Funding Opportunities

What is the Specialty Crop Block Grant?
Under the 2008 Farm Bill, the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) receives grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enhance the competitiveness of Nevada’s Specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops). In order to seek out program-enhancing projects, the NDA conducts an annual competitive application process to award grant funds to eligible and top scoring candidates. How does the Specialty Crop Block Grant work?

Who: Those interested in receiving grant funds to contribute to Nevada’s success in the Specialty Crop Industry.
What: The NDA Specialty Crop Program awards grant funds for specialty crop enhancing projects.
When: A competitive Request For Proposal is released early January, and applications are due early spring.
Why: We are looking for projects to promote and enhance specialty crops through research, marketing, education, and production.

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is being issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). The mission of AMMTO is: “We inspire people and drive innovation to transform materials and manufacturing for America's energy future.” This is in alignment with AMMTO’s vision for the future – a globally competitive U.S. manufacturing sector that accelerates the adoption of innovative materials and manufacturing technologies in support of a clean, decarbonized economy.
To realize a clean, decarbonized economy, we must drive innovation to transform resources, materials, and manufacturing for energy applications. The U.S. ramp up of production of technologies that are needed for this energy transition will require new materials, new manufacturing processes, and new circular materials flows.
The modernization of manufacturing can help bring these innovations on-line at the needed scale and quality faster. Among the most important trends to impact the manufacturing sector is the drive toward digitalization, which is the process of employing digital technologies and information to transform the manufacturing enterprise system and business operations across the total production lifecycle. Smart manufacturing provides a systemic approach for the digital transformation of manufacturing that holds great promise to significantly improve productivity, efficiency, safety, security, and sustainability of U.S. manufacturing and energy systems.
While there has been significant support of digitization innovation, the manufacturing sector has been relatively slow to adopt digital technologies. This is problematic as digital transformation—through its improvements in cost, quality, productivity, time to market, efficiency, safety, security, and sustainability—holds great promise to transform how we manufacture products and materials for our energy future.
Smart manufacturing refers to the suite of platform technologies that directly support the digital transformation of the manufacturing enterprise across the entire production lifecycle, which includes design, process, production, supply network, and enterprise levels. Platform technologies are manufacturing technologies that can be applied to manufacture multiple products. The digital transformation of manufacturing through smart manufacturing platform technologies would promote the development of cyberphysical systems (CPS) for manufacturing. A vision for CPS for manufacturing is the development of modular, interconnected systems that combine physical processes, computational resources, and networked communication to create a highly automated, efficient, and flexible manufacturing environment. In such systems, physical components (e.g., machinery, robots, sensors) would be interconnected with software and data networks, enabling real-time monitoring, control, and optimization of manufacturing processes. This would enable a host of significant capabilities including real-time data processing and feedback, advanced automation and control, enhanced flexibility and adaptability, and improved efficiency and quality.

We fund food and agriculture science that addresses large-scale challenges to develop actionable knowledge and solutions. We fund research focusing on our cross-cutting Priority Areas.

Another important aspect of our grants are the public-private partnerships. Some funding opportunities require applicants and grantees to secure matching funds. In other cases, we secure matching funds before announcing the opportunity. Please consider potential matching funders when proposing a research concept.

Our Funding & Approval Process begins with collecting broad input, includes a rigorous review process and culminates with funding the highest-quality research. Hearing from the agriculture community ensures that our research is relevant to American farmers and scientists. As such, we are interested in hearing your research concept.

The CASF Broadband Public Housing Account provides grants and loans to build broadband networks offering free broadband service for residents of low-income communities including, but not limited to, publicly supported housing developments, farmworker housing, and other housing developments or mobile home parks with low-income residents that do not have access to any broadband service provider that offers free broadband service that meets or exceeds state standards for the residents of the low-income community. The allocated funding for the Broadband Public Housing Account is $30.1 million for fiscal year 2024-2025. The Broadband Public Housing Account will award grants to finance up to 100 percent of the costs to install last mile infrastructure, inside wiring and broadband network equipment but will not finance operations and maintenance costs through this program.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes historic tax provisions that will accelerate the deployment of clean energy, clean vehicles, clean buildings, and clean manufacturing, and save communities money on their energy bills. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is partnering with the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to support implementation of several of these tax provisions.

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Elective Pay (often called “direct pay”) provisions, tax-exempt and governmental entities can, for the first time, receive a payment equal to the full value of tax credits for building qualifying clean energy projects. This new mechanism presents a potentially transformative opportunity for communities and non-profits, including many DOE grant and loan recipients, to directly benefit from federal tax credits for clean energy. In addition, the IRA modified the 179d energy efficient commercial building property tax deduction to increase the incentive for energy efficient investments and expand accessibility to tax-exempt entities. However, tax-exempt entities affected by these historic provisions (including state, territory, and local governments; Tribes; and non-profits) do not have significant experience with tax filings and often have limited capacity to dedicate to navigating IRS regulations and filing processes. This funding opportunity aims to address this knowledge gap, supporting the development of additional resources to guide communities as they claim IRA tax credits through Elective Pay and complete projects that create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs, and advance an equitable transition to a clean and resilient energy system.

The Elective Pay – Blueprints for Communities opportunity was launched in July 2024 to support the development of additional resources for these communities as they plan and execute projects which are eligible for clean energy tax credits through Elective Pay or the 179d energy efficient commercial building property tax deduction. The opportunity envisions blueprints as documents that will help guide interested entities through all stages of a sample project, identifying important considerations, opportunities, and restrictions along the road to claiming Elective Pay. Blueprints developed through this funding opportunity will address multiple topics central to planning and implementing an eligible project, potentially including but not limited to the following: building a project team; funding and financing; designing an eligible project; documentation and record keeping; tax year determination; prevailing wage, apprenticeship, and domestic content requirements; IRS pre-registration; and tax return filing.

