The White House, Additional Resources to Access Free At-Home COVID Tests

The White House has launched a new resource to help individuals and families order free at-home COVID tests from COVIDtests.gov. Those who have difficulty accessing the Internet or need additional support placing an order can call 1-800-232-0233 to get help in English and many other languages. This call-line is open 8AM to midnight ET – 7 days a week. A TTY line (1-888-720-7489) is also available to support access to hearing impaired callers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (ACL) has also established additional resources. People with disabilities can reach out to the Disability Information and Assistance Line (DIAL) by calling 888-677-1199 or by emailing DIAL@usaginganddisability.org at any time. Older adults can call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 or visit the Eldercare Locator website to access live chat assistance or to browse resources. More information on these COVID-19 resources can be found here.

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Development through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Development through Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Initiative) is excited to announce the release of our 2022 HBCU Scholar Recognition Program Application.

Our nomination period is open now until, March 22, 2022. The Initiative will host an informational meeting on February 16, 2022 a 12:00PM, ET. If you are interested in attending this meeting please RSVP to Elyse Jones: elyse.jones@ed.gov. A calendar invite will be sent to you!

Link to 2022 HBCU Scholar Application and site: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Broadband Grant Programs Public Virtual Listening Sessions

NTIA will host broadband grant program public virtual listening sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform program development and implementation.

NTIA will hold the public virtual listening sessions based on the following schedule:

1. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Programs Public Virtual Listening Session #5: Wednesday, February 23, 2022, from 2:30–4:00 p.m. ET.

These listening sessions will be hosted via NTIA’s virtual platform and conducted as a live public listening session. NTIA will post the registration information on its BroadbandUSA website .

Federal Register Notice: Broadband Grant Programs Public Virtual Listening Sessions

U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development

Rural Gateway Peer-to-Peer Web Conference Call Investing in Rural Prosperity Date: February 22, 2022 Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

The Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED) invites you to take part in our next Peer-to-Peer Web Conference Call. Scheduled for February 22, 2022, this call will offer participants the opportunity to learn more about investing in rural and underserved communities.

Topics to be discussed

• Investing in climate resilience
• Supporting local entrepreneurship and small businesses
• Advancing racial equity through rural development investments

Participant Instructions

You must pre-register to receive a joining link for the event.

If you have any questions, please call 1-877-RURAL-26 (1-877-787-2526).

Access funding alerts and learn more about innovative strategies. Rural Gateway resources include:

• Mailing lists that connect you to others engaged in rural community development across the country
• Web Conference Calls that highlight model programs and provide an opportunity to ask questions and interact with your peers
• Federal Agency Rural Programs/Resources and Funding Opportunity links to numerous federal programs across agencies that provide grants and loans for rural communities
• Case Studies illustrating common challenges and innovative strategies

Internal Revenue Service

During the month of March 2022, several divisions from the Internal Revenue Service (including W&I, SBSE, LB&I, IT, RAAS, TAS, Appeals, Chief Counsel, TEGE, HCO) will be hosting information sessions every Thursday highlighting different IRS positions each session, which we anticipate multiple openings nationwide in FY2022. Also, there will be a session on Tuesday, March 29^th. We are inviting students and alumni from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to learn more about the work we do at the Internal Revenue Service and some of the great career opportunities to make the IRS a career choice.

IRS representatives will share insight into these exciting career opportunities along with how to apply for them.  These information sessions are your opportunity to speak to IRS employees to gain a better understanding of their day-to-day work.

To register for one of these sessions, please see the attached or RSVP using one of the links below.  Please note that capacity is limited for these sessions, so we advise you to register early.

Sessions will be held via Zoom, every Thursday from 4:00pm to 6:00pm Eastern Standard Time to discuss the following positions:

Click here to learn more about our organization and some of our positions.  Make Your Future Count!  If you want to use your talents to make a difference for America, you’re looking in the right place. We want the IRS workforce to be excited about the future and, as one of the nation’s largest and most diverse institutions, we can give you an inside view of the world of finance that you can’t find anywhere else. So, when it’s time for you to enter the workforce, we’re hoping you’ll consider working with us.

