Funding

Letter of Interest Application Window: July 10-September 29, 2023. The goal of the PACE Program is to support clean, affordable energy growth across America. The PACE Program provides loans to eligible entities, with varying levels of loan forgiveness, for Projects that generate and/or store electricity from Renewable Energy Resource. The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities:• Assisting rural communities to recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure;• Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and• Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.There are three different categories for application, one of which provides up to 60 percent total loan forgiveness if the project serves areas with Tribal populations of 60 percent or greater, are owned by a Tribal government, or are in a Substantially Underserved Trust Area.

Categories: IRA, renewable energy, pollution, economic support

Most Recent Deadline: September 30, 2023. The principle objective of this funding opportunity is to accomplish conservation tasks for high priority candidate species (based on our annual Candidate Species Assessments) or other at-risk species in the United States, such that identified threats to the species may be reduced or eliminated. These efforts are based on cooperative relationships with states, non-governmental organizations, private landowners and those interested in habitat restoration or undertaking candidate and at-risk species research, surveys and monitoring, or educational outreach efforts. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Conservation, candidate species, research, monitoring, education

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 3, 2023.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Headquarters (HQ) is seeking applicants for national Master Cooperative agreements for qualifying Youth and Conservation Organizations. This program’s projects provide employment for participants and opportunities to learn about and gain work experience in public lands and natural resources management while promoting long-term interest in public lands stewardship and the BLM. The BLM Youth Program partners with qualified youth and conservation corps to engage individuals between the ages of 16 and 30 (inclusive) and veterans up to age 35 (inclusive) including tribal members.

Categories: land management, youth, stewardship, habitat restoration, wildfire mitigation

Deadline Passed 12/19/2017. Deadline for 2018 Unknown.The new Fertile Ground Grant Program funds tribes, Native advocates, Native youth, and Native-led organizations to create sustainable community health improvements through nutrition and food sovereignty efforts. The grants of up to $35,000 will provide support for:Native-led convenings to identify community health prioritiesAdvocacy and policy strategies that address improving health outcomesAccess to healthy foodFood sovereignty work rooted in tradition, culture, and Indigenous knowledge.The program is funded by $100,000 from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community through its Seeds of Native Health philanthropic campaign and $100,000 from the AHA through its Voices for Healthy Kids campaign. AICAF will serve as the intermediary partner and administer the program.

Categories: nutrition, food sovereignty, community health, tradition, culture, indigenous knowledge

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: May 25, 2023. Alfalfa and Forage Research Program (AFRP) will support the development of improved alfalfa forage and seed production systems. Proposals submitted to AFRP should address one or more of the following priorities: (1) Improving alfalfa forage and seed yield through better nutrient, water and/or pest management; (2) Improving persistence of alfalfa stands by lessening biotic or abiotic stresses; (3) Improving alfalfa forage and seed harvesting and storage systems to optimize economic returns; (4) Improving estimates of alfalfa forage quality as an animal feed to increase forage usage in animal feeds; and/or (5) Breeding to address biotic and abiotic stresses that impact forage yield and persistence and the production of seed for propagation.

Categories: cattle, livestock, sustainability, management, infrastructure, food supplies, feed supplies, wild foods, foraging

Deadline Passed 03/18/2021. Deadline Unknown for 2022. Through Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects, Reclamation provides assistance to states, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other entities with water or power delivery authority to undertake small-scale water efficiency projects that have been prioritized through planning efforts led by the applicant. These projects conserve and use water more efficiently; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States.

Categories: water efficiency, projects, environment, cultural resources, water delivery, hazard mitigation

Most recent deadline: 3/15/2021. The overall goal of the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) is to support the development and implementation of research, extension and higher education programs to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those who are adopting organic practices. NIFA administers the ORG program by determining priorities in U.S. agriculture through Agency stakeholder input processes in consultation with the NAREEEAB. ORG will continue to prioritize environmental services provided by organic farming systems in the area of soil conservation, pollinator health, and climate change mitigation, including greenhouse gases (GHG), as well as the development of educational tools for Cooperative Extension personnel and other agricultural professionals who advise producers on organic practices, and development of cultural practices and other allowable alternatives to substances recommended for removal from the National Organic Program’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. It is expected that all projects will integrate research, education and extension activities, as appropriate to project goals, although some projects may be weighted more heavily than others in one or more of these areas. However, all proposals should have activities and impact in research and at least one of the other areas: education and extension.

