Funding Opportunities

Every Federal agency with an extramural research and development (R&D) budget over $100 million is required by law to have a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. For the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the SBIR
program provides one way it can directly award R&D funding to small businesses. The goal of EPA’s SBIR Program is to support small businesses in the commercialization of innovative technologies that help support EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment (www.epa.gov/sbir). EPA is especially interested in broadening participation in the program and encourages firms new to the program to consider applying. Each agency implements the program in a phased manner that follows the technology development continuum: research, development, demonstration, commercialization, and utilization. Generally, there are two phases: the first is for proof of concept, and the second is intended to move the technology as far as possible toward full-scale commercialization.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Office of Challenge Programs is accepting applications for the Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program. This program strengthens the institutional base of the humanities by funding operational assessments and strategic planning efforts to sustain and protect historical, cultural, educational, intellectual, and physical assets from the risks of climate change. Projects will result in a climate action, resilience, or adaptation plan including detailed assessments, measurable actions, and expected outcomes. Proposals must address how strategic planning for climate change will increase the organization’s resilience and support its work in the humanities over the long term. Projects are financed through a combination of federal matching funds and gifts raised from third-party, non-federal sources.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit grant proposals from eligible state and territory Coastal Zone Management Programs (CZM Programs) for coastal habitat restoration; coastal habitat restoration planning, engineering, and design; and coastal land conservation projects that support the goals and intent of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP), and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law)(BIL, Public Law 117-58, 135 STAT. 1356 (Nov. 15, 2021).

NOAA anticipates that approximately $45 million will be competitively awarded to approved state and territory Coastal Zone Management Programs or eligible Program partners. For habitat restoration engineering, design and planning projects, it is anticipated that awards will range from approximately $200,000-$500,000. For habitat restoration projects, it is anticipated that awards will range from approximately $2 million to $6 million. For land conservation projects, it is anticipated that awards will range from approximately $1 million to $4 million. Applicants may propose projects with a Federal funding request less than or more than these amounts, up to $6 million.

The NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) encourages applicants and awardees to support the principles of equity and inclusion when writing their proposals and performing their work. Promoting equity and inclusion through community engagement, co-development, and partnership improves creativity, productivity, and the vitality of the coastal management community that OCM supports. NOAA also encourages applicants to propose projects with benefits to tribal, indigenous, and/or underserved communities, and projects that appropriately consider and elevate local or indigenous knowledge in project design, implementation, and evaluation. Applicants should identify if the project is located within tribal, indigenous, and/or underserved communities, and/or whether a portion of the resilience benefits from the proposed work will flow to tribal, indigenous, and/or underserved communities. This program will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. Established by Executive Order 14008 on “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” the Justice40 Initiative has established a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments in climate, clean energy, and other areas will flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.

The Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP) through this NOFO will fund nonprofit organizations and government entities to provide no cost legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk or subject to eviction. Additionally, projects will expand the evidence base around eviction prevention and diversion programming, by reporting information about tenants served, legal assistance services provided, outcomes achieved and milestones reached, and collaborative activities.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces a notice in funding availability under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, which may include but not be limited to, Faith-Based and Community Organizations, and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with Agency regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which require the Agency to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

Approximately $2.2 million of FY2024 funding is available for disaster assistance ($50,000 maximum award). Preapplications for disaster assistance grants may be utilized for calendar year 2022 presidentially declared disaster area(s) only (2022 presidentially declared disaster areas can be viewed at https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations).

This funding opportunity is to fund a demonstration project addressing the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) implementation gaps and rural medical communications. Emergency responders are not always trained for the types of incidents they encounter but can share valuable information and provide situational awareness during response and recovery efforts. Specifically, medical providers require communications systems and procedures to transmit patient information and coordinate an influx of patients following large-scale disasters or ongoing crises. As the whole community increases its engagement during emergencies and as technology advances, the need for medical communications and trained personnel increases to ensure coordinated and effective response.

In addition to evolving technology and responders, the NECP recommends improved planning and coordination across the Emergency Communications Ecosystem and across geographies, especially in rural areas. CISA recognizes the impact of geography on medical response and interoperable communications. Rural communities are often underserved regions with several health disparities, such as high mortality rates and cardiovascular diseases. Due to the dire health needs of rural communities, coordinated emergency response is often provided by a variety of medical providers and non-medical emergency responders.

To implement the NECP, CISA must continue to explore ways to improve communications among emergency responders and medical personnel, especially in rural communities. Thus, CISA is reestablishing the Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project (REMCDP).

The Department of Forestry and Fire Management – Urban and Community Forestry program is excited to announce the next round for the Tree Resource Enhancement and Engagement (TREE) Grant Program! This program is open ONLY to currently recognized Tree City USA, Tree Campus USA, and Tree Campus K-12 program participants and community organizations directly serving recognized Tree Cities and Campuses.

The purpose of this program is to support the management, improvement, and/or conservation of community forests by recognized Tree Cities and Tree Campuses. Funds may be used to promote and enhance the quality of Arizona's urban and community forests, and may also be used for engaging decision-makers through urban forest management initiatives.