For additional information and questions about the virtual information session or these positions, send an email to sbse.recruitment@irs.gov with your name and inquiry and we will be happy to answer your questions. Take some time and come check us out. Thank you.

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Development through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Development through Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Initiative) is excited to announce the release of our 2022 HBCU Scholar Recognition Program Application.

Our nomination period is open now until, March 22, 2022. We are looking for the best and brightest HBCU student leaders to participate in this prestigious program! This highly competitive recognition program is open to current HBCU students of all majors and classifications. Students accepted into the program will work with the Initiative for one academic school year and be immersed in an intensive experience working closely with one another and Initiative partners from wide range of disciplines.

More information on the Initiatives recognition program and application requirements can be found by accessing the link below.

Link to 2022 HBCU Scholar Application and site: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

AmeriCorps

Learn the Value of AmeriCorps Service: Interested in addressing local challenges in communities across the country while developing job skills and earning money for school?

Join us for a virtual information session to find out if a year or summer as an AmeriCorps member serving with the VISTA program could be right for you. We’ll share service opportunities, benefits, requirements, and more.

AmeriCorps VISTA: Get the Basics

Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2-3 p.m. ET

Register

U.S. Department of Energy

DOE’s Office of Science is now Accepting Applications for the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Awards

Students Will Perform Graduate Thesis Research at National Laboratories, The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2022 Solicitation 1 cycle.  Applications are due 5:00pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

The SCGSR program supports awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory or host site in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist — with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall graduate theses while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the host DOE laboratories. SCGSR is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate thesis research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE Office of Science. Since its inception in 2014, the SCGSR program has provided support to over 780 graduate awardees from more than 150 different U.S. universities to conduct thesis research at all 17 DOE national laboratories across the nation.

The SCGSR program is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, in collaboration with the eight Office of Science research and advanced technology program offices and the DOE national laboratories/facilities. Program administration support is provided by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). More information can be found at https://science.osti.gov/wdts.

U.S. Department of Energy

Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program (MEISPP)

Department of Energy Summer Internships, Student Stipend

• Undergraduate- $650.00/ week
• Graduate- $750.00/week
• Housing- $240.00/week and up
• Travel Allowance-up to $1,000.00

Join us for an Informational Session on:
February 16, 1pm EST or
Mar 8, 1pm EST

MEISPP@orise.orau.govA variety of disciplines that support the Department of Energy’s mission including science, technology, engineering, business, mathematics, policy, law and more. Professional and technical career experience with the guidance of a mentor.

Deadline: March 31, 2022
February 16th
March 8th
Department of Energy Summer Internships
https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/DOE-ED-MEISPP-2022

Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

Applications are open for 4 IES Summer Research Methods Workshops. The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is funding four research methods training programs that are holding workshops this summer. These workshops support the training of current education researchers to expand and upgrade their methodological skills. Participants include individuals located in colleges and universities, state and local education agencies, education-focused organizations, and companies that have developed and deployed education related products and services. The four training workshops include the following:

• Evidence-based Intervention Training for Education: This program trains teams (2-6 people) working together on the use of Evidence-based interventions in school/educational settings. The teams may come from the same school or district and include research partners. The training will be held June 21-24 and follow-up coaching will be provided during the academic year. Applications are due by April 15. See https://u.osu.edu/ebitraining/.
• Economic Analysis: This program will hold two workshops. The first is a 3-day training (July 6-8) designed for state and local analysts who support significant policy decisions and the allocation of educational resources within and across districts. The second is a 5-individuals located in colleges and universities, state and local education agencies, education-focused organizations, and companies that have developed and deployed education related products and services. The four training workshops include the following:
• Evidence-based Intervention Training for Education: This program trains teams (2-6 people) working together on the use of Evidence-based interventions in school/educational settings. The teams may come from the same school or district and include research partners. The training will be held June 21-24 and follow-up coaching will be provided during the academic year. Applications are due by April 15. See https://u.osu.edu/ebitraining/.

