Federal Business and Commerce Grants

UPDATED NOTICE - PLEASE READ: April 6, 2023 EDA is excited to announce the launch of its new grants management platform: the Economic Development Grants Experience (EDGE). EDGE was developed to streamline the application and grants management process by implementing a single platform with increased transparency, improved user experience, higher data quality, and more efficiency throughout the entire grant lifecycle. As of April 6th, 2023, applications can no longer be submitted on Grants.gov, and will ONLY be accepted through EDGE. To apply in EDGE, please go to: sfgrants.eda.gov. More information on how to apply is provided in the full NOFO. PARTNERSHIP PLANNING program instructions: Please note that applicants will be invited to submit applications through EDGE for the Partnership Planning program. For more information, please reach out to your EDA point of contact. Program Description: EDA makes planning and local technical assistance investments to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. Under the Planning program, EDA makes Partnership Planning, Short-Term Planning, and State Planning awards to eligible recipients to create and implement regional economic development plans designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of an area or region. More specifically, EDA makes Partnership Planning investments to designated planning organizations (i.e., District Organizations) serving EDA-designated Economic Development Districts and to Indian Tribes to facilitate the development, implementation, revision, or replacement of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), which articulate and prioritize the strategic economic goals of recipients respective regions. EDA also makes Short-Term and State Planning awards for economic development planning activities that guide the eventual creation and retention of high-quality jobs, particularly for the unemployed and underemployed in the Nations most economically distressed regions. Under the Local Technical Assistance program, EDA makes awards to strengthen the capacity of local or State organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities to undertake and promote effective economic development programs through projects such as feasibility studies, impact analyses, disaster resiliency plans, and project planning. **Please note: While the published Notice of Funding Opportunity (available under "Related Documents") states that the ED900A form and the SF424B form are both required for a complete application, these forms are no longer required and have therefore been removed from the package template.

The Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize is a grant opportunity for creative individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses to address challenges in the lithium-ion battery recycling supply chain. The goal of this phased prize competition is to develop and demonstrate processes that can capture 90% of all discarded or spent lithium-ion batteries in the United States for recovery of key materials. The continuation of the prize will award a total of $7.4 million in cash prizes and voucher support over the next 3 years. This includes a new competition track for new competitors and previous participants, as well as additional support for Phase III winning teams. Breakthrough, a new public contest, aims to incentivize innovative solutions from battery industry entrepreneurs that align with the prize goal. Up to $2.4 million in cash prizes and voucher funding will be awarded to up to 10 winners. Winners will also have the opportunity to advance to Phase IV of the competition. Qualified lithium-ion battery recyclers and second-life testing organizations are also being sought as Evaluation Entities for Phase IV. More information about becoming an Evaluation Entity can be found on the American-Made website.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state agencies and organizations to help small businesses increase their exports and compete in international markets.

The U.S. Department of State;apos;s Public Diplomacy Section in New Delhi invites proposals from eligible non-profit, non-governmental organizations to develop and implement public diplomacy programs in collaboration with the Nexus Start-up Hub at the American Center in New Delhi. This initiative aims to address the growing interest among Indian business sectors in adopting U.S. entrepreneurial skills and values, thereby fostering cultural and economic ties between the two nations.By leveraging the Nexus platform and the expertise of American Center New Delhi, this project aims to equip emerging Indian business leaders with the necessary skills to engage with Indo-Pacific investors and partners, particularly from the United States. Through these efforts, we seek to further strengthen bilateral relations while fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in India.The project;apos;s one-year timeline will focus on expanding Nexus;apos;s reach to a broader and more diverse audience, aligning with the Public Diplomacy Section;apos;s objectives. This expansion will involve offering knowledge and training in state-of-the-art American incubator management to India;apos;s extensive network of over 1,000 incubators. The primary location for these activities will be the American Center in New Delhi, ensuring accessibility and maximizing impact; however, partner organizations will be expected to conduct business sector outreach and network management at locations throughout India and in conjunction with U.S. Mission India constituent consulates.(Please refer to the full announcement available under ;apos;related documents;apos; tab)

