Federal Science and Technology Grants

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Mississippi Valley Memphis District (USACE-MVM) environmental program, part of the Regional Planning and Environment Division, South (RPEDS), ensures U.S. Army civil works activities are conducted in compliance with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, and policies. 1.2 The purpose of this project is to determine the presence or likely absence of the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), proposed endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, at the two project areas. If other threatened or endangered (TE) bat species (i.e., Indiana Bat [Myotis sodalis] and northern long-eared bat [Myotis septentrionalis]) are detected during capture efforts, however, they will be subject to the appropriate similar guidance and deliverables as is outlined in in Sections 3.3 and 9.3 of this Statement of Objectives (SOO). 1.3 This work requires an onsite support person located at USACE-MVM. The work at the project areas shall be conducted by a Cooperator and will involve strategies to determine if tricolored bats (TCB) are present or likely absent, and whether roost trees are likely to be impacted due to planned tree clearing activities. This work includes mist net surveys, and if TCB or other TE bats are captured, the Cooperator will affix a radio transmitter on up to 3 of each species per survey site. The Cooperator will then conduct the radio-tracking surveys to locate likely roost trees within the project areas. Sampling methodologies will be in accordance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Range-wide Indiana Bat & Northern LongEared Bat Survey Guidelines (2023), using northern long-eared bat level of effort, and the requirements set forth in the Description of Objectives. The Cooperator shall begin the survey on or as soon as possible after May 15, 2024, and end no later than August 15, 2024 (weather delays may require a modification of this timeframe). Cooperators will reside at lodging located near to the project areas and commute daily to the survey sites. 2 2.0 AUTHORITY This study is being conducted to fulfill regulatory requirements stipulated under the provisions of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 and associated regulations. Sections 7(a)(1) and 7(a)(2) of the ESA requires Federal agencies to ensure that actions authorized, funded, or carried out by them are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of endangered or threatened species. In addition, the ESA of 1973 establishes as Federal policy that “all Federal departments and agencies shall seek to conserve endangered species and threatened species.” 2.1 This cooperative agreement will be awarded using the following authority: • 33 USC § 2339(a) Conservation and recreation management. Delegation of Authority under Section 213a of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, dated 10 March 2015. In agreement with the above stated goals, the recipient agrees to provide the necessary personnel, equipment, and materials required to implement activities to support the USACE’s commitment toward environmental stewardship to manage natural and cultural resources in a responsible way that has the least impact on civil works and is beneficial to the region. In addition, the activities performed by the recipient must be completed in a manner conducive to guidelines outlined in the ESA (16 USC 1531 et seq.). USACE-MVM agrees to provide substantial involvement to include, but not limited to, the following: • USACE-MVM is involved in development of the Performance Work Statement/Scope of Work, and/or reviewing products provided by the Cooperator. • USACE-MVM actively participates and collaborates in carrying out the project plan of work, reviews and approves activities, and coordinates accordingly with the appropriate U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) office. • USACE-MVM incurs in-kind or direct expenditures in carrying out the activities specified in the project agreement. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:  Providing per diem for Cooperators  Providing staff time to work on the project. 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTIVES 3.1 Task 1: Field Work Coordination The Cooperator will contact USACE MVM point of contact, Jennifer Hiltonsmith (901-579-7473) as soon as the Cooperator has selected the sampling days but no later than 2 weeks prior to any field work. This coordination will help in assessing field conditions, water levels, and site access. 