The Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program provides funding to organizations to execute state/regional programs that increase the number of SBIR/STTR proposals leading to an increase in the number of SBIR/STTR awards from women, socially/economically disadvantaged individuals, and small businesses in underrepresented areas – typically rural states.

FAST awards build the SBIR/STTR ecosystem through:

Outreach: increase the pipeline of SBIR/STTR applicants through training and outreach; and build the capacity of partner organizations and individuals to support SBIR/STTR applicants and existing awardees.

Technical and business assistance: support entrepreneurs and startups through programs or services that improve proposal development and team creation; provide assistance that leads to the commercialization of technology developed through SBIR/STTR program funding; and form or encourage relevant mentoring networks to provide business advice and counseling.

Financial support: make grants or loans to applicants to pay a portion or all the cost of developing SBIR/STTR proposals (Phase 0), attending relevant conferences, and bridging gaps between phases.

The United States Department of the Interior (Department), Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) Desalination and Water Purification Research Program (DWPR) works with Reclamation researchers and partners to develop innovative, cost-effective, and technologically efficient ways to desalinate and treat water. DWPR funding plays a critical role in iterating an idea from the lab to a real-world demonstration, yielding products that serve the water treatment community and attract commercialization interest. Reclamation is interested in research where the benefits are widespread but where private-sector entities are not able to make the full investment and assume all the risks. Reclamation is also interested in research that has a national significance—where the issues are of large-scale concern and the benefits accrue to a large sector of the public. The goal of the DWPR program is to address the need to reduce the costs, energy requirements, and environmental impacts of treating impaired and unusable water. The program also aligns with Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” by investing in development and application of advanced water treatment technologies that expand access to otherwise unusable water resources, thereby increasing water supply flexibility under the risks of long-term climate change and shorter-term drought.

The U.S. National Science Foundation seeks to build research capacity and infrastructure to address complex and compounding national and global crises whose solutions require a human-centered approach. To help generate effective and long-lasting solutions that benefit the entire U.S. public, NSF is providing this funding opportunity to inform possible future Centers for Research and Innovation in Science, the Environment and Society (CRISES). The envisioned centers will catalyze new research and research-based innovations to address seemingly intractable problems that confront our society. They will develop evidence-based solutions that address fundamental quality-of-life issues, such as those involving the environment, extreme weather and sustainability; workforce and the economy; equity and access to opportunities; and well-being. CRISES supports planning proposals to catalyze ideas that will potentially inform or serve as the basis for a larger, center-scale program. This opportunity supports researchers in the social, behavioral and economic sciences who use empirical methods to grapple with crises that impact individuals, families, organizations, regions, nations or our entire planet. The Centers for Research in Science, the Environment and Society initiative invites proposals to take the first steps toward developing large-scale interdisciplinary research activities that will address today’s crises and ultimately enhance people’s quality of life. NSF’s Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate supports research to understand the social and behavioral aspects of our rapidly changing world and how these issues are affected by our social, economic and natural environments. Fundamental and use-inspired research supported by the directorate advances our understanding of people, organizations and society, while revealing emerging opportunities to address challenges affecting our ability to live healthy and productive lives.

The Solar Technologies’ Rapid Integration and Validation for Energy Systems (STRIVES) funding opportunity will provide up to $31 million for research, development, and demonstration projects to improve power systems simulation software tools and demonstrate new business models for distribution systems operations to integrate and optimize the value of inverter-based resources (IBRs) and distributed energy resources including solar generation, wind generation, energy storage, and other technologies such as buildings and electric vehicles.

Topic Area 1: Robust Experimentation and Advanced Learning for Distribution System Operators Projects in this topic area will design and perform field demonstrations of distribution system operator models that consider technology development and the roles of non-traditional stakeholders in potential distribution electricity services and markets. Topic Area 2: Improved Simulation Tools for Large-Scale IBR Transient and Dynamic Studies Projects in this topic area will develop and demonstrate software tools and methodologies to improve the ability of power systems engineers to accurately and efficiently model the dynamics of power systems with large amounts of geographically dispersed IBRs.

