Federal Science and Technology Grants

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: Communities Taking Charge Accelerator, Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity AnnouncementThis Funding Opportunity Announcement aims to help everyone ride and drive electric, foster public and private relationships, build interdisciplinary teams, advance the American blueprint for transportation decarbonization, and promote managed charging. The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office), through the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), is issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: Communities Taking Charge Accelerator, Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity Announcement”. Awards made under this FOA will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act1, more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in modernizing and upgrading American infrastructure to enhance U.S. competitiveness, driving the creation of good-paying union jobs, tackling the climate crisis, and securing environmental justice and economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities2. The BIL appropriates more than $62 billion to the Department of Energy (DOE)3 to invest in American manufacturing and workers; expand access to energy efficiency and clean energy; deliver reliable, clean, and affordable power to more Americans; and demonstrate and deploy the clean-energy technologies of tomorrow through clean energy demonstrations. DOE’s BIL investments will support efforts to build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves a zero-carbon electricity system by 2035, and to put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 20504 to benefit all Americans. The BIL includes a historic $7.5 billion dedicated investment to build out a national network of Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers. As part of this investment, the BIL includes $300 million to establish a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to study, plan, coordinate, and implement issues of joint concern between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The Communities Taking Charge Accelerator FOA and related activities align with the Joint Office mission to provide a modernized and interagency approach to support the deployment of zeroemission, convenient, accessible, and equitable transportation infrastructure. The activities to be funded under this FOA support BIL section Title VIII, Division J, Federal Highway Administration - Highway Infrastructure Program.

The Basic Research Office (BRO) within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering seeks proposals to assess and report on Global Competitive Analysis (GCA). The recipient will collaborate with the federal government to deliver comparative analysis assessing the relative science and technology (S) competitive balance between the United States and major global competitors. Given the breadth of the expertise and perspectives likely needed to deliver GCA products at the scale and analytic depth required, BRO expects that recipients would need to form a consortium of FFRDCs, UARCs, universities, non-profits, or other non-governmental entities. This being said, a consortium is not required and other teaming arrangements are eligible for award.The recipient will prepare reports that assess the myriad elements of relative technology leadership, explore the implications of competitors actions, provide a common operating picture of global technological competition, and create a forum to explore policy options. The recipient will serve as a key performer of the GCAT (Global Competitive Analysis Team), a federated interagency mechanism that brings together agencies unique analytic capabilities in order to conduct GCA. The recipient will integrate their independent analysis with agency analysis to deliver products that are more than the sum of the parts.The recipient will take its priorities and guidance from an Executive Office of the President-led Panel (EOP Panel) that includes senior representation from relevant federal agencies. In the first year of the program, initial topics, currently four in number, are provided to set the direction of the recipient, with input from the EOP Panel once the Panel has been established.The recipient is expected to have capability in all of the sub-elements described in Section C. However, to diversify the analysis and ensure that multiple views are represented in each GCA product, the recipient is expected to continuously identify and include external/additional performers possessing strong capabilities in a subset of the described elements, as necessary.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for U.S. institutions and organizations to develop innovative and cost-effective technologies for detecting harmful algal bloom toxins in seafood, enhancing public health and seafood safety.

The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program is the second of three digital equity programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Division F, Title III, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, 1209 (November 15, 2021) also known as the Digital Equity Act to promote digital inclusion activities and achieve digital equity. The Digital Equity Act consists of three funding programs: (1) the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program; (2) the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program; and (3) the $1.25 billion Competitive Grant Program. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program will provide funds to States and U.S. Territories to implement the State Digital Equity Plans developed pursuant to the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program NOFO also establishes a competitive program to make both State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program funds and State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program funds available to Native Entities to carry out digital equity and inclusion activities consistent with the Digital Equity Act.Key Dates Complete applications from States (including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) must be received through the NTIA Grants Portal (https://grants.ntia.gov) no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on May 28, 2024. Application materials are available at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov. Complete applications from U.S. Territories (other than the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) must be received through the NTIA Grants Portal (https://grants.ntia.gov) no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 31, 2024. The application window for Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations (“Native Entities”) will open September 25, 2024, and close on February 7, 2025. All Native Entity applications must be received through the NTIA Grants Portal (https://grants.ntia.gov), by email (digitalequity@ntia.gov), or by mail or courier no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on February 7, 2025. 2 NTIA expects to begin issuing awards to Eligible States pursuant to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) no later than August 28, 2024. NTIA expects to make additional awards on a rolling basis.

This funding opportunity is designed for research institutions and organizations within the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit to study the interactions and resource use among cattle, wildlife, and wild horses in Utah's fragile ecosystems.

This funding opportunity supports higher education institutions and certain educational entities in developing and implementing innovative pest management strategies to address critical agricultural challenges in the U.S.

The PRP EIRA supports research opportunities for investigators in the early stages of their careers. The Early Investigator is considered the Principal Investigator (PI) of the application and must exhibit strong potential for, and commitment to, pursuing a career as an investigator at the forefront of PD research; however, the PI is not required to have previous PD research experience.

