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 Venable Foundation envisions that its philanthropic investments provide essential resources to nonprofit organizations in communities across the country. Guided by the belief that everyone has the right to equitable employment opportunities, healthcare, housing, food, and a vibrant cultural community, Venable grantees ensure that economically disadvantaged people are given the tools they need to thrive.

Grant support is provided to assist with general operations and projects. Currently, the Venable Foundation’s funding priorities include:

Human Services
Legal Services
Education
Workforce Development
Youth Impact
Health
Environment
Arts and Culture
You can learn more about each of these funding priorities below:

Human Services – The Foundation has a strong track record of supporting a breadth of essential human services, including programs that impact people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, incarcerated and returning citizens, LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, and those affected by domestic violence and housing insecurity.

Legal Services – We support the delivery of free or affordable legal services in our communities. Pro bono consulting and representation focus on a variety of issues, including domestic violence, housing, immigration, public benefits, and discrimination, among other areas. Legal service nonprofits providing “know your rights” training and other activities are also supported. The Foundation also supports training for youth and adults to ensure diversity and access to careers in the legal profession.

Education – The Foundation supports a wide array of early childhood, in-school, and out-of-school time initiatives that provide in-depth opportunities for learning and engagement to position children for success and level the playing field for economically disadvantaged youth.

Workforce Development – We believe that every individual deserves the opportunity to pursue gainful employment. Thus, we support organizations with the goal of developing the workforce of today and tomorrow. Successful programs recruit and train individuals and place them in relevant jobs so that they can earn a sustainable living wage for themselves and their families. Skill development is focused on low-income, underemployed, and unemployed community members, and on preparing youth for careers after their schooling is complete.

Youth Impact – The Foundation invests in services that impact children in each of our communities. These initiatives ensure economically disadvantaged youth are healthy and safe and have opportunities to thrive.

Health – The Foundation is committed to improving wellness and increasing access to care for economically disadvantaged individuals in the region. Successful organizations and programs work to eliminate barriers to healthcare for all ages and provide accessible and no-stigma testing for a variety of diseases. We support pediatric to geriatric services that address a variety of health concerns.

Environment – We support organizations involved in the preservation of our natural resources and those that are addressing natural or man-made disasters in our target regions. Programs educate communities and work for change on a variety of environmental issues, from wildfires to pollution.

Arts and Culture – The Foundation supports initiatives in the arts that promote deeper public engagement and build up the creative economy, with an emphasis on low-income and underserved communities.

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.

It is declared policy of the legislature to provide for a coordinated effort for the restoration and conservation of the water resources of this state. The Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) is a competitive state grant program that is designed to allow the people of Arizona to prosper while providing funding to interested parties for the development and implementation of measures to protect water of sufficient quality and quantity to maintain, enhance, and restore river and riparian resources throughout Arizona (including projects that benefit fish and wildlife that are dependent on these important resources), and measures to increase water availability and supply. The distribution of grant funds from the AWPF is authorized pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-2101 et seq. and is overseen by the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission (Commission). The program is administered through the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR).

The AWPF supports projects that fit the following objectives to meet the program goals:
 Provide identified and measurable benefits to the water resources of Arizona through broad-based local support.
 Provide positive, effective examples for other similar projects.
 Advance the field of water conservation knowledge in Arizona.
 Increase public awareness of the function and value of riparian resources in Arizona.

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).