Recently in grants Category

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced 15 research and deployment partnerships to help dramatically improve the energy efficiency of American homes. These highly-qualified, multidisciplinary teams will receive a total of up to $30 million for the initial 18 months of the projects to deliver innovative energy-efficiency strategies to the residential market and address barriers to bringing high-efficiency homes within reach for all Americans.

A total of up to $20 million per year will also be made available for the partnerships for three potential one-year extensions. These research and deployment partnerships will provide technical assistance to retrofit projects and will leverage industry expertise and funding to support DOE's energy efficiency retrofit programs. This effort will support the Department's Retrofit Ramp-Up initiative, announced by Vice President Joe Biden in April, which brings communities, governments, private sector companies and non-profit organizations together to deliver energy-efficiency upgrades--or retrofits--to whole neighborhoods and cities.

''Home energy efficiency is one of the easiest, most immediate and most cost-effective ways to reduce carbon pollution and save money on energy bills, while creating new jobs,'' said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. ''By developing and using tools to reduce residential energy use, we will spur economic growth here in America and help homeowners make cost-cutting improvements in their homes.''   7/20/2010

Resource(s): http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/

The National Education Association is offering Green Across America grants of up to $1,000 each to help K-12 teachers across the United States implement their innovative education program, activity, lesson, or event to increase environmental awareness, create positive learning programs, and excite students about ways to create a better planet.

The program will award a total of $50,000, in grants of up to $1,000 each (dependent on the cost of developing the activity, lesson, or event). Information on the grantees' programs will also be posted on the NEA Member Benefits Web site for use by the education community.

The program is open to any educator employed by a public or private school (K-12) located in the fifty United States and the District of Columbia.
Grant award program applications are available at the NEA Member Benefits Web site.
Contact:
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=298900029

The CFSA has grants available for programs that address the unmet basic needs of fisherman and individuals working in the seafood industry that are struggling as a result of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill.  The Disaster Relief Fund will support programs that address the economic, environmental and cultural affects of the oil spill disaster by providing critical response activities and long term support to affected communities. Nonprofit organizations, located within Baldwin and Mobile counties are invited to submit a proposal.

Interested nonprofit organizations should submit a proposal using the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Disaster Relief Grant Application. Details about the requirements for submitting a proposal and the review process can be found online at www.communityendowment.com.  For more information contact Janine Phillips, Program Officer, The Community Foundation of South Alabama, at 251-438-5591.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announced that it has certified a petition for shrimp under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers Program. Beginning today, shrimp producers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas will have 90 days to apply for training and benefits.

The TAA for Farmers Program provides technical training and cash benefits to eligible U.S. producers and fishermen of raw agricultural commodities whose crops or catch have been adversely affected by imports of like or directly competitive commodities.

After reviewing a petition submitted in April 2010 by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, FAS determined that increased imports of shrimp during January- December 2008 contributed importantly to a greater than 15 percent decline in the quantity of production in 2008, compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years. This conforms to the eligibility requirements stipulated in Subtitle C of Title I of the Trade Act of 2002 (Pub. L.107-210).

Individual shrimp producers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas interested in applying for technical training and cash benefits must complete and submit a written application to their local Farm Service Agency Service Center within 90 calendar days from today. Applications (form FSA 229-1) are available on the FAS Web site at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa/taaforms.asp. All TAA for Farmers Federal Register notices can be found on the FAS Web site at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/fr/notices.asp.

Program benefits include cash payments and free technical training designed to help producers develop and implement business adjustment plans. Producers that develop an approved initial business plan will receive up to $4,000 as payment toward implementing the plan or developing a long-term business adjustment plan. Producers who subsequently develop approved long-term business adjustment plans are entitled to receive an additional cash payment of up to $8,000 to be applied toward implementing the plan. A producer may not receive more than $12,000, or benefit from any other TAA program, during the 36-month period following certification of a group petition. Travel and subsistence expenses related to attending training sessions may also be reimbursable.

