on creating opportunities, meeting pressing needs, and unleashing the potential within the county, aiming for tangible improvements in the quality of life for its residents. The program prioritizes projects and programs that advance opportunities across five key areas, known as the Pillars of Prosperity: arts and culture, community and economic development, education, environmental stewardship, and health and human services. This strategic focus ensures that funding addresses a diverse range of critical needs and supports holistic community development. Emphasis is placed on initiatives that are spearheaded by individuals committed to making a difference in their community. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed, the expected outcomes are implicitly tied to the advancement of opportunities within the five pillars. Projects are expected to demonstrate potential impact, with funding requests between $500 and $2,500 generally preferred, though larger requests may be considered based on the scale of their potential influence. This framework reflects the Foundation's theory of change, which posits that investing in these key areas, through local initiatives, will lead to sustainable community growth and improved well-being for Vinton County residents.

The "FY25 Ocean Acidification Coastal Research: Uniting Investigations and Shipboard Experiments (OA CRUISE)" grant aims to fund projects that enhance coastal research on ocean acidification, particularly in relation to the upcoming East Coast Ocean Acidification Cruise (ECOA-4) in summer 2026, focusing on the impacts of ocean chemistry changes on marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

This grant provides over $8 million to U.S.-based individuals and organizations for innovative projects that combine solar energy systems with cattle grazing to promote sustainable land use and support rural economies.

The purpose of this NOFO is to solicit applications for the Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program to award cooperative agreements. The NOFO will result in the distribution of up to $2,000,000.The EAR program addresses the need for longer-term, higher risk breakthrough research with the potential for transformational improvements to plan, build, renew, and operate safe, congestion free, and environmentally sound transportation systems. The overall goal of this NOFO is to collect diverse pedestrian data, provide researchers access to this data, and encourage novel approaches for analysis of diverse data in support of increasing the safety and mobility of all people. The authority to enter into a cooperative agreement for this effort is found under 23 U.S.C. 502(b)(3)(C ). And funding for this effort is provided in in BIL (P. L. 117-58) Sec. 11101(c)(1)(A).

This funding opportunity supports community-based organizations in the Mid-Atlantic region to implement sustainable forestry initiatives that promote environmental justice, improve public health, and create green job opportunities in disadvantaged areas.

This program helps Pennsylvania municipalities improve their readiness for broadband expansion by streamlining processes and designating a local liaison, ultimately positioning them for future funding opportunities and infrastructure investments.

This initiative provides financial incentives for U.S.-based manufacturers of solar panels and inverters to achieve eco-friendly certification, promoting the development of sustainable solar products.

This funding opportunity is designed to establish teams that provide essential support and resources to adults with complex mental health conditions during critical transitions, such as hospital discharges, to promote community integration and long-term well-being.

This grant provides funding to Maine-based agricultural producers, processors, and organizations to enhance the capacity and resilience of the food supply chain through the purchase of essential equipment.

This funding opportunity supports innovative research and development of high-temperature geothermal energy technologies to unlock vast electricity production potential from deep rock formations across the United States.

This grant provides financial support to agricultural businesses in Cecil County, Maryland, to help them expand, diversify, and improve their operations while promoting sustainability and community collaboration.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for the creation and implementation of humanities-based exhibits that engage the public and enrich Oklahoma's cultural landscape.

This funding opportunity is designed to empower emerging leaders in the space sector across the Middle East and North Africa by providing training and resources to enhance collaboration with the United States in space policy and commerce.

This fellowship program supports entrepreneurs in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area who are developing innovative solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

The Rural STEM Network Grant VI, administered by the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation, and Technology (OSIT), aims to support innovative initiatives that help develop a diverse workforce in Rural Nevada with the skills and education needed by STEM industries. Projects should address increased participation in high-quality STEM programs from underserved groups, raise awareness about STEM opportunities, and ensure high-quality STEM education with engaged business partners across all counties, cities, and districts. Funding is available up to $50,000, with applications due by June 28, 2024. Eligible projects include pilot programs, scaling up existing programs, or extending successful initiatives from other regions.