The Inflation Reduction Act Technology Commercialization Fund (IRA TCF) - Collaborative Alignment for Critical Technology Industries grant is a $15 million funding program by the U.S. Department of Energy aimed at promoting the commercialization and adoption of low-carbon technologies in the chemicals, cement, and metals industries to achieve deep decarbonization.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Jordan issues a Request for Information (RFI) to collect data to inform the design of a new early childhood education and workforce activity. This is a Request for Information (RFI), providing information to parties interested in USAIDs support in Jordan, and seeks to collect any information and suggestions about USAIDs planned programming. Information collected is intended to contribute to the Missions activity design and development for an intended future Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Application (RFA).Please see the attached RFI No. 72027824RFI00004 for more information.

The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. The ultimate recipients repay the lending utility directly. The utility then is responsible for repayment to USDA. USDA provides grants to local utility organizations which use the funding to establish Revolving Loan Funds (RLF). Loans are made from the revolving loan funds to projects that will create or retain rural jobs. When the revolving loan fund is terminated, the grant is repaid to USDA.The Agency anticipates the following maximum amounts per award: Loans - $2,000,000; Grants - $300,000.

This competition provides financial incentives for U.S.-based manufacturers of solar photovoltaic modules and inverters to achieve environmental certification, enhancing their marketability and sustainability efforts.

The anticipated funding opportunity announcement (FOA) aims to support research and development projects under the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). The goals include the demonstration of smart charge management for electric vehicles, improvement of 12-volt lead-acid batteries for safety-critical electric vehicle applications, development of strategies to reduce the likelihood of cascading effects of electric vehicle fires, reduction in battery electrode, cell, and pack manufacturing costs, advancement of silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries, and development of high-energy density conversion cathodes. The FOA emphasizes advancing equity, addressing the climate crisis, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Eligible applicants are encouraged to include underrepresented groups and underserved communities in their project teams. The FOA will fund activities related to electric vehicle (EV) technologies, focusing on areas such as smart charge management, safety improvements in EV batteries, cost reduction in battery manufacturing, and the development of advanced battery materials. The Department of Energy aims to drive innovation in clean energy technologies, ensuring environmental justice and inclusion. Specific areas of interest include wide-scale demonstrations of smart charge management, enhancement of safety-critical 12-volt lead-acid batteries, reduction of cascading effects of battery fires, cost reduction in battery manufacturing, and the development of high-energy-density battery components.

MDF is NICs Management Development for the Future series, a dynamic, agency exclusive, individual and organizational development experience, which primarily targets the middle management tier of a correctional organization. This established curriculum simultaneously engages all levels of agency leadership through internal action-based learning strategies at the individual, team and agency levels.This agency exclusive leadership development series is conducted over up to 12+ months and is provided to participants within selected partner agencies. The learning strategies used in this blended and hybrid delivery individual and organizational development series include three phases one in person 24 - hour (3 in-person days) and two fully virtual phases (seven, 3-hour virtual instructor led sessions with intersession activities between virtual sessions), each delivered approximately 4 - 5 months apart. Participants will prepare a dynamic leadership development plan, participate in individual developmental coaching, and during intercession periods between phases undertake action-based learning projects1 Campbell, Nancy M. Correctional Leadership Competencies for the 21stCentury: Executives and Senior-Level Leaders, July 2005, Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/020474.pdf2 Day, David V., John W. Fleenor, Leanna E. Atwater, Rachel E. Sturm, and Rob A. McKee. "Advances in Leader and Leadership Development: A Review of 25 Years of Research and Theory." The Leadership Quarterly 25, no. 1 (February 2014): 63-82.3 Zenger, Jack, and Joe Folkman. "Leadership Development 6.0: Connecting Leadership Development with Drivers of Business Results." Zenger Folkman, 2010. UT: Orem24AC07focused on the relevant issues in their agencies with the intention of applying skills and strategies learned in the program to build organizational capacity and manage organizational change between phases ones, two and three. The blended and hybrid MDF series simultaneously engages all levels of agency leadership through internal action-based learning strategies at the individual, team and agency levels.Pre-session activities prior to each phase include participants completing several online instruments, reading assignments and other required activities. This program is grounded in the evidence based Full Range Leadership Model developed by Bass, B. M., and Avolio, B. J. An on-line 360-degree feedback instrument assesses the participants behavior against the model.A proposal responsive to this solicitation should provide substantiated documentation of: 1) respondent organizational capacity and project management expertise and experience to manage multiple, overlapping projects simultaneously; 2) a minimum of 10 years of experience managing national and regional training events in corrections settings; 3) 10 years of substantiated experience setting up, hosting, producing and facilitating blended (virtual instructor led platforms) and face to face training series; 4) 10 years of substantiated experience facilitating blended and face to face leader training with correctional agencies (jails, prisons, community corrections); 5) proposed faculty with 10 years minimum experience, credentials and qualifications to administer, interpret and facilitate the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire II, FIRO-B Interpretative Report for Organizations, Thomas-Kilman Conflict Mode Indicator and other instrumentation as needed based upon partner agency needs and their applications to corrections settings; 6) 10 years experience for proposed faculty to perform developmental leadership coaching; 7) 10 years experience facilitating experiential leadership training activities and tying them through content and leadership competencies to on the job leadership correctional applications; and 8) 10 years of experience working with executive and senior level leaders in correctional agencies on organizational development initiatives which advance agencies mission, vision and values.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for public diplomacy projects that strengthen U.S.-Slovenian relations and enhance community safety, prosperity, and resilience through initiatives involving both American and Slovenian participants.