This funding opportunity is managed by ENERGYWERX in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions. This agreement enables ENERGYWERX to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.

Applications for this funding opportunity opened on July 7, 2024, and will close at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) on  August 8, 2024. DOE anticipates that applicants will be notified of their selection by August 2024 and that this engagement will run through February 2025.

The Western Integrated Pest Management Center (“The Center”) engages a broad diversity of stakeholders in the West to identify strategic directions and set priorities for integrated pest management (IPM) research, education, and extension for pest management in all settings. Through these activities the Center promotes the USDA Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan goals of effective, affordable, and environmentally sound integrated pest management practices and improved response to emerging or reemerging pests of high consequence. The Center supports the National Roadmap for Integrated Pest Management (http://bit.ly/IPMRoadMap)

The Center works to reduce the risks that pests and pest-management practices pose to people, the environment and the economy of the American West by supporting the development and adoption of smart, safe and sustainable pest management. Our vision is a healthier West with fewer pests.

This RFA covers Planning Documents and Economic Analysis projects. This includes the development of Pest Management Strategic Plans, Integrated Pest Management Plans, Pest Management Prioritysetting for First Nation Food Sovereignty Initiatives, or similar planning documents, and Economic Analysis of IPM Systems.

Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSPs) are developed with a group of producers and other stakeholders to identify the pest management needs and priorities of a particular commodity, industry, system, site or setting. The plans document current pest management practices and those under research and demonstration trial development. The plans also indicate priorities for research to fill knowledge gaps, regulatory changes, and education or training programs to support adoption of integrated pest management practices.

There are two current models for producing PMSPs, and either is acceptable.
• Guidelines for producing a traditional PMSP can be found on the National IPM Database web site at https://ipmdata.ipmcenters.org/pmsp_workshopguidelines.pdf
• Guidelines for producing an Integrated Pest Management Strategic Plan, an approach pioneered by researchers at Oregon State University, can be found at https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9238

Pest Management Priority-setting for First Nation Food Sovereignty Initiatives may query producers, pest management professionals, IPM practitioners or other pest management stakeholders to gather information about the current pest management methods and challenges in a particular commodity, system, site or setting.

The Economic Analysis of IPM Systems assessment focuses on the economic impacts associated with IPM practices in commodity, industry, system, sites or settings. As an example, the Crop Pest-Loss and Impact Assessment Signature Program tracks the economic impacts associated with IPM implementation. For more information on Signature Programs, see the Center Projects section of the westernipm.org website. Additional recent examples include the economic analysis of the IR-4 program (available at www.ir4project.org/outreach/), the economic value of screening grapevines for viruses (available at doi: 10.5344/ajev.2020.19047) the University of California IPM program (2016 ARE Update University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics).

This program seeks to actively support early career IPM professionals and practitioners in their search for educational opportunities and networking experiences. The program is focused on supporting a deeper understanding of a wide variety of technology, pest management, sustainability, business, and government issues. The program also hopes to help young pest management professionals build a strong, enduring network of peers, and business and government contacts, not only in the academic realm but from private industry as well. Participants can apply to attend events and professional science society meetings or participate in internship programs that provide experiential learning so that students can explore potential careers and build professional networks or participate in other learning opportunities. Internship programs that include both research and extension or outreach are strongly encouraged.

Fellowship applications are capped at $1,000. The award should be used to fund travel to meetings or other professional development opportunities, meeting registration, costs associated with internships with private companies, research and Extension programs or other professional development opportunities.

The Western IPM Center announces the availability of funds and requests proposals to address special issues in the West – specifically time-sensitive issues that cannot wait until the next regular RFA period. Special issues grants may be requested to bring together groups to address emerging pests.

The Western IPM Center will give priority to requests that are multi-state/island/tribal nation in scope. Projects must be completed within one year of funding and be single-issue oriented. Funds are available until exhausted. The maximum amount of a request can be $5,000.

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) solicits applications to lead a consultative process and create a Sustainable Agriculture Action Plan to document the research, regulatory, infrastructure, and educational needs and priorities required to increase sustainable agriculture practices in a specific industry/commodity or geographical location in the Western SARE region. The Sustainable Agriculture Action Plan (SAAP) intends to provide important stakeholder-derived feedback about the sustainable agriculture needs and priorities of specific industries and geographic locations to university researchers, Extension specialists, regulators, non-governmental agencies, elected officials, the USDA, and other potential funders. Western SARE seeks to fund two applications: 1. An application focused on a specific regionally important agricultural industry or commodity 2. An application focused on a specific, limited geographic area in the Western Region that includes multiple crops or production systems. The geographic area must be limited and logical, for example, a specific watershed, a Soil and Water Conservation District, an island or island system, etc. Each successful application will be funded for a maximum of $20,000 which will be awarded as a costreimbursable subaward agreement from Montana State University, Western SARE Host Institution

The Land and Water Conservation Fund was established by Congress in 1964 to fulfill a bipartisan commitment to safeguard our natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. Using zero taxpayer dollars, the fund invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve our history and protect our national endowment of lands and waters. The LWCF program can be divided into the "State Side" which provides grants to State and local governments, and the "Federal Side" which is used to acquire lands, waters, and interests therein necessary to achieve the natural, cultural, wildlife, and recreation management objectives of federal land management agencies.

Available Funds: Variable (based on project needs and timeline)
Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants include governmental entities (cities, towns, counties, tribal governments, state and federal agencies). Non-profits and clubs are not eligible for the LWCF.
Eligible Projects: Funding can be used for outdoor recreation facilities; ADA/accessibility upgrades; acquisition of park lands; baseball & soccer fields, bike parks, pools, playground equipment.