3.1.1 Additional Personnel The Cooperator should anticipate 1-2 USFWS and/or USACE-MVM employees 3 to participate in the field work as observers. The Cooperator should not expect the observers to handle any live bats or be asked to carry out any duties outlined in this Statement of Objectives. Observers may place acoustic equipment to assist in building data sets. The Cooperator will not be responsible for set up or retrieval of Government equipment at any time. 3.2 Task 2: Habitat Assessment (Day 1) Suitable summer bat habitat has been determined to be present at several sites within each proposed project area. Survey sites have been designated by USACEMVM biologists based on habitat, accessibility, and USFWS survey guidelines (Exhibits 1 & 2). The Cooperator shall visually survey the preselected survey sites to confirm they are appropriate for mist netting. The Belle Fountain area project totals approximately 9 linear kilometers of potential habitat. The 15-Mile Bayou project totals approximately 6.3 linear kilometers of potential habitat. Suitable TCB summer habitat consists of a wide variety of forested/wooded areas where they roost, forage, and travel and may include some adjacent and interspersed non-forested areas such as emergent wetlands and adjacent edges of agricultural fields, old fields, and pastures. This includes forests and woodlots containing trees with potential roost substrate (i.e., live, and dead leaf clusters of live and recently dead deciduous trees, Spanish moss [Tillandsia usneoides], and beard lichen [Usnea trichodea]), as well as linear features such as fencerows, riparian forests, and other wooded corridors. TCB will roost in a variety of tree species, especially oaks (Quercus spp.), and often select roosts in tall, large diameter trees, but will roost in smaller diameter trees (e.g., 4-inch [10- centimeter] diameter at breast height [DBH]) when potential roost substrate is present. TCB commonly roost in the mid- to upper canopy of trees although males will occasionally roost in dead leaves at lower heights (e.g., <16 feet [5 meters] from the ground) and females will occasionally roost in Spanish moss of understory trees. TCB seem to prefer foraging along forested edges of larger forest openings, along edges of riparian areas, and over water and avoid foraging in dense, unbroken forests, and narrow road cuts through forests. TCB may roost and forage in forested areas near anthropogenic structures and buildings (e.g., suburban neighborhoods, parks, etc.) (USFWS 2023). Information gained in the habitat assessments shall assist the Cooperator to determine sites for mist netting surveys (Section 3.3). The Cooperator shall include a description of the areas and their potential TCB habitat in the final reports. The Cooperator shall use professional judgment to determine if an area has suitable habitat for mist netting sites. 3.3 Task 3: Mist netting for presence/absence determination Immediately following each habitat assessment, the Cooperator shall confirm survey sites for netting locations or contact the Technical Manager (Jennifer Hiltonsmith) to discuss altering net placement. The Cooperator will follow the northern long-eared bat recovery unit-based protocols for the amount of time (i.e., 4 netting nights) deemed appropriate from habitat surveys for TCB. Mist net surveys should be conducted in the best suitable habitat possible in each kilometer. 3.3.1 Equipment - Mist nets to be used for TCB surveys should be the finest, lowest visibility mesh commercially available. Currently, the finest net on the market is 75 denier, 2 ply, denoted 75/2 (Arndt and Schaetz 2009); however, the 50 denier nets are still acceptable for use. The finest mesh size available is approximately 38 millimeter (~1 1/2 inch). Nets should be cleaned and disinfected following approved protocols (http://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/) and any additional federal or state requirements to minimize disease transmission (USFWS 2023). 3.3.2 Minimum Effort – An effective mist-netting effort should be used at locations best suited for capturing TCB. A minimum of 4 net nights per kilometer of suitable habitat is required by USFWS. Therefore, it is recommended that sites are placed approximately 1 kilometer apart, but selection of the best mist-net habitat is the priority. Once the Cooperator determines the appropriate sample site locations, each sample site shall be photographed (during daylight hours) and recorded using a global positioning system (GPS) unit. The Cooperator shall record all GPS data in Universal Transverse Mercator, North American Datum - 1983, Zone 16N. Recorded GPS and color photographs shall be included in the report. 3.3.3 Net Placement – Potential travel corridors (e.g., streams) typically are the most effective places to net (although other sites may also be productive; see Carroll et al. 2002). Place nets approximately perpendicular across the corridor. Nets should fill the corridor from side to side and from stream (or ground) level up to the overhanging canopy. Nets of varying widths and heights may be used as the situation dictates. If netting over water, ensure there is enough space between the net and the water so that the bat will not get wet upon capture. Mist netting shall begin at sunset and end 6 hours after the nets are in place. See Kunz and Kurta (1988) for additional discussion of net placement. 3.3.4 Checking Nets – Each net should be checked approximately every 10 minutes, never exceeding 15 minutes between checks. Capture and handling are stressful for bats. Emphasis should be on minimizing handling and holding bats for as short a time as possible to achieve research objectives. TCB, or any other TE bat should be they captured, should not be held for more than 30 minutes after capture. Federal and state permits usually specify maximum holding times (e.g., Recovery Permits issued by Regions 3 and 4 of the USFWS specify a maximum holding time of 30 minutes for most projects). 