This program provides training and support at no cost to small businesses, particularly those that are socially and economically disadvantaged, to help them compete for federal contracts and grow their operations.

The United States Government, represented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Republic of Peru, is designing an activity that aims to provide a demand-driven mechanism to help USAID empower local organizations that are current partners or prospective partners to effectively mobilize development funding and manage it to global standards, while successfully delivering strong development outcomes. According to USAID regulations, a local entity is: an individual, company or organization that (1) is legally organized under the laws of one of the above countries; (2) has its principal place of business or operations in one of the above countries; (3) is majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the above countries; and (4) is managed by a governing body the majority of whom are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the above countries. This Request for Information (RFI) is not restricted to any organization category.This RFI has the following purposes:Gather ideas, strategies, and/or approaches on how to facilitate the empowerment of local organizations, thus contributing to the locally-led development in Peru.Request capability statements from interested entities capable of performing the work described in the RFI.USAID is conducting market research to collect information from local and foreign organizations with knowledge and experience in capacity building of different types of organizations (public, private, civil society, non-government organizations, etc.) focused on organizational strengthening. USAID/Peru plans to use the information gathered through this RFI to assist in designing an activity that aims to provide a demand-driven mechanism, empowering both current and prospective partners to effectively mobilize development funding and manage it to global standards, while successfully delivering strong development outcomes.Peru is one of USAIDs priority Missions for localization efforts. RFIs are a tool that USAID uses for market research. If findings of this RFI demonstrate local capacities are available, USAID might choose to restrict the solicitation to local organizations. It is anticipated this will be an acquisition instrument.This is not a request for applications or proposals. USAID/Peru is interested in understanding the critical factors involved in carrying out local capacity strengthening of local entities to improve the performance of a local system to produce locally valued and sustainable development outcomes.

The United States Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS), is pleased to announce a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to design and implement one (seven-day) BOLD (Balkanski Omladinski Lideri, Young Balkan Leaders) Economic Development/Entrepreneurship Workshop for Young Leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The goal of the workshop is to develop the skills of young leaders in BiH to create opportunities for economic development in their communities through developing and/or launching their own business plan or developing projects in support of entrepreneurship.Special emphasis should be placed on innovative business model design; project-based collaboration; and leveraging assets within the BOLD network to ensure project success.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for research projects that improve understanding of climate variability in the Tropical Pacific, targeting institutions, non-profits, and governments involved in climate science and modeling.

