Opportunities

Suzette's Funding Letter, January 8, 2016

FUNDING

CDFI Fund Opens Application Period for FY 2016 CDFI Bond Guarantee Program

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) has opened the fiscal year (FY) 2016 application period for the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program. Application materials are available on the CDFI Fund’s website in anticipation of the publication of the Notice of Guarantee Authority (NOGA) in the Federal Register later this week. The NOGA makes up to $750 million in bond guarantee authority available to eligible Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in FY 2016. Please reference the NOGA and application instructions for detailed information regarding the following application deadlines for consideration for FY 2016 bond guarantee authority.

• CDFI Certification Applications must be submitted through AMIS by 11:59 p.m. EDT on February 12, 2016.
• Qualified Issuer Applications must be submitted through AMIS by 11:59 p.m. EDT on March 4, 2016.
• Guarantee Applications must be submitted through AMIS by 11:59 p.m. EDT on March 18, 2016.
• The last day the CDFI Fund will accept questions regarding the FY 2016 application period for the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program is March 9, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. All questions must be submitted electronically to the program office: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The FY 2016 Organic Transitions (ORG) Request for Applications (RFA) is now available for public viewing

NIFA Funding Opportunity Page:  http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/organic-transitions-org.

Grants.gov Page:http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280858. 

This page includes a synopsis of the funding opportunity, a link to the full announcement (RFA) and the application package.

Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Planning Funds Program
Grants for pediatricians to develop community-based child health projects related to medical home access, immunization services, and specific health services not otherwise available.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 29, 2016
Sponsor: American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Resident Funds Program
Grants to support pediatric residents in the planning of community-based child health initiatives that increase children’s access to medical homes, immunization services, and specific health services not otherwise available. Funding is also available for projects that focus on overweight and obesity, nutrition, or physical activity.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 29, 2016
Sponsor: American Academy of Pediatrics Lessons in Infection Control Initiative (LINC)
Awards funding to local health departments to improve healthcare and community infection control and improve capacity for responding to infectious diseases.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Feb 5, 2016
Sponsor: National Association of County and City Health Officials Accountable Health Communities Model
Grant objective is to test whether screening beneficiaries for health-related social needs and associated referrals to and navigation of community-based services will improve quality and affordability in Medicare and Medicaid.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Required): Feb 8, 2016
Application Deadline: Mar 31, 2016
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Lowe's Toolbox for Education Program
Provides grants for school improvement projects, including school gardens, physical fitness areas, and walking trails.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Feb 12, 2016
Sponsor: Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation

Connections for Cardiovascular Health
Provides grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve cardiovascular health at the community level.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Feb 25, 2016
Sponsor: AstraZeneca Healthcare Foundation

Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant Program (SHCPQI)
The purpose of this program is to provide support to rural primary care providers for planning and implementation of quality improvement activities.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Mar 4, 2016
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Children's Initiative
Funding for new programs designed to create and promote stability and resiliency for children who have witnessed domestic violence.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Required): Apr 1, 2016
Application Deadline: Aug 1, 2016
Sponsor: Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation

Suzette's Funding Letter December 21, 2015

FUNDING

Social Innovation Fund's Pay for Success Grants Competition

 The Social Innovation Fund is inviting Community Development Financial Institutions to apply for its 2016 Pay for Success (PFS) Competition.

This competition will provide up to $10.6 million to eligible organizations, including nonprofits and state and local governments, to support PFS transaction structuring – that is, to take PFS projects from development to implementation and from conception to fruition. Awarded grants will range from $350,000 to $1,800,000 per year for a three year period.  Overall, this competition will aid in advancing the emerging models that align payment for social services with verified social outcomes.  A letter of intent from interested applicants is encouraged by January 13, and applications are due by February 11, 2016. More information, including information about webinars and question and answer sessions about the Pay for Success Competition, can be found on the Social Innovation Fund's website.

NEA Art Works Creativity Connects Projects, FY2017

The Arts Endowment's support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2017. Generally, a period of performance of up to two years is allowed. The official applicant must be an arts organization. An organization may submit only one application for an Art Work: Creativity Connects grant. Grant Program Description Creativity Connects* is an initiative that will show how the arts are central to the country’s creativity ecosystem, investigate how support systems for the arts have changed, explore how the arts connect with other industries, and invest in innovative projects to spark new ideas for the arts field. A key component to the Creativity Connects initiative is a pilot grant opportunity in the Art Works category to support partnerships between arts organizations and organizations from non-arts sectors that include, but are not limited to, business, education, environment, faith, finance, food, health, law, science, and technology. Art Works: Creativity Connects grants will seek to benefit the arts and non-arts sectors by: • Demonstrating the value of working with the arts. • Supporting the infrastructure for the arts to work in new ways with new sectors. • Building bridges that create new relationships and constituencies. • Creating innovative partnership projects to advance common goals. Read more here.