5 3.3.5 Weather and Light Conditions - Severe weather adversely affects capture of bats. Negative results combined with any of the following weather conditions throughout all or most of a sampling period is likely to need additional netting effort: (a) temperatures that fall below 10°C (50°F); (b) precipitation, including rain and/or fog, that exceeds 30 minutes or continues intermittently during the survey period; and (c) sustained wind speeds greater than 4 meters/second (9 miles/hour). It is typically best to set nets under the canopy where they are out of moonlight, particularly when the moon is ½-full or greater. 3.3.6 If, at the conclusion of each mist netting, no TCB or any other TE bats, have been captured, fieldwork is complete and that particular survey is finished. At each project area (Belle Fountain and 15 Mile Bayou), if one or more TCB or other TE bats are captured (up to 3 TCB, northern long-eared bat, or Indiana bat per site), Phase II radio-tracking surveys will be conducted by the Cooperator. The emergence survey protocol should not be used for radio-tracked TCB given the variability in roosting locations typically used by the species (e.g., roosting in dead leaf clusters in the canopy of live trees) and difficulty observing bats emerging. An emergence count may be attempted on the rare occasion that the surveyor is able to discover the exact roosting location of a transmitted TCB and believes he/she can observe the bat(s) emerging. Transmitter Attachment - A qualified and permitted biologist who is experienced in handling TCB and other TE bats and attaching radio transmitters must perform transmitter attachments. Attachment guidelines and protocols are outlined in the 2024 USFWS Range-wide Indiana Bat & Northern Long-Eared Bat Survey Guidelines. For each captured TCB (or other threatened or endangered bats should they be captured), the Cooperator shall attach radio transmitters to all female, juvenile, and adult male TCB or others captured at each site. Surveyors should be prepared to place transmitters on bats when they are captured to minimize holding times. The radio transmitter, adhesive, and any other markings ideally should weigh less than 5% of the bat’s pre-attachment body weight but must not weigh more than 10% of its total body weight (Kurta and Murray 2002). In all cases, the lightest transmitters capable of the required task should be used, particularly with pregnant females and volant juveniles. Bats carrying transmitters must be monitored daily for at least seven days, or until the transmitter falls off, whichever occurs first. 6 The purpose of radio tracking TCB and other TE bats is to determine their roosting locations. If radio tracking determines specific summer roosting or maternal colony sites (trees or other structures), the Cooperator shall use a GPS unit to record the specific locations. The Cooperator shall describe the sites and nearby surroundings in each survey report. 3.3.7 Radio Telemetry Equipment - Proposed radio telemetry equipment (e.g., receivers, antennas, and transmitters) and frequencies should be coordinated with the appropriate state natural resource agency and the USFWS – Missouri Ecological Services Field Office, Columbia, MO (Kris Budd, 573-507-8924 when conducting surveys in Missouri), or Arkansas Ecological Services Field Office, Conway, AR (Pedro Ardapple-Kindberg, 501-513-4470 when conducting surveys in Arkansas) after any night a bat is fitted with a transmitter. 3.4 Task 4: Post-Fieldwork Coordination with USACE-MVM The cooperator shall call the Technical Manager of this project (Jennifer Hiltonsmith, 901-579-7473) within 24 hours of the conclusion of field work conducted at each project location (Belle Fountain and 15 Mile Bayou) with all netting and transmitter information. Each project area will have its own draft report. Each draft report will document all capture results, photographs, maps, etc. performed at each location; and each draft report will be provided to the Technical Manager no later than one month after field work has been concluded at that specific area. More information about report submittals are provided in Section 9.2. 4.0 QUALIFICATIONS 4.1 The Cooperator shall possess a current USFWS threatened or endangered species recovery permit and both a State of Missouri collector’s permit and a State of Arkansas collector’s permit prior to starting the field work at each specific site. The Principal Investigator (PI) conducting the surveys should have a thorough understanding of the USFWS Range-Wide Indiana Bat and Northern Long-Eared Bat Survey Guidelines, should be familiar with the 2024 updates and the inclusion of Tricolored bat efforts. The Cooperator should have at least 3 years’ experience with mist-netting, handling, and identifying bat species including threatened and endangered species. Survey experience, academic background, and examples of prior reports should be submitted with your proposal.