Categories: Agriculture, Organic

Deadline passed as of August 2, 2017 Deadline for 2018 unknown. This AFRI Challenge Area focuses on multidisciplinary systems approaches, which integrate new technologies and strategic management that solve water availability and quality challenges in food production systems. The long-term goal of this program is to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and availability of safe and nutritious food while significantly reducing water use and preserving water quality. The projects are expected to transform how abundant, safe, and nutritious food is produced, processed, distributed, and consumed within the limits of available water from traditional and non-traditional sources. Applications are invited from eligible entities to submit integrated Research, Education and/or Extension projects in two specific grant types: Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) and Strengthening (Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement) CAP grants — see Water for Food Production Systems RFA for details.

Categories: food security, water, irrigation, resources, conservation, sustainability, infrastructure, management, planning, policy, farm, food, local economy, accessibility

Deadline: December 31, 2024. View the RFA for more information. The AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program supports grants in six AFRI priority areas to advance knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. The six priority areas are: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Research-only, extension-only, and integrated research, education and/or extension projects are solicited in this Request for Applications (RFA). See Foundational and Applied Science RFA for specific details.

Categories: social justice, community health, environmentalism, veterinary, food justice, energy, agriculture, technology, food science, agricultural science, rural

Deadline passed as of June 21, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown.This AFRI Challenge Area promotes and enhances the scientific discipline of food safety, with an overall aim of protecting consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants that may occur during all stages of the food chain, from production to consumption. This requires an understanding of the interdependencies of human, animal, and ecosystem health as it pertains to foodborne pathogens. The long-term outcome for this program is to support the development and deployment of science based knowledge to improve the safety and nutritional quality of food without sacrificing flavor, acceptability, and affordability. In order to achieve this outcome, this program will support multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants that address the Program Area Priority, Effective Mitigation Strategies for Antimicrobial Resistance (see Food Safety RFA for details).

Categories: Food Safety, Food Security, Community Development, Sustainable Agriculture, infrastructure, distribution, foundation, sustainability

Most recent deadline: 8/18/2021. The Gulf Research Program announced the availability of the full Request for Applications (RFA) on June 17, 2021. This funding opportunity focuses on advancing the understanding of the regional components of sea level variation and rise and then incorporating this understanding into more reliable forecast models and projections of relative sea level rise. 

Categories: sea level rise, ocean,

Deadline passed as of June 12, 2017. Deadline for 2018 unknown. This program is designed to support empirical research on successful international engagement strategies and develop best practice reports and a competitiveness assessment tool. These elements will be incorporated into a user-friendly economic development organization (EDO) toolkit and training guide to help local communities assess and increase their ability to become globally competitive while enhancing their trade and FDI promotion activities.

Categories: economy, global trade, business, support, planning, policy, management, growth, infrastructure

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: April 8, 2022. Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities pilot projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of climate-smart commodities and associated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and/or carbon sequestration. Proposals from $5 million to $100 million are in the first funding pool and should include large-scale pilot projects that emphasize the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production and include direct, meaningful benefits to a representative cross-section of production agriculture, including small and/or historically underserved producers. Learn more and apply here.

Categories: Rural communities, agriculture, forestry, farmers, ranchers, emissions reduction, climate solutions, resilience

Past Deadline: 5/7/2021. The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working on or planning to work on projects to address local environmental and/or public health issues in their communities. The program assists recipients in building collaborative partnerships with other stakeholders (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical service providers, academia, etc.) to develop solutions that will significantly address environmental and/or public health issue(s) at the local level. Additionally, the EJCPS Program requires selected applicants, or recipients, to use the EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model as part of their projects. The model aims to address local environmental and/or public health issues in a collaborative manner with various stakeholders such as communities, industry, academic institutions, and others. Case Studies highlight some of the successful and effective strategies of previous projects.

Categories: environmental justice, health issues, environment, collaborative projects

Through this solicitation, the NW CSC is seeking innovative projects to help us assess which ecosystem components and ecological processes are most vulnerable to pronounced water deficiencies and to test or demonstrate new methods or technologies intended to lessen or adapt to the ecological impacts of drought. Study areas should be located in the region serviced by the NW CSC (Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and western Montana). Collaboration with federal, state, tribal, and other resource-management organizations that may apply the project results and products is strongly encouraged. For more information and to download the funding announcement, visit: https://my.usgs.gov/rfpManager/event/show/48399.

