Grant Funding Opportunities: 8/24/12
Visit the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s Funding Gateway page to get more information on funding announcements, links to opportunity search databases, and grant development tips!
DoD SBIR Solicitation Pre-Release--Included in this round of solicitations are Army, Navy, DARPA, DLA, MDA and OSD-RE. You have until August 26th to speak with the topic authors and ask technical questions about the topics. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed after August 26th when DoD begins accepting proposals. The DoD solicitations can be viewed at: http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/solicitations/sbir20123/index.shtml
Deadline: 10/1/12
Agency: Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE)
Program: Sustainable Community Innovation Grant (SCIG)
Description: The SCIG program is open to a variety of innovative projects that successfully link sustainable agriculture with sustainable community activities. Among the priority areas for this year’s SCIG Grants Program are the following topics: Strategic Planning Efforts, Integrating Agriculture into the Local Economic Development Plan, Food Assistance/Security Activities, Linking Farmers and Local/Regional Consumers, Strengthening/Creation of Niche Food and Agriculture-Related Businesses, Regional Agriculture-Related Economic Clusters, Civic Dialogue/Deliberative Initiatives, and Local Leadership Development Efforts. Sustainable Community Innovation Grant recipients must incorporate an educational outreach component to their project. This could take the form of training materials, articles, workshops, webinars/web-based programs, pamphlets and other media, generated from the results of the funded projects that can be adapted for use by other communities.
Award Amount: Project maximums are $10,000 for up to two years
Website: http://www.southernsare.org/Grants/Apply-for-a-Grant
Eligibility: Any individuals, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, governmental organizations and/or educational organizations located in the Southern region (to include NC).
Deadline: 10/31/12
Agency: Georgia-Pacific Foundation
Program: Education Grant 2012
Description: The foundation continually seeks to invest in innovative and results-driven educational initiatives that they feel will make a measurable difference in communities. The Education focus areas include Job Training, Literacy, and School Partnerships.
Award Amount: Varies
Website: http://www.gp.com/gpfoundation/grantprocess.html
Eligibility: Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public schools, and tax-exempt public service agencies (e.g. Police/Fire Departments) in the U.S. are eligible to apply. Applicants must be located within thirty miles of a Georgia-Pacific community. See website for locations within North Carolina.
Deadline: 11/12/12
Agency: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Program: Shell Science Lab Challenge
Description: The challenge invites middle and high school science teachers (grades 6-12) in the United States and Canada (with special attention to urban and underrepresented groups) to illustrate replicable approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources. Entries will be judged on the basis of a number of criteria, including demonstrated science inquiry and innovation in the classroom with limited laboratory equipment, materials, and resources; demonstrated impact and engagement with students and the school community; and demonstrated need for support to improve science laboratory experiences.
Award Amount: More than $90,000 in lab makeover prizes will be awarded to the eighteen winning schools. All winners will receive science lab equipment, cash grants, membership to the NSTA, and support to attend NSTA conferences on science education.
Website: http://www.nsta.org/shellsciencelab/
Eligibility: Middle and high school science teachers (Grades 6–12) in the United States and Canada (with special attention to urban and underrepresented groups).
Deadline: 12/18/12 (Targeted Partnerships); 12/18/12 (Research, Evaluation and Technical Assistance (RETA))
Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Program: Math and Science Partnership (MSP)
Description: This program is a major research and development effort that supports innovative partnerships to improve K-12 student achievement in mathematics and science. MSP projects are expected to raise the achievement levels of all students and significantly reduce achievement gaps in the STEM performance of diverse student populations. All STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields supported by NSF may be involved in this work, with special encouragement to areas that are gaining increased traction at the K-12 level, such as computer science and engineering, in addition to mathematics and science. MSP projects also serve as models that have a sufficiently strong evidence/research base to improve STEM education outcomes for all students. Through this solicitation, NSF seeks to support two levels of Targeted Partnership awards, Implementation and Prototype. Implementation awards are intended to develop and put into practice innovative approaches and strategies in education. Prototype awards explore potentially innovative approaches and strategies in education. Both types of Partnerships incorporate significant new innovations to STEM education, linked to a strong educational research agenda, in one of four focal areas: Community Enterprise for STEM Learning; Current Issues Related to STEM Content; Identifying and Cultivating Exceptional Talent; and K-12 STEM Teacher Preparation. In addition, there are three types of Research, Evaluation and Technical Assistance (RETA) project opportunities in this solicitation: research related to sustainability, or policies, or state plans for STEM education; technical assistance for evaluators of MSP projects; and the STEM Education Resource Collaboratory.
Award Amount: The maximum total budget for a Targeted Partnership that is an Implementation project is $8,000,000 (average annual budgets of $1,600,000) with duration of up to 5 years. The maximum total budget for a Targeted Partnership that is a Prototype project is $1,500,000 (average annual budgets of $500,000) with duration of up to 3 years. The maximum total budget for RETA research and evaluation technical assistance projects is $1,200,000 (average annual budgets of $400,000) with duration of up to 3 years. The request for funding should be consistent with the scope and complexity of the proposed work. RETA awards will be made as standard or continuing grants.
Website: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12518/nsf12518.htm
Eligibility: Lead institution eligibility for a Targeted Partnership is limited to an institution of higher education or an eligible non-profit organization (or consortia of such institutions or organizations). A non-profit organization eligible to serve as a lead institution for a Partnership project is defined as a nonprofit research institute, or a nonprofit professional association, with demonstrated experience and effectiveness in mathematics or science education. Eligibility for Research, Evaluation and Technical Assistance (RETA) projects is open to all categories of proposers identified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide. Proposals for research on state plans for STEM education in the RETA research component must include a state or consortium of states.
Deadline: Continuous
Agency: Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation
Program: Grants
Description: The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation was formed in 2004 to support nonprofit organizations in communities throughout our service territory. One giving focus area is Environmental Stewardship & Energy Sustainability. A second giving focus area is the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation Community Enrichment Initiative. This initiative includes the below two programs:
- K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education
- Programs and accountability measures that enhance student performance, grade level readiness, literacy, graduation rates and overall success for students
- Development of high-quality leadership in schools and classrooms, including recruitment and retention of teachers and principals
- Programs that incorporate science, technology, math and engineering skills critical to success in a global economy
- Programs that promote positive behaviors and motivation to stay in school
- Incorporation of energy and environmental education in K-12 schools/ curriculum
- Programs and accountability measures that enhance student performance, grade level readiness, literacy, graduation rates and overall success for students
- Workforce Development
- Primary
- Coordination with economic development efforts and activities to promote the region's availability of qualified workers
- High quality, affordable and easily accessible training to provide those entering the workforce with the skills necessary to obtain employment
- Training programs that serve to upgrade employee skills and wages
- Strategies to encourage life-long learning and opportunities to engage in professional development
- Coordination with economic development efforts and activities to promote the region's availability of qualified workers
- Secondary
- Programs that incorporate vocational and technical training through community colleges
- Programs that incorporate vocational and technical training through community colleges
- Primary
Award Amount: Varies
Website: http://piedmontng.com/ourcommunity/ourfoundation.aspx
Eligibility: Grants are limited to organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
NOTES: Grants greater than $10,000 must be reviewed and approved by the board of directors during Foundation board meetings. Meetings are typically held each April, August and November of the calendar year, but are subject to change. The Piedmont Natural Gas Community Enrichment Initiative also includes a competitive “Regional Rotating” grant program that bolsters dollars regionally by offering 1-2 smaller rotating capacity building/ collaboration/ innovation grant awards. Organizations are invited to apply through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process.