General information about the TAA for Farmers Program can be found on the FAS Web site at www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa or by contacting the TAA for Farmers Program staff in the Office of Trade Programs at telephone (202) 720-0638 or (202) 690-0633, or by e-mail at tradeadjustment@fas.usda.gov.
http://www.fas.usda.gov/scriptsw/PressRelease/pressrel_dout.asp?Entry=valid&PrNum=0143- 10

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is announcing today that it has certified a petition for catfish under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers program. Beginning today, U.S. catfish producers, nationwide, will have 90 days to apply for training and benefits. -- Your local farmers and producer groups may be eligible for the program.
Producers who believe they are eligible and can participate should submit an application to their local Farm Service Agency Service Center within 90 days. Applications are available at the FAS Web site at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa/taaforms.asp. General information on the TAA for Farmers program can be found at http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa/.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a new federal funding initiative, the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program. This initiative is designed to support regional planning efforts to create strong, sustainable and livable communities. A new collaboration between HUD, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the program will award $98 million in competitive grants to support the development of regional sustainability plans. Urban and rural planning consortia are eligible to apply.

This program will place a priority on partnerships that include the arts. The notice of funding availability explicitly encourages partnerships with arts, culture and recreation organizations, both governmental and nongovernmental. (Overview, G.1.) The arts are noted as an important component of regional plans for economic development. (III.E.2.F)
 
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) has been in dialogue with HUD about this program--and other potential intersections between the arts and HUD's goals. NASAA strongly encourage state arts agencies and local arts organizations to contact their state and local government planning entities to partner in the application process for these grants. This is HUD's first major initiative that explicitly includes arts organizations. HUD also has consulted with the National Endowment for the Arts, which will be promoting this program to the arts community, too.
 
To make the most of this opportunity you can:
Initiate contact with regional planning organizations in your state. These may include Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) or area Regional Councils or sustainability networks. Your HUD field office may be able to provide additional guidance on who leads regional planning efforts or is likely to apply for these funds, as might your state departments of housing, community development, transportation or the environment.
 
Let regional planning organizations know that inclusion of the arts can be an advantage when applying for these new HUD funds. Encourage them to include the arts in their planning teams, public outreach events and overall development strategies. Even if they do not intend to apply for HUD funds, collaboration with the arts sector can increase their overall success.
 
Local arts councils, cultural district coordinators, creative economy networks, and groups developing artist spaces or cultural facilities are especially likely partners.
This is a great chance to help the arts gain "a seat at the table," but the timeline is short. Applications are due August 28 and the preparatory requirements are extensive. If you are interested, you are encouraged to act on this opportunity as soon as possible.
 
For additional information, please contact Randy Shoults, Community Arts Program Manager, Alabama State Council on the Arts 334-242-4076, ext 224, or Barbara Edwards, Deputy Director, 334-242-4076, ext 227. 

The Gulf Coast Fund has created a special Emergency Response Fund for the BP Oil Drilling Disaster, and we are distributing grants on a bi-weekly basis. Special priority is given to organizations engaged in community-led responses focused on: building community capacity; independent monitoring and documentation; providing impacted communities with access to key information and decision-makers; and organizing and advocacy for communities most impacted by the disaster.

REQUEST AMOUNTS & RESTRICTIONS: Up to $7,000 per organization. Small
requests also accepted. Recipients must be 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 nonprofit organizations
in good standing. NEXT DEADLINE: June 15, 2010

http://gulfcoastfund.org/apply-for-a-grant/emergency-grants.html

The Community Economic Development (CED) Program provides grants up to $800,000 to Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to create employment and business development opportunities for low-income individuals in distressed communities, which will ultimately help move individuals towards economic self-sufficiency.  Grantees may use CED funds to support business start-ups or business expansions that will result in the creation of employment and business opportunities in low-income communities.  This year, bonus points will be given to CED projects that will create jobs in green businesses, specific communities affected by the automotive industry, environmental industries, or CED projects that operate in states that currently receive no CED or JOLI funding.

The deadline for CED applications is July 1, 2010.  All applications must be received by 4:30 p.m., EDT, on this date. An informational conference call will be held June 1, 2010 at 1 p.m., EDT.  Interested applicants should register for the call at: OCSRegistrar@icfi.com.  Following this date, the presentation will be available online until July 1, 2010.

For more information about the funding opportunity, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2010-ACF-OCS-EE-0001

ARC would like to alert you to the launch of its 2010 energy grant competition for planning and implementation of community energy projects.