• Economic Analysis: This program will hold two workshops. The first is a 3-day training (July 6-8) designed for state and local analysts who support significant policy decisions and the allocation of educational resources within and across districts. The second is a 5-day training (July 11-15) designed for education researchers who are undertaking or planning to undertake cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analyses in education.  Applications are due by noon on March 31. See https://www.cbcse.org/ies-methods-training.
• Cluster-Randomized Trials: This program provides training on carrying out rigorous evaluations of the impact of education interventions including planning, implementing, and analyzing data for cluster-randomized trials randomized experiments. The workshop will be held June 20 – 30. Applications are due by March 18. See https://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/events/workshops-training/cluster-randomized-trials.html.
• Meta-analysis: This program will train researchers in state-of-the-art meta-analytic techniques.  The workshop will be held July 24 -30.  Applications are due by March 31. See https://www.meta-analysis-training-institute.com/.

U.S. Department of Energy

MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (MSIPP)POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) announces the establishment of a Postdoctoral Research Program. This program will provide fixed term postdoctoral research positions at National Laboratories that support the mission of EM. Postdoctoral candidates will have the opportunity to work alongside world-class scientists to solve complex challenges in areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Cybersecurity, Deactivation & Decommissioning, Groundwater & Soil Remediation, Waste Treatment, and other Novel Materials Research.

For more information, please view the flyer here: DOE MSIPP POSTDOC FLYER.pdf

Social Security Administration Fellowship and Grants Opportunities!

The Social Security Administration is offering various fellowship and grant opportunities for students in a variety of disciplines at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College https://crr.bc.edu/about-us/grant-programs/. Please market these student opportunities in the Department of Education’s weekly newsletters on a continuous basis from now until the application period closes on January 31, 2022.

We are also offering opportunities in the Analyzing Relationships between Disability, Rehabilitation and Work (ARDRAW) Small Grants Program https://ardraw.policyresearchinc.org/. information webinar on January 13. 2022 and application due date is February 25, 2022 this and additional information is contained on the attached link.  Please market these student opportunities in the Department of Education’s weekly newsletters on a continuous basis.

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation invites college students to join us for a four-part webinar series this spring semester, featuring interactive conversations with leaders in the field of historic preservation, as well as inspirational individuals who are engaged in preserving, restoring, interpreting, and discussing the history and heritage of African Americans in the United States through the power of historic sites.

To register for one or more of our FREE webinars, just click on the following link: https://achp.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_DmZEwJcvS2ax7wZQm9rqIg

• February 23, 5 p.m. ET — Interpreting Enslaved People’s History Into Historic Sites
• March 30, 2 p.m. ET –Preserving African American Burial Sites
• April 27, 5 p.m. ET- Natural Disasters and Their Threat to Historic Preservation

To register for one or more of our FREE webinars, just click on the following link: https://achp.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_DmZEwJcvS2ax7wZQm9rqIg

U.S. Department of Labor

Department of Labor Job Opportunities

As of February 10, 2022, DOL, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM/Office of Human Resources (OHR) reports a hiring surge for 213 career employment opportunities for federal employees, students, veterans groups, military spouses, Schedule A community, and Affinity groups. Direct application for all jobs must made via www.usajobs.gov.  All vacancy announcements have designated HR Specialist contact information.

The excepted service position has been posted on USAJOBS: Director of the Office of Strategic Operations(announcement number DOL-SES-OASAM-22-18) closes on March 7, 2022. If you are interested, please submit your application through USAJOBS as soon as possible.

Below is sampling of this weeks’ job announcement highlights. FULL list of application links for all DOL career opportunities can be found at https://www.usajobs.gov/Search?d=DL. .