The National Sea Grant College Program was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020, Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual capacity of the nations universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate opportunities in coastal communities. The American lobster (Homarus americanus) and its fishery continue to face significant environmental complexity and socio-economic uncertainty with far-reaching impacts for resource management and community resiliency. In 2022, the American lobster fishery landed approximately 119 million pounds of lobster worth $516 million dollars. This stands in stark contrast to the 2021 commercial harvest that landed 134 million pounds of lobster worth a record setting $924 million dollars. Recent surveys have detected a nearly 40% decline in young lobster recruitment from the important fishing areas of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, signaling concern for the fisherys future and challenges for resource managers and lobster fishermen alike. While there are fluctuations each year that reflect environmental factors such as water temperature and economic conditions such as operational costs, the degree of volatility and uncertainty is without precedent. These impacts are particularly acute in the state of Maine, where approximately eighty percent of American Lobsters are landed each year and the lobster fishery is a major driver of the states marine economy and cultural identity. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissions 2020 stock assessment indicated record high stock abundance for American Lobster in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank and continued declines in southern New England. Additional analyses of landing data from the state of Maine show a downward trend from a high in 2016 of 132 million pounds to an annual average of 102 million pounds between 2019 and 2021. As ecosystem changes persist and the Gulf of Maine continues to warm, it is imperative that research, data, and observations document change, inform gaps, and help communities prepare for the future state of the American Lobster fishery. The American Lobster fisherys sustainability relies not only on the ecological understanding of the species in the face of environmental change but also the economic resiliency of the industry and the communities supported by the fishery. Expanding uses of the marine environment and anticipated management changes will have significant implications for future harvests, alter business models and shift how and where the lobster industry operates. Understanding the economic and social systems impacted by these changes can enhance the industry and communities capacity for resilience to impending environmental and resource management changes by mitigating negative impacts and supporting emerging opportunities. Research approaches that examine social systems and economic implications of regulatory/management changes are needed to fill a critical knowledge gap and inform integrated approaches to these complex issues impacting the lobster fishery. These include economic impact assessments, policy analyses, dimensions of community well-being, workforce diversification, as well as informal and formal governance structures. In FY24, consistent with its mission to enhance practical use and conservation in order to create a sustainable economy and environment, Sea Grants American Lobster Research Program will fund projects that address priority research needs to enhance our understanding of and address impacts to this significant, complex and dynamic fishery. Projects that involve partnerships among industry, State agencies, and/or academia, including but not limited to cooperative research or co-production, are strongly encouraged. Topics suitable for investigation on American lobster and its fishery under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) should have a geographic focus on the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and/or southern New England and address one or more of the following funding priorities: Life history parameters under changing climate conditions, including but not limited to temperature, growth, and mortality Species distribution and abundance in response to environmental change, including but not limited to deep water settlement Impacts of environmental change and/or economic uncertainty on social systems, including but not limited to dimensions of community well-being, formal and informal governance structures, and workforce diversification Economic implications of policy and potential regulatory changes and/or other future resource management actions Sea Grant anticipates having up to $2 million dollars to fund a diversity of projects with funding requests up to $600,000 dollars in FY24. Projects may be one or two years in duration with a maximum of two years. All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways. Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. These registrations include SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. The complete registration process for all three systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII for submission instructions. Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section C). Organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov registrations; however, all registrations must be in place by time of application submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application. This document sets out requirements for submitting to NOAA-OAR-SG-2024-25871.

This funding opportunity supports projects that foster educational, cultural, and technological collaborations between the U.S. and Qatar, targeting nonprofits, educational institutions, and individuals focused on youth leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

FY2025 Weather Program Office Research Programs Announcement - Observations aims to fund innovative research projects that develop and enhance sensor and observation technologies to improve the accuracy and reliability of weather forecasts, particularly in high-impact weather scenarios.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for Kuwaiti non-profits, educational institutions, and individuals to create projects that strengthen cultural and educational ties between the United States and Kuwait.

This competition provides funding and support for teams developing innovative high-temperature seismic sensors to improve geothermal energy monitoring and enhance the understanding of subsurface conditions.