Successful applicants will receive grants of up to $75,000 each. Seven to fifteen grants will be awarded, for a total of $545,000 in awards. The application deadline is August 31, 2010.A webinar will be held June 23 at 10:00 a.m. EDT to answer questions from prospective applicants. To learn more, please download the grant competition request for proposals (RFP) or follow the links below. We encourage you to consider how your community can participate! Appalachian Regional Commission www.arc.gov

NORMAL, Ala., May 21, 2010--Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced, at a
student roundtable on the campus of Alabama A&M University, that USDA is awarding $1.1 million in grants to three Alabama institutions through USDA's Outreach and Technical Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers or  ̳2501' program. ―These grants will help develop programs to ensure that African-American and other minority landowners have access to a full range of USDA programs, to increase their profitability, and to keep farmers on the farm,‖ said Vilsack. ―They are a reflection of USDA and the Obama administration's committed to being an equal opportunity service provider that creates opportunities for Americans from a diversity of backgrounds.‖The primary purpose of the 2501 program is to enhance the coordination of outreach, technical assistance and education efforts to reach socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and to improve their participation in the full range of USDA programs. The recipients of the grants announced today were:

• Alabama State Association of Cooperatives Outreach Program for Western
• Alabama Counties - $400,000
• Alabama A & M University "Intensive Southeastern Training Expansion
• Program (INSTEP) for African-American Landowners" - $300,000
• Tuskegee University "Small Farm Outreach Training and Technical Assistance
• Project" - $400,000

The Mary Kay Foundation is committed to ending the epidemic of domestic violence by providing grants to women's shelters and supporting community outreach programs throughout the United States. Each year, the Foundation's Shelter Grant Program awards grants of $20,000 to at least one domestic violence shelter in every state; remaining funds are distributed based on state population. The grants provided by the Foundation may be used for the operating budget of the shelter, with the exception of staff travel.

The application deadline is June 30, 2010. Visit the Foundation's website to review the funding guidelines and download the application forms.
http://www.mkacf.org/Pages/ShelterGrantProgram.aspx

Proposals Due:    June 20

United Way of Central Alabama, Inc. (UWCA) has been awarded American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("ARRA") funding from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Community Service, under the Strengthening Communities Fund ("SCF") in order to fund local grants in at least 12 Alabama communities throughout the state in the amount up to $45,000 each.
The purpose of SCF is "to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to address the broad economic recovery issues present in their communities, including helping low-income individuals secure and retain employment, earn higher wages, obtain better-quality jobs, and gain greater access to state and Federal benefits and tax credits, including ARRA benefits" (Section 1110 of the Social Security Act, and Title VIII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, P.L. 111- 5).
Proposals are being sought from secular and faith-based organizations that are established in their respective communities and provide community development services in distressed communities that lead to economic recovery.

For the purposes of this announcement:

The Emergency Food Program Infrastructure Grant was authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.  It is a competitive grant program that provides funds to improve and expand the infrastructure needs of emergency feeding organizations (EFO) that participate in the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).  There are two grant solicitations, one for EFOs that serve rural areas and one for all EFOs.

These grants will help EFOs to implement, improve, and expand their infrastructure activities and projects, including developing computerized systems for tracking time-sensitive food products; improving the distribution of perishable foods (such as fresh fruits and vegetables); rescuing prepared, unserved food; identifying donors, new EFOs, and eligible recipients; and improving facilities and equipment.

Grants will be awarded to up to $250,000.  The grant application deadline is June 1, 2010. For more information please visit: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/infrastructure/General_RFA.pdf

A growing number of communities have adopted multi-strategy, multi-disciplinary approaches to reduce the violence that has adversely affected youth, families, and communities across America. The Community-Based Violence Prevention Demonstration Program provides funding for localities to support federal, state, and local partnerships to replicate multi-disciplinary, community-based, proven strategies to reduce violence. OJJDP invites applications from private/non-profit and public agencies, including state agencies and units of local government (including federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior and published in the Federal Register).   The grant application deadline is June 18, 2010.  For more information, please visit:  http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2010/CBVP%20DEMO.pdf

Deadline 5/18/2010
Eligible Applicants: State governments County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher educationThe Volunteer Generation Fund will increase the number of people who serve in meaningful roles as volunteers dedicated to addressing important needs in communities across America. More specifically, the Fund will support efforts that expand the capacity of volunteer connector organizations to recruit, manage support and retain individuals to serve in high quality volunteer assignments, including those that are aligned with special days of service such as Martin Luther King Jr, Day and the 9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance.

