Illinois Grant News | March 2024

Washington, D.C. | March 29 2024 | Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (24-563) | The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program invests in the Nation’s colleges and universities to aid student success to create a new generation of STEM discoverers for the national STEM enterprise. The program takes a comprehensive approach to the STEM Learning Ecosystem to impact STEM student development and retention. LSAMP is an alliance-based program, whereby a group of institutions of higher education (IHEs) work together to diversify the nation’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce by increasing the number of STEM baccalaureate and graduate degrees awarded to persons from LSAMP populations. LSAMP populations are defined as persons from groups underrepresented in the STEM enterprise: Blacks and African-Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The LSAMP program provides funding to alliances that implement comprehensive, evidence-based, innovative, and sustained strategies that ultimately result in the graduation of well-prepared, highly competitive students from LSAMP populations who pursue graduate studies or careers in STEM, while also supporting knowledge generation, knowledge utilization, assessment of program impacts, dissemination activities and dissemination of scholarly research into the field. Projects supported by the LSAMP program include: –Alliance Development Grants (ADG) support the conceptualization and development of new B2B and new SPIO alliances. (New) –Bridge-to-the-Baccalaureate (B2B) alliances facilitate the successful transfer of students from LSAMP populations to four-year institutions in pursuit of STEM baccalaureate degrees. –STEM Pathways Implementation-Only (SPIO) alliances are designed for new and reconstituted alliances. Estimated Awards: 60. Total Funding: $38,000,000. Award Ceiling: $5,000,000. Closing Date: June 24, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 26 2024 | Data Science Corps (24-560) | The objective of the Data Science Corps program is to help build a strong national data science infrastructure and workforce. The Data Science Corps program seeks to engage data science students in real-world data science implementation projects. This engagement will help bridge the data-to-knowledge gap in organizations and communities at all levels, including local, state, and national, and will empower better use of data for more effective decision making. Data Science Corps participants will be able to sharpen their skills in data science by working on real-world projects focused on specific community needs, including rural communities, urban communities, academia, industry, or government. This partnership between communities and data scientists will serve the nation by helping produce a workforce-ready cohort of data scientists and technologists, who have experience with data science in action in real-world settings. The program welcomes proposals that seek to broaden participation inscience, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education. This solicitation prompts the community to respond to one or more mechanisms by which to provide students with data science education and training, including in data science issues related to knowledge representation and creation and use of knowledge graphs. The solicitation supports opportunities for undergraduates (including students from community colleges, Minority Serving Institutions, other emerging research institutions as defined in the CHIPS and Science Act, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346, and institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions), and grade 6-12 teachers and students. Estimated Awards: 15. Total Funding: $10,000,000. Award Ceiling: $1,200,000. Closing Date: June 21, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 26 2024 | Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology – Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (24-562) |  The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program provides support to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions (MSIs) as defined in this solicitation’s Eligibility section, through effective integration of education and research. The CREST program, composed of the CREST Centers, the CREST Postdoctoral Research Program, and the projects supported by this CREST-RISE solicitation, promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty and postdoctoral scholars, and an expanded presence of research doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, especially those from underrepresented groups. CREST-RISE is the component of the CREST program that supports the expansion of institutional research capacity by increasing the strength of institutional graduate programs and the successful production of research doctoral students, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM. The CREST-RISE component supports STEM research doctoral programs in all NSF supported areas and encourages proposals in areas of national interest, such as artificial intelligence, data science and analytics; advanced materials, manufacturing, robotics; cybersecurity; plant genetics/agricultural technologies; quantum information sciences; nanotechnology, semiconductors/microelectronics technologies; climate change and clean energy. CREST-RISE projects must have a direct connection to the long-term plans of the host department(s) and the institution’s strategic plan and mission. Project plans should emphasize activities designed to increase the production of research doctoral students, especially those underrepresented in STEM as well as expand institutional research capacity. Estimated Awards: 9. Total Funding: $6,000,000. Award Ceiling: $2,000,000. Closing Date: August 2, 2024.