The NSF Engineering (ENG) Directorate has launched a multi-year initiative, theProfessional Formation of Engineers, to create and support an innovative and inclusive engineering profession for the 21stcentury. Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) refers to the formal and informal processes and value systems by which people become engineers. It also includes the ethical responsibility of practicing engineers to sustain and grow the profession in order to improve quality of life for all peoples. The engineering profession must be responsive to national priorities, grand challenges, and dynamic workforce needs; it must be equally open and accessible to all. Professional Formation of Engineers includes, but is not limited, to: Introductions to the profession at any age; Development of deep technical and professional skills, knowledge, and abilities in both formal and informal settings/domains; Development of outlooks, perspectives, ways of thinking, knowing, and doing; Development of identity as an engineer and its intersection with other identities; and Acculturation to the profession, its standards, and norms. The goal of the Research in the Formation of Engineers (RFE) program is to advance our understanding of professional formation. It seeks both to deepen our fundamental understanding of the underlying processes and mechanisms that support professional formation and to demonstrate how professional formation is or can be accomplished. Ultimately RFE aims to transform the engineer-formation system, and thus the impact of proposed projects on this system must be described. Principal Investigators (PIs) should provide a roadmap detailing how they envision the proposed research will eventually broadly impact practice within the engineer-formation system, even if these activities are not within the scope of the submitted proposal. In order to accomplish its goals, RFE welcomes proposals in two categories: Research Projects, and Design and Development Projects. Research Projects address fundamental questions of professional formation, while Design and Development Projects provide new approaches to achieving professional formation. Additional details are provided below. Projects in both categories should address the iterative cycle in which research questions that advance understanding are informed by practice and the results of research are, in turn, translated into practice. In other words, proposals should explain how the research results will travel, translate, transfer, or scale. Successful projects identify specific target audiences, effective communication channels, and novel partnerships to ensure effective propagation and scaling. Proposal titles should begin with either Research: or Design and Development: as appropriate. Research Projects Research proposals are particularly welcome in the following areas: Research that addresses lifelong learning by the engineering workforce. Research on the impact of engineering education research. Proposals addressing this topic could investigate questions such as: How can we measure the impacts of engineering education research? What are effective strategies for scaling reforms? How can we translate knowledge from research to practice? What are the roles of technologies, networks and communities in achieving impact? RFE does not support efficacy, effectiveness, or scale-up studies for specific interventions. Research that addresses culture change in engineering education. Included in this topic are investigations of normative cultures of engineering at any level in the engineering education ecosystem and how these cultures may disadvantage certain groups. Research that addresses engineering formation at the two-year college and graduate education levels in both formal and informal settings. Research that investigates engineering in P?12 settings. Research in this area could include understanding of approaches to engineering in P?12, how to develop engineering ways of thinking, or the relationship between practices within the sciences and mathematics and engineering thinking. Research on the transitions between education levels, e.g., from high school to two-year college, high school to four-year college/university, two-year college to four-year college/university, undergraduate to graduate school, education settings to the workforce or professoriate, etc. Research that addresses the relationship between engineering and the public. Proposals addressing this topic could consider the social impact of engineering solutions, citizen engineering, education of an informed public, etc. Research that develops or adapts novel methodologies and frameworks appropriate for studying the professional formation of engineers, and especially minoritized, marginalized, or underserved populations. Research that addresses ways in which new technologies (such as artificial intelligence and machine learning) are changing engineering education. Proposals submitted to the Research Projects category should have clear research questions informed by an appropriate theoretical framework and a research design that includes sampling, data collection, and data analysis methods. This category will not support proposals that seek funding primarily to develop tools, curriculum, or laboratories, or that seek to implement classroom innovations that have already been shown to be effective in engineering. The program will evaluate the value of proposals by considering the impact and the cost. Research track projects that are small, exploratory, or speculative are especially encouraged. Larger Research track projects should have a correspondingly larger impact. Design and Development Projects RFE supports Design and Development projects (see https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf13126) that seek to develop and test new approaches in the following areas: Graduate education. Transitions between education levels, e.g. high school to two year college, high school to 4 year college/university, two year college to 4 year college/university, undergraduate to graduate school, education settings to the workforce or professoriate, etc. K12, especially approaches to develop engineering thinking, or providing links between engineering, science, and mathematics Proposals in this category should propose the design and development of new approaches that are informed by existing literature and theory. There should be clear objectives and the evaluation plan should be designed to determine if those objectives have been met. Projects cannot be solely demonstration projects, but must add to the engineering education literature to inform future work.

This funding opportunity supports interdisciplinary teams in advancing innovative genomic research and technologies to tackle significant biomedical challenges, welcoming a diverse range of eligible organizations and institutions.