The Volunteer Generation Fund is a new grant program from the Corporation designed to:

• Establish programs to recruit, manage and support volunteers in effective volunteer support structures in states; and
• Identify effective approaches to increasing volunteer opportunities and managing and supporting volunteers
• Strengthen the capacity of volunteer connector organizations to recruit, manage, support and retain volunteers

Link to Full Announcement
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=8y2hLX2Vd1pxyFhldcY8X32H3ndPnfQynR LB8l7GWMpl5FrWZwnq!-2030753154?oppId=54068&mode=VIEW
If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
Sylvie Mortimer CNCS-Office of the Field Liaison 202-606-6749

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural (URR) Program is to preserve the Underground Railroad's legacy and to demonstrate how the Underground Railroad's widespread operations network transformed our Nation. In addition, the URR Program promotes the formation of public-private partnerships to help disseminate information regarding the Underground Railroad throughout the United States, including lessons to be drawn from the history of the Underground Railroad.

Applications Available: April 30, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 14, 2010.

Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit educational organizations that are established to research, display, interpret, and collect artifacts relating to the history of the Underground Railroad, including the lessons to be drawn from such history.

Estimated Available Funds: $1,942,000. Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$1,000,000. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $647,333 to $971,000 total for up to three years. Estimated Number of Awards: 2 to 3.

Additional information is available online at:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2010-2/043010c.html

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that rural communities in 21 states will benefit from guaranteed loans provided by USDA to improve electric service delivery to more than 33,000 customers. "The Obama Administration believes that modernized infrastructure is a necessary part of the foundation for long term economic stability and prosperity in rural America and this funding will help rural utilities build and upgrade essential electric infrastructure to help communities thrive," Vilsack said. "These investments will improve local service, create jobs and expand economic opportunity in rural areas."The funding is being provided by the Rural Utilities Service electric program at USDA Rural Development. The loans will help build more than 2,405 miles of new distribution lines and upgrade more than 1,822 miles of existing distribution lines. These investments are part of the Obama Administration's commitment to bring improved infrastructure to rural communities.

The loan guarantees announced total $364.3 million and are part of USDA Rural Development's annual budget; they are not funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more information on USDA's electric program, please visit the following USDA website: www.usda.gov/rus/electric/index.htm.

Below is the complete list of rural utilities selected to receive a USDA guaranteed loan. Funding of each loan recipient is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the loan agreement.

Alabama
Clarke-Washington Electric Membership Corporation - $15,992,000 loan to serve 2,240 new
customers, build 114 miles of new distribution lines, and make improvements to 34 miles of
distribution lines.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding two communities in Alabama with $400,000 in brownfields grants to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use. Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. The communities in Alabama receiving brownfields assessment grants include:
Alabama Department of Environmental Management (for use in the following counties - Montgomery, Lowndes, Dallas, and Perry) - $200,000 assessment grants
Freshwater Land Trust (Jefferson County) - $200,000 assessment grants

In the Southeast, 30 communities have been selected to receive brownfields grants to assess, cleanup and redevelop properties. Nationally, 40 states, four tribes and one U.S. Territory will share more than $78 million in brownfields grants. In total, EPA is selecting 304 grants through the Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants programs:

• 188 assessment grants, totaling $42.56 million, will conduct site assessment and planning for cleanup at one or more brownfields sites as part of a community-wide effort.
• 17 revolving loan fund grants, totaling $17 million, will provide loans and subgrants for communities to begin cleanup activities at brownfields sites. Revolving loan funds are generally used to provide low interest loans for brownfields cleanups.
• 99 cleanup grants, totaling $19.36 million, will provide funding for grant recipients to carryout cleanup activities at brownfield sites they own.