This grant provides funding for U.S.-based researchers to explore innovative tissue engineering and mechanobiology solutions using the unique microgravity environment of the International Space Station, with the goal of improving health outcomes on Earth.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for Moroccan individuals and organizations to create programs that engage youth in cultural and educational exchanges focused on American values and skills in areas like English language learning, digital transformation, STEAM, and the creative economy.

This funding opportunity supports U.S.-based researchers and institutions investigating land cover and land use changes to advance scientific knowledge and technology in Earth and space sciences.

This grant provides funding for researchers to develop and advance treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, benefiting patients of all ages, including military personnel and their families.

The FY24 ARP Discovery Award supports innovative, non-incremental, high-risk/potentially high-reward research that will provide new insights, paradigms, technologies, or applications in autism research. Studies supported by this award are expected to lay the groundwork for future avenues of scientific investigation regarding an important question for autism research and/or the ASD community. The proposed research project should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on a sound scientific rationale and logical reasoning. Preliminary data are not required but is allowed. The outcome of research supported by this award should be the generation of robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for future research projects and applications for funding.The FY24 ARP Discovery Award seeks applications from all areas of research that will help fulfill the programs vision to improve the lives of individuals with ASD now and in their future, as well its mission is to promote innovative research that advances the understanding of ASD and leads to improved outcomes.

The FY24 ALSRP Clinical Outcomes and Biomarkers Award (COBA) supports the development and/or validation of clinical outcomes and biomarkers to enrich clinical trials in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Projects can be relevant to a specific therapy, a class of therapeutics, or to a specific ALS subtype (such as a particular genetic mutation) and do not have to broadly apply to all patients.Research may include, but is not limited to:Target engagement biomarkers.Objective pharmacodynamic biomarkers to measure the biological effect of an investigational therapeutic.Predictive/cohort-selective biomarkers that indicate whether a specific therapy will be effective in an individual patient or patient subgroup.Diagnostic, prognostic, or disease progressionValidate clinician-, observer-, patient-reported and/or performance outcomes to better support clinical trial success metrics.Define ALS subtypes using patient-based resources to link biosamples and/or digital data elements to rigorous molecular and clinical data.Realize improved strategies that better measure disease progression for people living with ALS.Augment biospecimens, outcome, or digital health data to an on-going clinical trial.Correlate clinical-trial related data (e.g., biosample, imaging, digital health data) with clinical outcomes or responses to therapies.Use of existing well-characterized and highly curated clinical resources is encouraged. Examples of patient-based ALS resources include ongoing or completed clinical trial datasets, biorepositories of clinical specimens, registries (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National ALS Registry and/or Biorepository; https://www.cdc.gov/als/Default.html), large omics datasets, patient-report outcomes, digital biomarker datasets, and databases of clinical data and/or metadata. Active-duty military and/or Veteran patient populations or resources should be considered. A list of suitable resources can be found on the ALSRP web page (https://cdmrp.health.mil/alsrp/resources/ALSRPresources). Other resources may be used, provided they have an adequate description of repository parameters and mechanisms for broad access.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for universities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to conduct innovative research on plant gene functions that can improve bioenergy crops and contribute to a sustainable U.S. bioeconomy.

The DoD Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health, Focused Program Award is a funding opportunity aimed at accelerating the development of solutions to critical questions related to traumatic brain injury and psychological health, through multidisciplinary research programs that can significantly impact these conditions through clinical applications, with a budget of approximately $46.5M to fund around six projects.