Springfield, Ill. | March 22 2024 | Driving a Cleaner Illinois (24-3234-02) | This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to inform potential applicants of the availability of funds from the Rebuild Illinois capital program for electric vehicle charging projects authorized under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act as part of the Driving a Cleaner Illinois Program. Under this NOFO, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) will fund a portion of the eligible costs associated with new, commercial-grade Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC, also known as level 3) and Alternating Current level 2 charging stations for electric vehicles, to be located at publicly accessible charging station locations in Illinois. Additional points will be awarded to both Environmental Justice communities and to projects at public transportation park-and-ride facilities. Estimated Awards: 50-70. Total Funding: $44,000,000. Award Ceiling: Unspecified. Closing Date: May 10, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 22 2024 | Rural Health Research Center Program (HRSA-24-004) | This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Rural Health Research Center (RHRC) Program. The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to support recipients as they develop high-quality, impartial, policy relevant rural health services research to inform the improvement of health care in rural areas. Health services research is a “multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and ultimately, our health and well-being.” The objectives of the health services research funded through this program are to inform health care providers, administrators, policymakers, and other interested parties at the federal, state, and local levels of the challenges facing rural communities relating to health care and to inform policies designed to improve access to rural health care. Rural health services research addresses critical concerns facing rural communities in their efforts to secure adequate, affordable, and high-quality health services. The four-year RHRC Program awards will support research centers with specific rural health research areas of concentration. The topic(s) of concentration must relate to policy issues intended to inform the improvement of health care in rural areas. The topic(s) of concentration must also be of enduring interest and importance to rural providers, rural stakeholders, policymakers, and/or rural communities. RHRC recipients will conduct policy-oriented health services research. In addition to primary and secondary research, the applicant may conduct literature syntheses and update existing research to produce timely and relevant information. Estimated Awards: 8. Total Funding: $5,600,000. Award Ceiling: Not Specified ($900,000 average). Closing Date: May 23, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 19 2024 | Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (693JJ324NF00012) | This Notice of Funding Opportunity will result in the distribution of up to $44,550,000 for two different categories of grants: (1) Planning and Design Grants and (2) Construction Grants. The Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) projects will help improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of active transportation networks and communities; improve connectivity between active transportation modes and public transportation; enhance the resiliency of on- and off-road active transportation infrastructure and help protect the environment; and improve quality of life in disadvantaged communities through the delivery of connected active transportation networks and expanded mobility opportunities. The ATIIP grants will allow communities to identify, prioritize, and implement improvements to the largest barriers to safe, accessible, and equitable pedestrian and bicycle network connectivity through the development of infrastructure that will provide substantial additional opportunities for walking and bicycling. Eligible organizations will be able to create plans or implement active transportation networks that connect destinations within or between communities or create plans or implement an active transportation spine connecting two or more communities, metropolitan regions, or States. The ATIIP also provides an opportunity for eligible organizations to enhance their overall transportation network by integrating active transportation facilities with transit services, where available, to improve access to public transportation. Estimated Awards: Not specified. Total Funding: $44,500,000. Award Ceiling: $15,000,000. Closing Date: June 17, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 18 2024 | FY 2024 – FY 2025 Pollution Prevention Grant Program (EPA-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-001) | The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a two-year competitive funding opportunity for awards to eligible entities to provide technical assistance (TA) to businesses to encourage the development and implementation of source reduction practices also known as pollution prevention or “P2”. EPA is requiring recipients to develop at least one P2 case study and one P2 success story during the grant period. A P2 case study should provide detailed technical information on one or two specific source reduction/P2 practices implemented by a business, and the benefits achieved, so that other P2 TA providers or interested businesses have enough technical information that they can learn from and replicate those P2 practices. A P2 case study should focus on P2 approaches that are new and not widely known or adopted and/or where the recipient believes detailed information on the project could support more widespread project replication. Estimated Awards: 25. Total Funding: $9,940,000. Award Ceiling: $700,000. Closing Date: May 17, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 18 2024 | Cultural and Community Resilience (20240521-PN) | The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Preservation and Access is accepting applications for the Cultural and Community Resilience program. This program supports community-based efforts to address the impacts of climate change and COVID-19 by safeguarding cultural resources and fostering cultural resilience through identifying, documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experiences. The program prioritizes projects from disadvantaged communities in the United States or its jurisdictions, and NEH encourages applications that employ inclusive methodologies. Estimated Awards: 20. Total Funding: $2,500,000. Award Ceiling: $150,000. Closing Date: May 21, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 18 2024 | FY 2024 – FY 2025 Pollution Prevention Grant Program Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (EPA-I-HQ-OCSPP-OPPT-FY2024-002) | The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a two-year competitive funding opportunity for awards to eligible entities to provide technical assistance (TA) to businesses to encourage the development and implementation of source reduction practices also known as pollution prevention or “P2”. EPA is requiring recipients to develop at least one P2 case study and one P2 success story during the grant period. A P2 case study should provide detailed technical information on one or two specific source reduction/P2 practices implemented by a business, and the benefits achieved, so that other P2 TA providers or interested businesses have enough technical information that they can learn from and replicate those P2 practices. A P2 case study should focus on P2 approaches that are new and not widely known or adopted and/or where the recipient believes detailed information on the project could support more widespread project replication. This funding opportunity is announced under the authority of the Pollution Prevention Act and is funded by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Estimated Awards: 50. Total Funding: $13,900,000. Award Ceiling: $350,000. Closing Date: May 17, 2024.