More information on the FY 2010 grant recipients: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
Brownfields success stories: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/success/index.htm

FY 2011 Competitive Grant Program
Legacy provides environmental education grants annually through the Competitive Grants Program. Funds for this program are allocated specifically to assist with helping to create environmentally responsible citizens through education. Any non-profit Alabama organization planning a community based environmental program is encouraged to apply. Competitive grants are available for up to $10,000.
Application at weblink:
http://www.legacyenved.org/pdf/2011%20Competitive%20Grant%20Application.pdf

FY 2011 Environmental Education Mini-Grant Program Mini-Grants
The Environmental Education Mini-Grant program provides funding for hands-on environmental education programs to communities in Alabama. Mini-grants assist Alabama citizens with local environmental projects. Although teachers make up the majority of applicants, any non-profit organization wishing to pursue a community-based environmental project in Alabama is encouraged to apply. Applicants may apply for up to $2,500. Application: http://www.legacyenved.org/pdf/2011%20Mini-Grant%20Application.pdf

Administered by the National Park Service in collaboration with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Save America's Treasures is an annual grant program designed to provide critical investments in the preservation of the nation's most significant and endangered cultural treasures.

Grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and historic structures and sites. Intellectual and cultural artifacts include objects, collections, documents, sculpture, and works of art. Historic structures and sites include historic districts, lots, buildings, structures, and objects.
Grants are awarded to federal, state, local, and tribal government entities as well as and nonprofit organizations through a competitive matching-grant program. For FY 2010, NPS has approximately $14 million in total funding to award through the Save America's Treasures program.

Complete application instructions are available at the NPS Web site.

On Tuesday, June 15, 2010, the CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) Committee will host the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) Toolbox for Successful Grants workshop from 8:30am-12:30pm.  Please save the date and spread the word to your respective communities that registration will open up in early May. 

Open: March 10, 2010

The Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) announces the opportunity to submit applications under FMPP for FY-2010. Approximately $5 million is allocated for FMPP for Fiscal Year 2010. The maximum amount awarded for any one proposal cannot exceed $100,000; the minimum amount is $2,500. Entities eligible to apply include agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, producer associations, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities and Tribal governments. Individuals are not eligible under FMPP. Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2010.

Link to Full Announcement
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=p32fLgvTQMh0hPynVMz6rJ 8HXPvgF1BQPpkhWpTw5nPVHvlr2224!1437302434?oppId=52645&mode=VIEW

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
Carmen Humphrey Branch Chief Phone 202-694-4000

Save America's Treasures grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and collections and on nationally significant historic properties. Grants are awarded by a competitive process and require a dollar-for-dollar, non-Federal match, which can be cash, donated services, or use of equipment. The grant and the non-Federal match must be expended during the grant period, generally 2 to 3 years, to execute the project. The minimum grant request for collections projects is $25,000 Federal share; the minimum grant request for historic property projects is $125,000 Federal share. The maximum grant request for all projects is $700,000 Federal share. The Save America's Treasures Grants Selection Panel may, at its discretion, award less than the minimum grant request. Example of activities supported by these grants may be found at www.nps.gov/history/hps/treasures/search.htm including a searchable list of projects funded in 2009.

Deadline: May 21, 2010

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
Ginger Carter Grants Management Specialist Phone 202-513-7233

Applicants eligible for RBEG funds are public bodies and private nonprofit corporations, such as States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts and Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations which will serve rural areas. "Rural area" for this program is defined as a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a population of 50,000 inhabitants or less, other than an urbanized area immediately adjacent to a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a population in excess of 50,000 inhabitants. Applications will only be accepted from eligible entities. Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not provide sufficient information to determine eligibility or are missing required elements. Applications must be submitted in paper format to the USDA Rural Development State Office where the project is located. Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail. All applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number which can be obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line at 1-866- 705-5711. If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
USDA State Office
1-800-670-6553
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the Department's final priorities and the grant application for the $650 million Investing in Innovation Fund (i3). The fund, which is part of the historic $5 billion investment in school reform in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will support the development of path-breaking new ideas, the validation of approaches that have demonstrated promise, and the scale-up of the nation's most successful and proven education innovations. "Many of our generation's greatest breakthroughs occur when people are willing to invest in small scale projects with big scale potential," said Duncan. "We need to identify these pockets of promise in the education community and give them the resources they need to grow."

Applications will be due in mid-May and grants will be awarded in September. In the coming weeks, officials from the Department's Office of Innovation and Improvement will hold informational workshops in Atlanta, Baltimore and Denver that will be web-accessible. President Obama has proposed an additional $500 million of the i3 program in his fiscal 2011 budget.

Applications available here: http://www.ed.gov/programs/innovation/index.html