This program was designed to assist 1994 Land-Grant Institutions (Tribal Colleges) in building institutional research capacity through applied projects that address student educational needs and meet community, reservation or regional challenges. Awards are to be made on the basis of a competitive review process. Collaboration with 1862 or 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), a Non-Land-Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA), or at least one forestry school funded under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program is a requirement. Eligible institutions may propose projects in any discipline of the food, agricultural or natural resource sciences.

Subject to the legislative authority described in Part I, A and the availability of funds, the Secretary of Agriculture may award competitive grants to 1994s to conduct agricultural research that addresses high priority concerns of tribal, national, or multi-state significance. The TCRGP is aligned with the following:
USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026 Goals:

1. Strategic Goal 1: Combat Climate Change to Support America’s Working Lands, Natural Resources and Communities
2. Strategic Goal 3: Foster an Equitable and Competitive Marketplace for All Agricultural Producers
3. Strategic Goal 4: Provide All Americans Safe, Nutritious Food
4. Strategic Goal 5: Expand Opportunities for Economic Development and Improve Quality of Life in Rural and Tribal Communities

USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities:
Priority 1: Accelerating Innovative Technologies & Practices;
Priority 2: Driving Climate-Smart Solutions;
Priority 3: Bolstering Nutrition Security & Health;
Priority 4: Cultivating Resilient Ecosystems;
Priority 5: Translating Research into Action

The SMART program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety. SMART is a two-stage program. Stage 1(up to $2,000,000 dollars and 18 months) grants are open for any eligible entity to apply. Recipients of Stage 1 grants will be eligible to expand their projects through Stage 2 grants (up to $15,000,000 and 36 months). Applicants must have received a Stage 1 grant to apply to Stage 2.

mPOWER programs are designed to rebalance opportunity and access for startups building physical products that are founded by women and people of color. Harnessing the existing resources of the nation’s leading independent innovation center for physical product companies, each participant receives hands-on support to turn ideas into hardtech businesses. To be eligible for the next mPOWER cohort, you must have a clear problem that you are solving with a physical product, be building a product or business that impacts the Black community, and can dedicate 7-10 hours a week during the 6-month program beginning in August 2024.

Evergreen Climate Innovations works with Nicor Gas to support entrepreneurs who are making a positive environmental impact throughout Illinois. Recipients of the Nicor Gas Multicultural Innovator Award receive a non-recourse grant of $25,000, 12-months of business mentorship from Nicor Gas and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.

The U.S. Bank Foundation Cleantech Inclusion Award is a grant awarded to entrepreneurs who identify as socially and/or economically disadvantaged and who are building innovative companies that benefit the environment, create jobs, and drive economic development.  Recipients of the Cleantech Inclusion Award receive a non-recourse grant of $25,000, 12-months of business mentorship from U.S. Bank Foundation and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.

DOE announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to $200 million for transmission projects to connect remote and isolated microgrids to existing infrastructure corridors in Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories of the United States. One of three unique funding mechanisms within the TFP, the public-private partnerships developed through this RFP will be designed to address the unique electric grid configurations and challenges faced by residents in these remote and often isolated communities. Strategic interconnection of existing microgrids to each other and to a larger operating transmission system will enhance grid reliability and resilience and expand access to clean, diverse, and more affordable energy in these areas.

The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will support front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for regional CO2 transport networks to safely transport captured CO2 from key sources to centralized locations. The projects will focus on carbon transport costs, transport network configurations, and technical and commercial considerations that support broad efforts to develop and deploy carbon capture, conversion, and storage at commercial scale.

The Hurtigruten Foundation is a collaboration between Hurtigruten, the guests, partners and private donors. Together they unite in the commitment to fight climate change, strengthen local communities, and stop unsustainable mass tourism.

What they will fund?

• Grass roots projects
• Environmental projects
• Community based projects
• Science research projects
• Educational projects