Institute for Education Sciences

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.  JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE: IES’ Office of Science is seeking professionals in education-related fields to join our team. The Office of Science, Standards and Review team is responsible for the scientific peer review of IES reports and for overseeing the scientific peer review of applications to research grant competitions. Information about the Office of Science is available here: https://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/index.asp.

Two excepted service position announcements have been posted on USAJOBS: Education Research Scientist (announcement number IES-2022-0003) and Associate Education Research Scientist (announcement number IES-2022-0004); both are 3-year term appointments with possible 3-year extensions. The Office of Science is particularly interested in mid-career candidates who meet the qualifications described in the Education Research Scientist announcement (https://www.usajobs.gov/job/633808700).

These positions opened on Friday, January 28, 2022, and will close on Monday, February 28, 2022 or as soon as 200 applications have been received, whichever is earlier. If you are interested, please submit your application through USAJOBS as soon as possible.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Career & Internship Vacancies

To view and apply for FWS positions, please click here: FWS Vacancy Announcements. If you have a question about a specific position vacancy, please contact the Human Resources point of contact listed at the bottom of the announcement.

For more information about FWS careers and available internship opportunities, please visit our FWS Recruitment Opportunities page. You can also explore and learn more about the careers we have at FWS and others within the Department of the Interior by clicking here.

National Museum of African American History and Culture is Hiring!

Meaningful internships offering hands-on experience in digital preservation of African American history and culture.

Deadline is February 15, 2022. See attached flyer!

University Student Research Challenge (USRC)

Amendment 2 to the NASA ARMD Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) 2021 NRA has been posted on the NSPIRES web site.

University Student Research Challenge (solicitation NNH21ZEA001N-USRC) seeks to challenge students to propose new aeronautics ideas/concepts that are relevant to NASA Aeronautics.  USRC will provide students, from accredited U.S. colleges or universities, with grants for their projects and includes the challenge of raising cost share funds through a crowdfunding campaign.  The process of creating and implementing a crowdfunding campaign acts as a teaching accelerator – requiring students to act like entrepreneurs and raise awareness about their research among the public.

The solicitation goal can be accomplished through project ideas such as advancing the design, developing technology or capabilities in support of aviation, by demonstrating a novel concept, or enabling advancement of aeronautics-related technologies.

Notices of Intent (NOIs) are not required for this solicitation.  Three-page proposals for the next USRC cycle are due February 24, 2022. Proposals can also be submitted later and will be evaluated in the third cycle. The due date for the third cycle is June 23, 2022.

U.S. Department of Defense

The DoD Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Summer Research Program is open for applications. Sponsored by the DoD HBCU/MI Program, the Summer Research Program provides a bridge between the classroom and real-world experiences and aims to increase the number of underrepresented scientists and engineers throughout the DoD. The summer program encourages students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, guides them toward advanced studies, and prepares them for careers in science and engineering fields important to the defense mission. Students, both undergraduate and graduate, will participate in the program for 11 weeks and will be placed in DoD facilities across the nation. Students conduct research relevant to the defense mission under the supervision of DoD scientists and engineers. The program is from May 31, 2022, to August 12, 2022.

Applications are open to full-time HBCU/MI students or recent graduates. The deadline to submit applications is February 15, 2022 at 11:59 PST. The application website is available here: https://www.dodhbcumiinternship.com/

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission FY 2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Research and Development Grants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued its Fiscal Year 2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Research and Development grants.  The NOFO is now available at grants.gov and closes on April 5, 2022.  All institutions of higher education are encouraged to apply.  Feel free to forward this message to others that may be interested.

If you have questions regarding grants, please contact:

Nancy Hebron-Isreal; Program Manager, Sr. Grants Administrative Specialist , Program Management, Policy Development and Analysis, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Nancy.Hebron-Isreal@nrc.gov; 301-415-6996

U.S. Department of Education

Grant Opportunity for Minority Serving Institutions

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs is pleased to announce a grant opportunity related to the preparation of special education, early intervention, and related services personnel attending minority serving institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs).