Categories: Drought, ecosystems, ecology

The FOA will provide grants to federal agencies for the following three topic areas:
Combined heat and power, Renewable energy, Energy efficiency deep retrofits.

Categories: renewable energy, self sufficiency, tribal programming

The Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), through its Native American Business Development Institute (NABDI), is soliciting proposals from federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska federally recognized Tribal entities for technical assistance funding to hire consultants to perform feasibility studies of economic development opportunities. These feasibility studies will empower American Indian Tribes/Alaska federally recognized Tribal entities and Tribal businesses to make informed decisions regarding their economic futures. Feasibility studies may concern the viability of an economic development project or business or the practicality of a technology a Tribe or entity may choose to pursue.  Grant selection priority will be given to applicants whose proposals focus on businesses and projects located in Opportunity Zones.

Categories: economy, business, development, infrastructure, growth, technology, energy

Deadline Passed 09/01/2018. On October 2, 2017 (The Trust Effective Date, or TED), the United States District Court approved the final Mitigation Trust Agreements, completing the settlement with automaker Volkswagen AG (VW), to resolve allegations that VW violated the Clean Air Act (CAA) by selling diesel-engine cars that produced excess emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The Mitigation Trust Agreements are designed to reduce NOx emissions from other diesel engine vehicles, thereby mitigating the effects of the VW violations. All 567 federally-recognized Tribes can apply for beneficiary status.

Categories: NOx emission reduction, mitigation

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to plan and implement conservation practices that improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related natural resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. Eligible program participants receive financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices, or activities like conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land. Payments are made to participants after conservation practices and activities identified in an EQIP plan of operations are implemented. Contracts can last up to ten years in duration.

Categories: agriculture, conservation planning, natural resources

EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers in order to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat. Eligible program participants receive financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices, or activities like conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land. Payments are made to participants after conservation practices and activities identified in an EQIP plan of operations are implemented. Contracts can last up to ten years in duration.

Categories: natural resources, agriculture, water and air quality, conservation,

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. OSI partners with conservation organizations in the Northeast to assemble networks of protected lands most likely to preserve plant and animal diversity in a changing climate. The Fund supports projects in four focus areas in New England, the mid-Atlantic, and the Central Appalachians offering the greatest opportunity to conserve missing links for resiliency in the overall landscape. The Fund provides capital grants and loans to qualified non-profits for the acquisition of land or conservation easements on climate-resilient lands, capitalized with a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Through an in-depth review process, we selected four focus areas in order to target funds most effectively. A fact brochure with maps for each focus area can be downloaded:Potomac Headwaters – West Virginia & VirginiaHighlands and Kittatinny Ridge – New Jersey & PennsylvaniaMiddle Connecticut River – Vermont & MassachusettsSouthern New Hampshire & Maine Forests

Categories: environmental resiliency, land conservation

Deadline Passed as of 3/1/2018. Deadline for 2019 Unknown. Funding Opportunity #: BOR-MP-18-F004. The Bureau of Reclamation intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), for grants/cooperative agreements for the following program: The Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), 1992, Public Law 102-575, Title 34, 3406 (b)(1) and 3406 (b)(23) . The main objectives of the CVPIA for Fiscal Year 2018 is to be able to demonstrate a high probability of contributing to recovery of anadromous species, especially through mitigation of existing threats or factors inhibiting recovery of the species. Open announcement of grants/cooperative agreements opportunities through the CVPIA would facilitate meeting these objectives. Additional, information about the Trinity River Restoration Program (TRRP) can be found online at: http://www.trrp.net. Successful applicants will enter into a financial assistance agreement with Reclamation. Period of Performance will not exceed 5 years from date of issuance. 

Categories: anadromous species, mitigation, restoration

Last Deadline: May 2022. AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. Upon successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust that members can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.