To obtain a copy of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) please go to the ARPA-E website at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov. To apply to this FOA, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through ARPA-E eXCHANGE (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Registration.aspx). For detailed guidance on using ARPA-E eXCHANGE, please refer to the ARPA-E eXCHANGE User Guide (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx). ARPA-E will not review or consider concept papers submitted through other means. For problems with ARPA-E eXCHANGE, email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with FOA name and number in the subject line). Questions about this FOA? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. Agency Overview: The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260): (A) to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States through the development of energy technologies that (i) reduce imports of energy from foreign sources; (ii) reduce energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases; (iii) improve the energy efficiency of all economic sectors; (iv) provide transformative solutions to improve the management, clean-up, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel; and (v) improve the resilience, reliability, and security of infrastructure to produce, deliver, and store energy; and (B) to ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. ARPA-E issues this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. 16538. The FOA and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this FOA are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910. ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/. ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established learning curves where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is important to its increased commercial deployment and is appropriately the focus of the private sector or the applied technology offices within DOE. In contrast, ARPA-E supports transformative research that has the potential to create fundamentally new learning curves. ARPA-E technology projects typically start with cost/performance estimates well above the level of an incumbent technology. Given the high risk inherent in these projects, many will fail to progress, but some may succeed in generating a new learning curve with a projected cost/performance metric that is significantly better than that of the incumbent technology. ARPA-E funds technology with the potential to be disruptive in the marketplace. The mere creation of a new learning curve does not ensure market penetration. Rather, the ultimate value of a technology is determined by the marketplace, and impactful technologies ultimately become disruptive that is, they are widely adopted and displace existing technologies from the marketplace or create entirely new markets. ARPA-E understands that definitive proof of market disruption takes time, particularly for energy technologies. Therefore, ARPA-E funds the development of technologies that, if technically successful, have clear disruptive potential, e.g., by demonstrating capability for manufacturing at competitive cost and deployment at scale. ARPA-E funds applied research and development. The Office of Management and Budget defines applied research as an original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledgedirected primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective and defines experimental development as creative and systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new products or processes or improving existing products or processes. Applicants interested in receiving financial assistance for basic research (defined by the Office of Management and Budget as experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts)1 should contact the DOEs Office of Science (http://science.energy.gov/). Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E Applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices including: the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (http://www.eere.energy.gov/), the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (https://www.energy.gov/fecm/office-fossil-energy-and-carbon-management), the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy), and the Office of Electricity (https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity). Program Overview: The Nuclear Energy Waste Transmutation Optimized Now (NEWTON) program will support the research and development of technologies that enable the transmutation of used nuclear fuel (UNF) to alleviate the impact of storage in permanent disposal facilities. This program seeks to fund the development of novel technologies that increase the overall capacity factor, power output, and efficiency of particle generation systems (including but not limited to proton, neutron, and/or photon), by reducing beam trip magnitude and duration (referred to as loss of beam). Additional technologies will focus on increasing the throughput of transmutation by developing target materials that maximize transmutation rates and are easily processible to remove the transmuted material. The United States does not currently have an active facility for the permanent disposal of used nuclear fuel derived from the civilian nuclear sector. Used nuclear fuel comprises several classes of isotopes that could be processed in different ways due to their economic value. Firstly, uranium (U), which comprises greater than 95% of the mass of UNF, can be reprocessed and converted back into fuel for light-water reactors through the addition of small amounts of uranium-235 (U-235). Secondly, plutonium (Pu) and minor actinides (MAs), such as neptunium (Np), americium (Am), and curium (Cm), which together comprise roughly 1.5% of UNF by mass, are produced from nuclear fission. Many of these isotopes are fissionable and could be incorporated into fuels designed for advanced reactor concepts. Intermediate-lived fission products (ILFPs) including strontium-90 (Sr-90) and caesium-137 (Cs-137) have relatively short half-lives of roughly 30 years and have applications in radioisotope thermoelectric generators for space applications. However, ILFPs are largely destined for permanent disposal in a deep geological repository. The major long-lived fission products (LLFPs) have half-lives exceeding 200,000 years and have few commercial applications. LLFPS include selenium-79 (Se-79),technetium-99 (Tc-99), tin-126 (Sn-126), iodine-129 (I-129), and caesium-135 (Cs-135). The last class of isotopes are the stable isotopes produced from nuclear fission and resulting decay. These isotopes could be extracted from UNF, but no commercial processing of these have been undertaken. A deep geological disposal facility for the disposition of UNF in the U.S. has been estimated to cost $96.18 billion over the 150-year lifetime, after which the facility would cease to accept new waste. This facility would be able to store 70,000 metric tons (MT) of unprocessed UNF, which is insufficient for the existing volume of civilian waste. Densification of the waste can be accomplished through removal of the plutonium, minor actinides, and ILFP components of the UNF. Removal of 99.9% of these components would allow a densification factor of 225, based on current disposal requirements, thus allowing a single repository to store upwards of approximately 16 million MT of UNF. The LLFPs are responsible for many of the engineered barriers that are required to be built in the repository due to their long half-lives and environmental mobility. Removal of these LLFPs could decrease the capital expenditure of a permanent geological repository while also improving safety. To view the FOA in its entirety, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks to provide funding for operation of the Secretariat of Subcommittee 37 (SC 37) under the Joint Technical Committee 1 (JTC 1) of the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC).

This initiative seeks input from researchers and industry stakeholders on innovative technologies to replace traditional heating systems in refineries and petrochemical plants with efficient nuclear heat solutions, aiming to significantly reduce emissions and improve process efficiency.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to U.S. universities and research centers for acquiring major research equipment that enhances their capabilities in science, engineering, and technology relevant to national defense.