The purpose of this priority is to increase the number of ethnically and racially diverse personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities.  Under this grant competition, the Department will fund high-quality projects within MSIs that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel at the certification, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels.

The purpose of the OSEP Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to:

• help address State-identified needs for qualified personnel —in special education, related services, early intervention, and regular education— to work with infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities; and
• ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically-based research and experience, to be successful in serving those children.

We invite you to learn more about this grant opportunity. OSEP will post a pre-recorded webinar that can be found at  http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html by the end of the week (2/11/2022).  A recording of the webinar will be available at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html within five days after the pre-application webinar.

For more details on grant application requirements please review the notice informing applicants: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/04/2022-02392/applications-for-new-awards-personnel-development-to-improve-services-and-results-for-children-with . Lastly, prospective applicants can reach the OSEP point of contact for the grant program, Tracie Dickson at tracie.dickson@ed.gov,  (202) 245-7844 or (202) 987-0145.

U.S. Economic Development  Administration

EDA’s American Rescue Plan Programs, Status update on EDA’s, American Rescue Plan programs

Due to the high volume of applications and interest EDA has received for its six innovative programs funded through the American Rescue Plan, EDA is providing the following status update. EDA strongly recommends any entities actively working on an application to contact their local Economic Development Representative to discuss their region’s availability of funds.

Read more about EDA’s American Rescue Plan programs

EDA seeks additional applications for grants to support research of EDA’s American Rescue Plan, which aim to strengthen regional economies nationwide and support economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

EDA is currently reviewing applications for American Rescue Plan funding and has determined that it has received no or limited applications addressing critical areas of research into the following EDA American Rescue Plan programs – Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA); Indigenous Communities; Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation; and Statewide Planning.

EDA encourages new applications specifically focused on these research areas or entities that have already submitted applications to submit modifications to their proposals to encompass these additional research areas. Click here to view the Notice of Funding Opportunity and to submit an application.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. ET March 11.

Research awards – ranging from $200,000 to $600,000 each – should be national in scope and focus on one of the research areas identified above; and will support real-time data collection and understanding of the implementation of an identified American Rescue Plan program. Specifically, EDA is looking to fund research projects that will allow EDA to understand how the full suite of American Rescue Plan funding is being used, identify lessons learned about how the programs are being implemented, and ultimately support, facilitate, and encourage learning in real-time. No matching funds are required. However, provision of match is an evaluation criterion under the Research component and applications that propose matching share may be considered more competitive in the evaluation process.

Awards will provide critical, cutting-edge research and best practices to regional, state, and local practitioners in the economic development field, thereby enhancing understanding and implementation of economic development concepts throughout the country.

EDA will evaluate each application based on:

• Organizational or applicant capacity and personnel;
• Strategic approach;
• Feasibility of the budget and financial match;
• Feasibility of deliverables and timeline;
• Sustainability, scalability, and dissemination; and
• Cross-collaboration with other EDA and/or other economic development partners.

For more information, click here to view a webinar about the EDA American Rescue Plan Research & Networks program. (Webinar PPT slides here – PDF) For more information about EDA’s American Rescue Plan, programs visit: https://eda.gov/arpa/ Questions? Email research@eda.gov.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is now accepting applications for its “Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education Agencies” grant program. The program seeks to counteract instructional and learning loss encountered by many learners during the COVID-19 pandemic by establishing two research networks: one examining recovery activities in Pre-K through Grade 12, and the other examining recovery activities in community colleges. IES is particularly interested in supporting research that addresses learning acceleration and recovery for underrepresented student subgroups that were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Applications will be accepted through March 10, 2022. For more information, refer to the Request for Applications listed here or on grants.gov.

U.S. Department of Transportation

Funding Opportunities

The Department of Transportation (DOT) currently has three (3) Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) that will be open for the next two (2) months. We would like to make sure these NOFOs are circulated to HBCUs located in the following states noted below.  These NOFOs are being announced  to establish and support regional Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRC) to provide business training, technical assistance, and information to DOT grantees and recipients, prime contractors, and subcontractors.