The goals of this program are to:

Assist recognized Arizona Tree Cities and Tree Campuses in initiating or significantly improving their efforts to care for the community forest, including assistance for achieving canopy cover goals
Encourage recognized Tree Cities and Tree Campuses to develop and maintain a sustainable, balanced, and comprehensive community forestry program that is based on a current tree inventory and managed with the guidance of a community forestry professional
Promote community forestry benefits through the proper management and care of trees in Arizona's recognized Tree City and Tree Campus communities, including through harvesting programs
Eligible activities, listed in order of priority, are:

Development and adoption of a written community tree management plan or community readiness plan
Tree planting projects as part of a comprehensive management program to meet state, county, or community canopy coverage goals
Community tree inventory support
Removal of hazardous trees
Pruning according to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 specifications (without topping)
Municipal tree ordinance development by a certified forestry professional
Training of city employees and volunteers to improve community forestry practices
Initial costs of certification for in-house employees by the International Society of Arboriculture
Other activities that meet needs identified in the Arizona Forest Action Plan
All projects involving tree planting must include a five-year maintenance plan. All trees purchased must meet the American Standard for Nursery Stock and Arizona Nursery Association standards. Planted trees must be guaranteed for one year after planting. All hazardous trees must be identified by a certified arborist, forester, or similarly qualified person.

Eligible costs include personnel/labor, operating costs and supplies, travel, contractual services, equipment, and indirect costs.

Eligibility is limited to currently recognized Tree City USA and Tree Campus USA program participants or community organizations directly serving Tree City/Campus participants.

SUMMARY INFORMATION
Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Wetland Mitigation Banking Program
Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-WMBP-24-NOFO0001315
Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.933 Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP) which can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/home.

SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) delivers conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world. NRCS provides leadership and funding to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments and organizations. NRCS is committed to advancing equity, justice, and equal opportunity to ensure equitable access to programs and services available on private agricultural and forest lands.

NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $7 million in WMBP grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the wetland conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as amended). WMBP is a competitive grants program accepting proposals from: federally recognized Native American tribal governments; state and local units of government; for-profit entities; nonprofits with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. Applications will be accepted from eligible entities in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation compliance requests. Based on NRCS data, these states are: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio.

For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.

Key Dates
Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on August 2, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.
For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. A webinar for potential WMBP applicants is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. (EST) on June 12, 2024. You can participate in the webinar through the following options:

Microsoft Teams: WMBP Webinar Link
Meeting ID: 235 488 356 751
Passcode: tykaMc
Call-In: +1 (202) 650-0123
PIN: 820 732 935#
The agency anticipates making selections by November 2024, and expects to execute awards by February 2025. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts
The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $100,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $1 million. The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period.

Federal Financial Assistance Training
The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/.
It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

This Notice of Funding Opportunity will result in the distribution of up to $44,550,000 for two different categories of grants: (1) Planning and Design Grants and (2) Construction Grants.

The Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) projects will help improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of active transportation networks and communities; improve connectivity between active transportation modes and public transportation; enhance the resiliency of on- and off-road active transportation infrastructure and help protect the environment; and improve quality of life in disadvantaged communities through the delivery of connected active transportation networks and expanded mobility opportunities.

The ATIIP grants will allow communities to identify, prioritize, and implement improvements to the largest barriers to safe, accessible, and equitable pedestrian and bicycle network connectivity through the development of infrastructure that will provide substantial additional opportunities for walking and bicycling. Eligible organizations will be able to create plans or implement active transportation networks that connect destinations within or between communities or create plans or implement an active transportation spine connecting two or more communities, metropolitan regions, or States. The ATIIP also provides an opportunity for eligible organizations to enhance their overall transportation network by integrating active transportation facilities with transit services, where available, to improve access to public transportation.

AMENDMENT 1 TO NOFO issued on 4/15/2024: The purpose of this amendment is to change "Eastern Standard Time" to "Eastern Daylight Time" in the NOFO.
AMENDMENT 2 TO NOFO issued on 6/13/2024: The purpose of this amendment is to extend the opportunity deadline date from Monday, June 17, 2024 to Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced the Fiscal Year 2024 Solar Energy Supply Chain Incubator funding opportunity (FOA), which will provide up to $38 million for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects that de-risk solar hardware, manufacturing processes, and software products across a wide range of solar technology areas. The research and development (R&D) and demonstration (RD&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA will support the DOE decarbonization goals by advancing innovative solar hardware, software, and manufacturing processes across a broad range of technology readiness levels, from laboratory-scale to pilot-scale testing and prototype demonstration. Technologies of interest include photovoltaics (PV), systems integration, and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) technologies, as well as those that connect solar with storage or electric vehicles and dual-use PV applications like agrivoltaics and vehicle-integrated PV. SETO encourages for-profit applicants to team with diverse institutions including academic institutions, non-profits, state and local governments, and Tribal governments. The FOA also seeks projects that provide outreach, education, or technology development for software that delivers an automated permit review and approval process for rooftop solar PV with or without energy storage. Both for-profit and non-profit entities are eligible to apply under this topic. SETO expects to make between 11 and 23 awards ranging from $1 million to $5 million under this FOA. Learn more about past Incubator funding program awardees. Prior to submitting a full application for this opportunity, a mandatory concept paper is due July 19 at 5 p.m. ET. Applicants can also access free Application Education Services through the American-Made Network and can engage with Power Connectors.