Springfield, Ill. | March 15 2024 | Governor Pritzker Announces $5 Million in Funding for the Home Illinois Workforce Pilot Program | Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced $5 million in funding for the Home Illinois Workforce Pilot Program. This program is a partnership between DCEO, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Illinois Interagency Task Force on Homelessness to Prevent and End Homelessness and is an extension of the Illinois Job Training and Economic Development Program (JTED). Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. Estimated Awards: 3. Total Funding: $5,000,000. Award Ceiling: $2,000,000. Closing Date: December 31, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 15 2024 | Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development (USDA-NIFA-AFRI-010693) | The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests applications for the AFRI’s Education and Workforce Development program areas to support: 1. professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals; 2. non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth; 3. workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges; 4. training of undergraduate students in research and extension; 5. fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars. Estimated Awards: 245. Total Funding: $49,000,000. Award Ceiling: $750,000. Closing Date: December 5, 2024.

Springfield, Ill. | March 14 2024 | Home Illinois Workforce Pilot (0513-2729) | The JTED Home Illinois Workforce Pilot program will serve individuals experiencing homelessness that reside in shelters or who participate in a Rapid Re-housing (“RRH”) Program defined as under-represented individuals in Appendix A. Entities eligible to apply for a grant award under this NOFO must be either: 1. The lead entity of a COC organization, including private nonprofit organizations (which may include a faith-based organization); Note: COC’s that are government entities are NOT eligible to apply as the lead applicant; or 2. A federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA”) administrative entity (Local Workforce Innovation Area). Note: WIOA administrative entities that are government entities are eligible to apply. All applicants must demonstrate expertise and effectiveness in administering workforce development or have a partnership with an entity that possesses this experience. Estimated Awards: 3. Total Funding: $5,000,000. Award Ceiling: $2,000,000. Closing Date: May 3, 2024 [or, December 31, 2024 – conflicting information].

Washington, D.C. | March  14 2024 | Head Start Expansion, Early Head Start Expansion, and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants (HHS-2024-ACF-OHS-HP-0157) | he Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS) announces the availability of approximately $102 million to be competitively awarded for the purpose of expanding access to high-quality, comprehensive services to low-income infants, toddlers, and their families through Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships, or through the expansion of Head Start services and/or Early Head Start services. ACF solicits applications from public entities, including states, or private non-profit organizations, including community-based or faith-based organizations, or for-profit agencies that meet eligibility for applying as stated in section 42 U.S.C. 9840A of the Head Start Act. Estimated Awards: 60. Total Funding: $102,127,361. Award Ceiling: $20,509,347. Closing Date: May 14, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 14 2024 | Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Institutional Service: Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program (ED-GRANTS-031424-002) | Purpose of Program: The purposes of the PPOHA Program are to: (1) expand postbaccalaureate educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic students; and (2) expand the postbaccalaureate academic offerings, as well as enhance the program quality, at the institutions of higher education (IHEs) that are educating the majority of Hispanic college students and helping large numbers of Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees. Estimated Awards: 16. Total Funding: $11,257,000. Award Ceiling: $1,500,000. Closing Date: May 13, 2024.