The government seeks research and technical support for watershed management modeling and analyses for water quantity and quality, impacts to aquatic species, and effects of extreme rainfall events to take place at the Fort Leonard Wood, MO area. Details of primary tasks are as follows: Task 1: Watershed modeling SWAT+ modeling will be completed for the Big Piney River (a HUC 12 watershed) and Roubidoux Creek (part of the Upper Gasconade HUC 12 watershed). The area around FLW is a karst landscape. Models will be calibrated using USGS stream gages and TSS sampling data supplied by FLW and ERDC-CERL. Task 1 consists of 2 (two) subtasks. a) Model(s) will incorporate existing climate and watershed/management conditions, b) model(s) will incorporate the recommended areal coverage of BMP types and management practices into the SWAT+ models to estimate change to water quality and discharge under existing climate conditions, Note: ERDC-CERL will assist with creating recommended BMPs and management practices. Task 2: Assess model output and determine management prioritization Interpretation and evaluation of model results to prioritize watersheds to target with proposed BMPs and management. Analyses will include statistical methods to justify periodization. The cost of BMP implementation and ongoing operations and management cost and the potential water quality and quantity impacts will also be included. Standard maintenance plans for all recommended BMPs will be required. Task 3: Develop a Watershed Management Plan Develop a Watershed Management Plan with recommended preliminary designs and locations for future development of LID features and BMPs to protect imperiled aquatic species, reduce infrastructure maintenance costs, and support current and future land usages. The final Watershed Management Plan will be included in the FLW Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and used by land management groups on FLW including the Directorate of Public Works (DPW), Training, Mobilization Security (DPTMS), and Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) as well as the adjacent Mark Twain State Forest.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is the second issued under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund). The Innovation Fund is an NTIA-administered competitive grant program that seeks to accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption of open and interoperable radio access networks (RAN). In this second NOFO, NTIA aims to advance open radio unit (RU) commercialization and innovation by funding activities that 1) accelerate the development of open RU products to the point where they meet carrier needs and are ready for commercial trials, and 2) improve the overall performance and capabilities of open RUs through targeted research and development. The RU is the largest part of the carrier network and an easy entry point to the network, offering a low-risk deployment option to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) interested in Open RAN. Investing in the commercialization and innovation of these components in the Innovation Funds second funding opportunity can spur MNO adoption of open RUs during upcoming equipment buying cycles, generating momentum toward greater MNO adoption of the broader suite of open and interoperable RAN components. The transition to open and interoperable wireless networks becomes a more feasible and attractive proposition in the wireless market when there is broad deployment of open RUs that meet or exceed MNO requirements, and components are available from suppliers at scale.

The IDA promotes ideas that have the potential to yield high-impact findings and new avenues of investigation. This award mechanism supports conceptually innovative research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries in TSC research and/or improvements in patient care. Research projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong preliminary data and scientific rationale. The following are important aspects of the IDA: Impact: Applications should articulate both the short- and long-term impact of the proposed research. High-impact research will, if successful, significantly advance TSC research and/or patient care. Innovation: Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities that may include high-risk/potentially high-gain approaches to TSC research. Research that is merely an incremental advance (to the next logical step) is not considered innovative. Preliminary Data: Unpublished results from the laboratory of the Principal Investigator (PI) or collaborators named on this application, and/or data from the published literature that are relevant to TSC and the proposed research project, are required. New-to-the-Field Investigator (NFI): The FY24 TSCRP IDA mechanism encourages applications from investigators in the early stages of their TSC research career. The NFI Option is designed to support the continued development of promising independent investigators that are early in their faculty appointments and/or the transition of established investigators from other research fields into TSC research. Applications to the NFI Option will compete separately from Established Investigators submitting to the regular IDA. PIs applying under the NFI category are strongly encouraged to strengthen their applications through collaboration with investigators experienced in TSC research and/or possessing other relevant expertise as demonstrated by a record of funding and publications. See Attachment 8: Eligibility Statement.

Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division is interested in receiving proposals for the following Basic and Applied Research Opportunity Areas: 1. College - University Student and Faculty Research Projects (DD-01) NSWCDD is interested in receiving proposals directed toward student and faculty general research projects where the focus is upon priority technologies and capabilities performed at NSWCDD. NSWCDD is especially, but not solely, interested in research projects dealing with Hypersonics, Software Engineering, Quantum Computing and Sensing, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Unmanned systems and Autonomy, Safety Systems, Human Systems Integration, and Warfare System Development and Integration which includes cyber security, directed energy, sensor systems, materials, chemical, biological, radiological (CBR) defense, and high powered microwaves among others. 2. College - University Student Capstone and Senior Research Projects (DD-02) NSWCDD seeks proposals for novel research projects whose intent is the development of future naval scientists and engineers. NSWCDD is especially interested in research projects in the areas of Hypersonics, Software Engineering, Quantum Computing and Sensing, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Unmanned systems and Autonomy, Safety Systems, Human Systems Integration, and Warfare System Development and Integration which includes cyber security, directed energy, sensor systems, materials, and high powered microwaves among others. Other technology areas will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The primary goal of these projects is to develop student interests in Naval engineering with an eye toward future employment.

This grant provides funding for research partners in the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit to analyze global flood impacts and develop a comprehensive database to improve flood resilience across various sectors.

This grant provides funding for non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and government bodies in the U.S. and France to create projects that celebrate the historical and cultural ties between the two nations in honor of America's 250th anniversary.

This funding opportunity supports early-career cancer researchers who are independent investigators, providing them with resources and mentorship to advance impactful cancer research relevant to military health.

This funding opportunity supports research and development in artificial intelligence technologies to advance NASA's exploration and scientific missions on the Moon and Mars, targeting U.S.-based institutions and international collaborations.

This grant provides funding to small businesses for innovative research projects that can be commercialized, particularly those addressing federal agencies' research needs and promoting participation from underrepresented groups.

This funding opportunity supports researchers affiliated with eligible institutions in analyzing and interpreting data from the Cassini mission, which studied Saturn and its system.

This grant provides funding for research on vegetation and soil health on military lands in Oregon, aimed at helping land managers combat invasive species and improve land management practices.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for state forestry departments, universities, nonprofits, and local governments in the Eastern U.S. to manage and combat invasive species that threaten forest health.

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.