Congressional Spending Deal Would Boost Funding for Regional Innovation, Make R&D Tax Credit Permanent

This week, congressional leaders reached a deal on spending that would prevent a federal government shutdown. The omnibus appropriations bill would fund the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Regional Innovation Program at $15 million, an increase of $5 million over the previous year. The Regional Innovation program is SSTI's highest legislative priority because of the flexible funding it provides for regional innovation activities. The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Program (MEP) would receive $130 million, and another $25 million would support the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. The deal also would make the federal research and development tax credit permanent. Businesses with less than $50 million in gross receipts would be able to use the credit to offset the alternative minimum tax, while certain startups without an income tax liability could apply the credit against payroll taxes. Summaries of the appropriations bills are available at: http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394337

Broadband Funding Webinars

Based on extensive demand, The USDA Telecommunications Program will host a series of six additional webinars focused on our new application intake system: RD Apply. This new system allows interested parties to apply electronically for loans and grants administered by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

Applywith ease for the latest RUS Farm Bill Broadband Loan Program and Infrastructure Program loans through RD Apply. Eventually, more programs will be added into the system, allowing a wider range of customers to submit applications electronically.

Learnabout our new system at one of our WEBINAR training events.

JOIN US ON ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DATES*:

Jan 13, 2016       2:30 - 4 PM EST

Jan 27, 2016       2:30 - 4 PM EST

Feb 10, 2016       2:30 - 4 PM EST

Feb 23, 2016       10 - 11:30 AM EST

Mar 8, 2016         10 - 11:30 AM EST

Mar 23, 2016       2:30 - 4 PM EST

* Dates and times are subject to change.

Suzette's Funding Letter December 14, 2015

FUNDING

NOAA Announces Funding Opportunity “Strengthening the Public's and/or K-12 Students' Environmental Literacy for Community Resilience”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) to strengthen the public’s and/or K-12 students’ environmental literacy to enable informed decision-making necessary for community resilience to extreme weather events and other environmental hazards. Many U.S. communities are contending with issues related to preventing, withstanding, and recovering from disruptions caused by environmental threats and vulnerabilities. These threats and vulnerabilities include but are not limited to severe storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, heavy precipitation events, persistent drought, heat waves, increased global temperatures, acidification of the ocean, and sea level rise. Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity are limited to institutions of higher education; other nonprofits, including informal education institutions such as museums, zoos, and aquariums; K-12 public and independent schools and school systems; and state, local and Indian tribal governments in the United States.

Proposals Due: February 8, 2016

Informational Teleconferences: January 5, 2016

U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the opening of the grant solicitation period for comprehensive funding to American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and tribal consortia to support public safety, victim services and crime prevention improvements. For the FY 2016 CTAS, a tribe or tribal consortium will submit a single application and select from any or all of the nine competitive grant programs referred to as “purpose areas.”  This approach allows the department’s grant-making components to consider the totality of a tribal nation’s overall public safety needs. Read DOJ’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS). Read the CTAS fact sheet. Tribes or tribal consortia may also be eligible for non-tribal, government-specific (non-CTAS) federal grant programs and are encouraged to explore other funding opportunities for which they may be eligible. Additional funding information may be found at the Department of Justice’s Tribal Justice and Safety website.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program

The USDA Rural Development Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program (EECLP) program provides eligible utilities with low-cost federal financing for energy efficiency and conservation in rural communities of a population of 20,000 or less.  Utility borrowers design their own Energy Efficiency programs and can re-lend Rural Development funds to end-users to meet their energy needs. Borrowers can also upgrade their systems to furnish the energy needs of their customers more efficiently. Learn more about the EECLP program.

More information is available on the USDA Rural Development website.

Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration FY 2016 Economic Development Assistance Programs

The Economic Development Administration's (EDA's) mission is to lead the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for economic growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA fulfills this mission through strategic investments and partnerships that create the regional economic ecosystems required to foster globally competitive regions throughout the United States. EDA supports development in economically distressed areas of the United States by fostering job creation and attracting private investment. Specifically, under the Economic Development Assistance programs (EDAP) Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement, EDA will make construction, non-construction, and revolving loan fund investments under the Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Programs. Grants made under these programs will leverage regional assets to support the implementation of regional economic development strategies designed to create jobs, leverage private capital, encourage economic development, and strengthen America's ability to compete in the global marketplace. Through the EDAP FFO, EDA solicits applications from rural and urban communities to develop initiatives that advance new ideas and creative approaches to address rapidly evolving economic condition.

Deadline: EDA is employing a new two-phase review process for proposals/applications submitted under this FFO. There are no submission deadlines. Proposals and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the publication of a new EDAP FFO. Proposals will be reviewed by EDA within 30 days of receipt; and following the proposal review, full applications will be reviewed within 60 days of receipt. Please see Section IV of this FFO for complete information on EDA’s two-phase review process.

Read EDA’s Funding Notice.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Public and Indian Housing Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants Program

HUD announces the availability of new funding to help local communities across the country to redevelop severely distressed public and HUD-assisted housing and transform surrounding neighborhoods. HUD anticipates awarding approximately 4 Planning and Action Grants not to exceed $2 million each, and approximately 4 Planning Grants not to exceed $500,000 each. If funds are appropriated by Congress, HUD may, at its discretion, use additional FY2016 Choice Neighborhoods funding to make additional awards under this NOFA.Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant funds are available for public housing authorities, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and tribal entities. Applicants must submit a completed electronic application through www.grants.gov by February 9, 2016. Read HUD’s Funding Notice.