Springfield, Ill. | March 13 2024 | Illinois EPA offers two funding opportunities for watershed management projects | Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced a total of $4.75 million in funding through the release of two Section 319(h) Grant Program Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to address nonpoint source pollution. Illinois EPA is seeking proposals for watershed-based planning projects and watershed-based plan implementation projects to prevent, eliminate, or reduce water quality impairments to Illinois’ surface and groundwater resources. Illinois EPA receives federal funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act to implement the Section 319(h) Grant Program. The $4.75 million will be split, with up to $750,000 in funding anticipated to fund two (2) to four (4) watershed-based planning projects, and up to $4 million to fund 12 to 15 watershed-based plan implementation projects. Applications for the Section 319(h) Grant program will be accepted March 13, 2024 through noon (CST) on May 1, 2024. Applicants must apply through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act Grantee Portal.

Springfield, Ill. | March 13 2024 | Illinois opens applications for $50 million electric vehicle charging station program | The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced the launch of the first funding opportunity for the Illinois National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. This program offers grants totaling $50 million to support the construction of 46 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state. The application deadline for funding is May 7 at 5:00 PM. An informational webinar regarding the application process is available for viewing on the Illinois Department of Transportation’s website. Further inquiries can be directed to the IDOT Drive Electric Illinois program at dot.driveelectric@illinois.gov.

Washington, D.C. | March 11 2024 | BJA FY24 Improving Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Outcomes for Adults in Reentry (O-BJA-2024-172030) | With this solicitation, BJA seeks to support state, local, and tribal governments, as well as community-based nonprofit organizations, to establish, expand, or improve treatment and recovery support services for people with substance use disorders (SUDs) during their incarceration and upon reentry into the community. This program seeks to reduce crime and recidivism, expand access to evidence-based treatment, and promote long-term recovery for people leaving incarceration, and, in the process, improve public safety and public health. Estimated Awards: 6. Total Funding: $5,000,000. Award Ceiling: $833,000. Closing Date: May 6, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 12 2024 | FY 2024 Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) (DE-FOA-0003280) | Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) aims to build foundations for Office of Science (SC) research through traineeships at academic institutions that have been historically underrepresented in the SC portfolio. RENEW leverages SC’s unique national laboratories, user facilities, and other research infrastructure to provide training opportunities for students and postdoctoral researchers from these institutions. The hands-on experiences gained through RENEW will open new career avenues for trainees, forming a nucleus for a future pool of talented young scientists, engineers, and technicians with the critical skills and expertise needed for the full breadth of SC research activities. RENEW supports traineeships for students and postdoctoral researchers from non-R1 Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs)[1] and non-R1 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)[2],[3] in areas relevant to SC programs. SC seeks applications to develop traineeships for participants from these institutions that involve conducting research in partnership with a DOE-affiliated institution, including DOE National Laboratories, SC user facilities, Bioenergy Research Centers, or DOE Isotope Program Production Sites. Traineeships may include partnerships with multiple DOE-affiliated partner institutions to learn about the diversity and breadth of science conducted by the Office of Science. Estimated Awards: 30. Total Funding: $50,000,000. Award Ceiling: $2,250,000. Closing Date: July 23, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 8 2024 | Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Student Support Service: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Partnership Grants (ED-GRANTS-030824-001) | Purpose of Program: The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program that encourages eligible entities to provide support, and maintain a commitment, to eligible students from low-income backgrounds, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. Under the GEAR UP program, the Department awards grants to two types of entities: (1) States and (2) Partnerships consisting of at least one degree-granting institution of higher education (IHE) and at least one local educational agency (LEA). Estimated Awards: 34. Total Funding: $40,000,000. Award Ceiling: $5,000,000. Closing Date: May 7, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 7 2024 | Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program (HRSA-24-016) | This program’s purpose is to support training programs that enhance and expand paraprofessionals knowledge and expertise, and to increase the number of peer support specialists and other behavioral health-related paraprofessionals who work on integrated, interprofessional teams in providing services to families impacted by OUD and other SUD. A special focus is on supporting children and adolescents in high need and high demand areas who have experienced trauma and are at risk for mental health disorders. Estimated Awards: 28. Total Funding: $16,800,000. Award Ceiling: $600,000. Closing Date: May 6, 2024.