Categories: community service, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor, training, environment

Deadline Passed 05/17/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. OPHPR aims to support innovative research to improve the ability of CDC and its partners, especially state and local health departments, to effectively prepare for and respond to public health emergencies and disasters. Research topics were identified and prioritized through a systematic process, based on the needs of OPHPR. Topic areas in this solicitation are as follows (refer to the announcement for detailed explanations and requirements): Topic 1: Determining Requirements to Ensure Entities Have Effectively Inactivated Biological Select Agents and Regulated Nucleic Acids. Topic 2: Utility of the National Health Security Preparedness Index (NHSPI) for State and Local Public Health Preparedness Activities. Topic 3: Incident Management Systems (IMS) Promising Measures of Performance and Effectiveness. Topic 4: Evidence-Based Interventions to Mitigate Adverse Impacts on At-Risk Populations. Topic 5: Identifying Information Needs and Communication Channels for Reaching At-Risk Populations during Emergencies

Categories: research, health, public health, emergency preparedness, management, mitigation, at-risk populations

ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions, including blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary. ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by other disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, such as losses not covered by the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

Categories: emergency assistance, disaster resources, extreme weather events

he Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests.

The local FSA County Committee implements EFRP for all disasters with the exceptions of drought and insect infestations. In the case of drought or an insect infestation, the national FSA office authorizes EFRP implementation.

Categories: forest restoration, forest management, private forests, non-industrial forests, natural disasters, forest health

Most Recent Deadline: March 1, 2024. The purpose of this call for proposals (CFP) is to support Indigenous-led systematic inquiry to enhance the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples and generate approaches to improve health equity. This will be achieved by funding community-prioritized investigation, elevating and integrating Indigenous cultures and knowledge-building practices. To support a diverse range of projects tailored to different phases of development and scope, awards will be made through two tracks, as described later in this solicitation. Number of Awards: The number of grants to be awarded (both by track and in total) will be determined based on the number, size, and scope of the studies proposed, and we expect to award grants in a range of sizes and durations.• Amount of Award: A total of up to $4 million will be awarded through this CFP.  Track 1: Initiating and Developing Research Capacity and Infrastructure● There is not an explicit budget cap for awards funded under this track, but we expect that grants will be in the approximate range of $100,000–$400,000 total. We anticipate much of the grant duration to involve relationship-building, trust development, and community feedback processes. Proposals must demonstrate a clear plan for ongoing and sustained collaboration and continued work with newly engaged partners.Track 2: Supporting Later-Stage, Sustained Research Efforts  There is not an explicit budget cap for awards funded under this track, but we expect grants will be in the range of approximately $500,000–$750,000 total. We expect project teams to demonstrate established, equitable partnerships with Indigenous communities who can begin testing a solution or strategy as part of their project.  Duration of Awards: Preference is for award durations between two and three years (24–36 months), but durations of up to five years (60 months) will be considered with reasonable justification. 

Categories: health, health equity, climate change, climate change impacts, racial equity

Deadline Passed April 17, 2019. Deadline Unknown for 2020. The National Forest Foundation Ski Conservation Fund (SCF) and Forest Stewardship Fund (FSF) provide funding for action-oriented on-the-ground or citizen-based monitoring projects that improve forest health and outdoor experiences on National Forests and Grasslands. Award funds come from guest contributions at ski areas and lodges operating on or adjacent to National Forest System lands, with added National Forest Foundation federal funds for SCF.

Categories: funding, forest health, outdoor, recreation, National Forests

HUD Indian Housing Block Grants. Most recent deadline: December 10, 2020. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is accepting applications from eligible Indian tribes and tribally designed housing entities to carry out affordable housing activities for benefits of low-income Native American families. Grant funds may be used to develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing in safe and healthy environments on Indian reservations and in other Indian areas, and carry out other affordable housing activities. Grant funds must be used to primarily benefit low-income Indian families. https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/ih/grants/ihb…

Categories: housing, healthy homes, affordable housing, low-income families

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: 10/18/2021.This competition will focus on research to improve our understanding, early warning, and management of drought risk in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to inform more deliberate and expanded decision-making that supports sustainable, healthy, and resilient ecosystems.About the NIDIS Coping with Drought Competition. Since 2007, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) has funded more than 60 innovative drought research projects through the Coping with Drought research competition. Research through the Coping with Drought competition assesses impacts of drought on agriculture, ecosystems, and water resources and develops decision support tools for regional, state, and local use. This research contributes to the understanding of how communities become aware of drought threats and how they can improve preparation and planning. The projects incorporate consultation with stakeholders, and focus on information that is most useful for decision-making to reduce vulnerability; models and tools that bring this information to decision makers; and strategies for improving NIDIS’ engagement with communities in preparedness.

Categories: drought, research, impacts, decision-making, recreation, water utilities