Grant Opportunities 06-27-2011

June 27, 2011

By , Government Grants Coordinator 831-459-1644

Thank you for your quick responses to the weekly grant opportunities. Please contact me with any individual research requests. You can access information about helpful research hints for faculty and graduate students by visiting the links on the lefthand menu.

Funding Source:       NSF

Title:                            Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

Program:                    The REU program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department, or on interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. A partnership with the Department of Defense supports REU Sites in DoD-relevant research areas. (2) REU Supplements may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects or may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements.

Deadline:                   August 24, 2011

Link:                            http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5517&org=NSF&sel_org=NSF&from=fund

Funding Source:       NSF

Title:                            Political Science

Program:                    The Political Science Program supports scientific research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics. Research proposals are expected to be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. Substantive areas include, but are not limited to, American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, political behavior, political economy, and political institutions.

In recent years, program awards have supported research projects on bargaining processes; campaigns and elections, electoral choice, and electoral systems; citizen support in emerging and established democracies; democratization, political change, and regime transitions; domestic and international conflict; international political economy; party activism; political psychology and political tolerance. The Program also has supported research experiences for undergraduate students and infrastructural activities, including methodological innovations, in the discipline.

Deadline:                   August 15, 2011

Link:                            http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5418&org=NSF&sel_org=NSF&from=fund

Funding Source:       NSF

Title:                            Computing Education for the 21st Century (CE21)

Program:                    The CE21 program aims to build a computationally savvy 21st century workforce that positions the US to demonstrate a leadership role in the global economy. Innovations in computing and more broadly, information technology (IT), drive our economy, underlie many new advances in science and engineering, and contribute to our national security. Projected job growth in IT is very strong.

Despite these very positive indicators, student interest in computing has declined dramatically over the last decade.  For example, the percentage of college freshmen indicating an intent to major in computing has declined overall by 70% in the last decade; for women, the decline was 80% (HERI, 2000-2009). Recent data show that student interest in computing majors has fallen behind projected job openings by a factor of five and a half (ACT, 2010).

The CE21 program seeks to reverse this troubling trend by engaging larger numbers of students, teachers, and educators in computing education and learning at earlier stages in the education pipeline.  While interventions in primary education are within scope, the CE21 program focuses special attention on activities targeted at the middle and high school levels (i.e., secondary education) and in early undergraduate education.

The goals of the CE21 program are to:

Increase the number and diversity of K-14 students and teachers who develop and practice computational competencies in a variety of contexts; and
Increase the number and diversity of early postsecondary students who are engaged and have the background in computing necessary to successfully pursue degrees in computing-related and computationally-intensive fields of study.
Deadline:
                   July 28, 2011

Link:                            http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10619/nsf10619.htm

Funding Source:       NEH

Title:                            Bridging Cultures Implementation Grants

Program:                    In April 2010 NEH offered Bridging Cultures planning and implementation grants for academic forums and program development workshops on the themes of "Civility and Democracy" and "The Muslim World and the Humanities." The current grant opportunity is the second phase of the earlier program, Bridging Cultures: Planning and Implementation Grants for Academic Forums and Program Development Workshops. Applicant institutions do not need to have received a grant in the first phase. However, in order to be competitive, applicant institutions should already have engaged in extensive planning comparable to that undertaken in the first phase of the forum and workshop program. The planning should have involved

- consultation with a national pool of scholars with diverse intellectual perspectives and expertise in humanities disciplines and fields relevant to the theme;

- consultation with appropriate humanities practitioners, such as librarians, museum professionals, independent producers, public historians, other humanities educators, or with one or more state humanities councils; and

- collaboration between scholars and practitioners in the development of the proposed public program.

Deadline:                   August 2, 2011

Link:                            http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/BridgingCulturesImplementation.html

Funding Source:       Wells Fargo

Title:                            National Environmental Grants Program

Program: The 2011 National Environmental Grants Program focuses on climate change, specifically in the following three areas where Wells Fargo can have the greatest impact in combination with its business activities:

1. Renewable Energy

Grants support:

- Programs/organizations that advance renewable energy through education, community outreach, job creation and training, research, technology and market development.

- Special consideration will be given to efforts that support low- to moderate-income communities. Examples include: Investment in clean technology incubators that advance new technologies and create a platform for entrepreneurs to grow their ideas.

2. Greener Buildings

Commercial buildings are responsible for more than 40% of the carbon emissions in the United States per year (Source: USGBC.org). There is a tremendous opportunity to make existing buildings greener, all while creating jobs, advancing energy efficiency technologies, reducing emissions and saving costs. Green building grants support:

- Programs/organizations that support greener buildings and energy efficiency.

- Special attention will be given to greener building efforts in low- to moderate income communities. Examples include: Organizations that are retrofitting existing buildings, building greener affordable homes, installing solar units on schools and municipal buildings and building databases and software to help building owners and tenant's better understand their energy usage.

3. Sustainable Agriculture/Water

Grants support:

- Programs/organizations that encourage sustainable agriculture and water conservation methods.

- Organizations that promote urban farming and create sustainable food systems while working with the community to educate and provide hands-on training.

- Special consideration will be given to projects that support community food independence and healthier school lunch programs and gardens, especially in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods.

- Extended focus on water issues (usage, conservation, quality etc.) Examples include: Organizations that promote local farmers markets, the development of community gardens and agricultural education centers, awareness related to water usage and support for new technologies around farming techniques and water treatment and distribution.

Deadline:                   August 31, 2011

Link:                            https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/csr/ea/

Funding Source:       HUD

Title:                            Doctoral Dissertation Research Program

Program:                    To enable doctoral candidates enrolled at institutions of higher education accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to complete and improve the quality of their dissertations on policy-relevant housing and urban development issues.

Deadline:                   July 14, 2011

Link:                            http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/grants/nofa11/grpddrg