Springfield, Ill. | March 6 2024 | Governor Pritzker Launches $8.5 Million CEJA Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program | Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) launched $8.5 million in funding for the Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program as part of a larger strategy to equitably grow the clean energy workforce in Illinois through the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The program supports community-based organizations and technical service providers in low-income and historically disadvantaged communities to plan, develop and execute community solar projects. Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. Estimated Awards: 40. Total Funding: $1,000,000. Award Ceiling: $8,500,000. Closing Date: July 1, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 6 2024 | Computer Science for All (24-555) | This program aims to provide all U.S. students with the opportunity to participate in computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) education in their schools at the preK-12 levels. With this solicitation, the National Science Foundation (NSF) focuses on both research and research-practice partnerships (RPPs) that foster the research and development needed to bring CS and CT to all schools. Specifically, this solicitation aims to provide (1) high school teacherswith the preparation, professional development (PD) and ongoing support they need to teach rigorous computer science courses; (2) preK-8 teachers with the instructional materials and preparation they need to integrate CS and CT into their teaching; and (3) schools and districtswith the resources needed to define and evaluate multi-grade pathways in CS and CT. Estimated Awards:Unstated. Total Funding: $20,000,000. Award Ceiling: $2,000,000. Closing Date: June 4, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 5 2024 | OJJDP FY24 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children (O-OJJDP-2024-172012) | With this solicitation, OJJDP seeks applications for funding to states and localities to assist, develop or expand services that meet the needs of incarcerated parents (juvenile or adult) who have minor children, younger than age 18, to prevent violent crime, reduce recidivism, and provide support for minor children. Estimated Awards: 5. Total Funding: $3,750,000. Award Ceiling: $750,000. Closing Date: April 15, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 5 2024 | Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Computing in Undergraduate Education (24-553) | The Improving Undergraduate STEM Education:Computing in Undergraduate Education (IUSE: CUE) program aims to better prepare a wider, more diverse range of students to collaboratively use computation across a range of contexts and challenging problems. With this solicitation, the National Science Foundation focuses onre-envisioninghow to teach computing effectivelyto a broad group of students,in a scalable manner, with an emphasis on broadening participation of groups who are underrepresented andunderservedby traditional computing courses and careers. Estimated Awards: 6. Total Funding: $7,500,000. Award Ceiling: $2,000,000. Closing Date: May 30, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March 5 2024 | Artificial Intelligence, Formal Methods, and Mathematical Reasoning (24-554) | The Artificial Intelligence, Formal Methods, and Mathematical Reasoning (AIMing) program seeks tosupport research at the interface of innovative computational and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and new strategies/technologies in mathematical reasoning to automate knowledge discovery. Mathematical reasoning is a central ability of human intelligence that plays an important role in knowledge discovery. In the last decades, both the mathematics and computer science communities have contributed to research in machine-assisted mathematical reasoning, encompassing conjecture, proof, and verification. This has been in the form of both formal methods and interactive theorem provers, as well as using techniques from artificial intelligence. Recent technological advances have led to a surge of interest in machine-assisted mathematical reasoning from the mathematical sciences, formal methods, and AI communities. In turn, advances in this field have potential impact on research in AI. Estimated Awards: 10. Total Funding: $6,000,000. Award Ceiling: $1,200,000. Closing Date: June 3, 2024.

Washington, D.C. | March  1 2024 | Veterans Legacy Grants Program (VA-NCA-VLGP-FY2024) | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is awarding grants for a maximum of $400,000 per awardee through the Veterans Legacy Grants Program (VLGP) to provide funding to educational institutions and other eligible entities to conduct cemetery research and produce educational tools for the public to use and learn about the histories of Veterans interred in VA national cemeteries and VA grant-funded State and Tribal Veterans’ cemeteries. This notice includes information about the process for applying for a VLGP grant; criteria for evaluating applications; priorities related to the award of grants; and other requirements and guidance regarding VLGP grants. Note: Fiscal Year 2024 grants will only be awarded if funding is allocated to this program following the Fiscal Year 2024 Continuing Resolution. Estimated Awards: 15. Total Funding: $2,200,000. Award Ceiling: $400,000. Closing Date: April 1, 2024.