The U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research to help build a program to (1) increase the understanding of how new soil and vegetation mapping products can improve land management decisions on western lands, (2) improve land-potential based decision tools, including state-and-transition models, and (3) increase the understanding of how drought and herbivory impact western lands. These are currently significant scientific challenges for management of large western landscapes in the face of climate change, drought, wildfire, and ongoing and changing land uses.

This grant provides funding to small businesses in the U.S. to develop innovative technologies that address critical national needs, particularly in health and technology, while promoting collaboration with research institutions.

This funding opportunity supports collaborations between Sea Grant programs and Minority Serving Institutions to enhance aquaculture research, education, and community engagement across four U.S. regions.

The U.S. Geological Survey is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research supporting communications and technical transfer of sagebrush and fire related science. Successful applicants will work with the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area staff to plan and host a public-facing webinar or workshop to increase and improve technical transfer of management-relevant science, data, and tools to improve ecosystem resiliency in the sagebrush biome and increase durability of on-the-ground management actions informed by co-produced science.

This grant provides funding for organizations in the Colorado Plateau or Desert Southwest regions to conduct bat surveys and conservation efforts at Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, focusing on protecting species like the tricolored bat from threats such as white-nose syndrome.

A. Short Description of Funding Opportunity Program Description/Objective: ERDC seeks novel technology (or technologies) capable of disrupting and/or managing riverine and other large-scale freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). B. Background: Aquatic nuisance species, including harmful algae, impact freshwater lakes and rivers, infrastructure, operations, and associated resources across the nation. HABs have resulted in recreational closures, public health concerns, and billions of dollars in economic impacts. HABs are increasing in frequency and duration, resulting in environmental, socioeconomic, human and ecological health concerns. Cost-effective and scalable technologies for early HAB detection, prediction, and management are needed to reduce HAB frequency and severity. Riverine HABs, in particular, can span hundreds of miles, last for weeks, and cause significant damages. Technology (or technologies) capable of disrupting and/or managing riverine and other large-scale freshwater HABs is needed. C. Program Description/Objective: This project will establish an interdisciplinary collaboration between USACE and a University partner to accomplish numbered objectives below. Successful proposals will also (a) clearly identify question(s) the proposed project will seek to answer (i.e., project technical objectives); (b) clearly describe the tasks and data required to answer those question(s) (i.e., data quality objectives); and (c) describe envisioned project deliverables by task and by year. Proposals that demonstrate intent to maximize use of existing federal and state HAB programs, activities, and data are encouraged. Successful proposals will identify quantitative and qualitative success criteria for each project task. This project will: 1) Develop a workplan describing the candidate technology (or technologies), any technology optimization efforts required (if applicable), candidate technology demonstration field site(s), and field work plan. Technology is defined here application of knowledge, methods and approaches to achieve a practical means, which in this case is disrupting and/or managing riverine and other large-scale freshwater HABs. University partners will be responsible for obtaining required permits prior to approval of in-water work. Note that this is a three-year funded effort (pending appropriations). At minimum, technologies will be demonstrated during years 2 and 3 of this funded project. Riverine HABs can be sporadic - they may occur with very little warning or may not occur at all during the project duration. Please account for this contingency in your preproposal - how will you be flexible and adaptive to ensure project objectives are met given these challenges? 2) Conduct work described in the approved work plan, includes producing data of sufficient quality and quantity to meet data quality objectives described in approved work plan. 3) Produce draft and final report describing project objectives, methods, and results. Includes complementary data publication to ensure data generated by this project is publicly accessible, as well as end-user guidance to support application of the technology demonstrated by this project to different riverine systems and ecoregions. Includes complementary data publication so that end-users can easily access data generated by this project; data collected during project must be uploaded to water quality portal (https://www.waterqualitydata.us/). 4) We strongly encourage engagement with tribal, federal, state, and/or local partners who have knowledge pertaining to the riverine system featured in this project. Please identify stakeholders and partners that will be engaged during the course of the project in your pre-proposal. Please also identify how they will be engaged in all key phases of project planning, execution, and in preparation of final deliverables. D. Public Benefit HABs are occurring with greater frequency in lakes and rivers across the nation, resulting in public health concerns and billions of dollars in economic impacts. The proposed applied research will demonstrate a technology (or technologies) capable of disrupting and/or managing riverine or other large-scale freshwater HABs. Novel approaches to reduce HAB severity and scale will benefit public health and reduce economic harm associated with HABs.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative research between U.S. universities and South Korean institutions to advance innovative robotics technologies through the development of intelligent components.