DOT NOFO Funding Opportunities:

• Central Regional Small Business Transportation Resource Center NOFO
• States: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi
• Mid-Atlantic Regional Small Business Transportation Resource Center NOFO
• States: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey , Pennsylvania
• Southwest Regional Small Business Transportation Resource Center NOFO
• States: Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada

National Endowment for the Arts

Research Funding Opportunities. Guidelines are available for two funding programs offered through the National Endowment for the Arts’ Office of Research & Analysis:

• Research Grants in the Arts funds research studies that investigate the value and/or impact of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as they interact with each other and/or with other domains of American life. Matching/cost share grants of $10,000 to $100,000 will be awarded.
• NEA Research Labs funds transdisciplinary research teams grounded in the social and behavioral sciences, yielding empirical insights about the arts for the benefit of arts and non-arts sectors alike. Matching/cost share grants of $100,000 to $200,000 will be awarded. Application guidelines for the present round of funding are available on the Arts Endowment website. The upcoming deadline for both programs is March 28, 2022.
•  Questions should be directed to the Office of Research & Analysis staff at nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.

NASA SBIR and STTR 2022 Phase I Program Solicitations

The NASA SBIR and STTR 2022 Phase I Program Solicitations are now open, with proposals due by March 9, 2022, at 5:00 pm ET.

The annual NASA SBIR and STTR Phase I solicitations are your invitation to join a community of NASA experts, small businesses, and research institutions who are researching and developing the technologies of tomorrow. If selected, you could be awarded up to $150,000 to further develop your technology idea. And Phase I is just your start…you can receive up to $1.15 million during your first three years, plus up to nearly $3 million or more through our Post Phase II opportunities. Here are a few tips to help you get started on your submission:

1. Carefully read the solicitation(s) you’re applying to, including:

• Chapter 2, which has information about how to complete the Small Business Administration (SBA) and SAM.gov registration processes: SBIR | STTR
• Chapter 9, which contains the Focus Area and Subtopics that you will need to choose from: SBIR | STTR

2. Attend the January 20^th “Dissecting the Solicitations” webinar. A recording will be posted on the program’s website if you are unable to attend.

3. Consider applying for the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Program and/or Technical and Business Assistance (TABA), which help small businesses commercialize their innovations through additional funding and other support. You’ll be able to indicate interest in either one when submitting your proposal.

4. Review other materials available on the NASA SBIR/STTR program website, such as:

• The Firm Templates, which will get you familiar with required forms
• The Resource Library, especially the “Preparing for a Phase 1 submission to increase likelihood of award” section We look forward to receiving your proposals by March 9, 2022, at 5:00 pm ET

U.S. Department of Agriculture

About the Farm to School Grant Program On an annual basis, USDA awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. USDA’s Farm to School grants are an important way to help state, regional, and local organizations as they initiate, expand, and institutionalize farm to school efforts.

FY2022 Request for Applications (RFA) Now Available!

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Farm to School Grant Program RFA is now available through www.Grants.gov. Be sure to visit the Grant Applicants Resources page to access other helpful resources, including links to webinars that provide specific assistance on applying for a Farm to School Grant.

Application Period Opens for Rural Business Development Grants

The Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues.

Rural public entities are eligible to apply, including but not limited to: towns/local government, state agencies, authorities, nonprofit corporations, institutions of higher education, federally-recognized Tribes, and rural cooperatives (if organized as a private nonprofit corporation).    RBDG funds must be used for projects that benefit rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more.

Applications must be submitted to Rural Development by February 28, 2022, 4:30 p.m. local time.

Learn more about what we do at www.ed.gov/whhbcu. Have suggestions or comments? Send them to oswhi-hbcu@ed.gov 

If you wish for your organizations announcements to be included in our weekly distribution, please email: HBCUnewsletter@ed.gov