OPPORTUNITY FUNDING ALERT

Important Notice
Attention Researchers: IRBNet Begins on June 1, 2009
Antarctic Research
National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, Division of Antarctic Sciences - Antarctic Research
Breast Cancer Research
Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Breast Cancer Research
Combating Terrorism
Department of Defense - Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office
Education
Motorola Foundation - Innovation Generation Grant
Engineering - Highway Transportation
Federal Highway Administration - Advanced Research Program
Federal Highway Administration, National Institute of Technology & Standards - Technology Innovation Program: Civil Infrastructure, Manufacturing
Global Health Solutions
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Grand Challenges Explorations
Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities - Summer Stipends, 2010
Infrastructure Support for Universities
NSF Increases Major Infrastructure Support for Major Equipment and Renovation of University Science Facilities
Religion
University of Southern California - Research on Pentecostal Christianity
Small Business
NSF Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I Solicitation FY-2010 (SBIR)
Various Research Opportunities - Education, Medical, Community, Culture and Arts, Women and Minorities
Milken Family Foundation
Schering-Plough Foundation
Of Interest
Florida Gets a Waiver on Education Stimulus Funds
Rip Current Symposium 2010
NSF's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 - Terms and Conditions
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Jobs Opportunities for Post Docs

Important Notice
Attention Researchers: IRBNet begins June 1, 2009

On Monday, June 1, FAU's Division of Research will implement one of the industry's leading Institutional Review Board (the entity that reviews and approves all research using human subjects) software programs, IRBNet. This state-of-the-art program provides electronic protocol management, on-line submissions and many other important features that will benefit FAU's research community. The Division recognizes and appreciates the need to reduce manual and paper-based procedures, and to streamline protocol submission and the review processes throughout the research protocol lifecycle. The Division has carefully selected IRBNet because of its many features and capabilities, including ease of use. In addition to being an intuitive system, IRBNet's secure web-based solution is accessible anytime, anywhere.

IMPORTANT: As of June 1, all research studies being submitted to FAU's IRB must be submitted electronically through IRBNet. Therefore, new protocols, continuations, modifications and other similar documentation will not be accepted on paper or via email after June 1, 2009. For full information on getting started on IRBNet and IRBNet information resources, please see the posting on the MyFAU homepage.

IRBNet Training Workshops:

If you are planning a project that will require an IRB application within a few months, you should plan to attend one of the training workshops being presented by the Research Integrity Office. This one-hour workshop will provide a comprehensive overview and introduction to IRBNet. The workshop schedule is included below and you can also register/RSVP online by visiting: http://www.fau.edu/research/rcs/IRBNet.php.

The workshops will all take place in the Administration Building, room 246, in Boca Raton from noon to 1 p.m. Videoconferencing for remote campuses is available upon request. Workshops will be conducted on Monday, May 18; Wednesday, May 20; Friday, May 22; Tuesday, May 26; and Thursday, May 28.

Please contact any member of the Research Integrity Office for additional information or assistance: Tina Horton, 7-2509, thorton@fau.edu; Angela Clear, 7-1348, aclear@fau.edu; or Elisa Gaucher, 7-2318, egaucher@fau.edu.

Antarctic Research

National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, Div. of Antarctic Sciences - Antarctic Research
Scientific research (aeronomy & astrophysics, organisms and ecosystems, earth sciences, ocean & atmospheric sciences, glaciology, integrated system science) and operational support of that research are the principal activities supported by the U.S. Government in Antarctica. The goals are to expand fundamental knowledge of the region, to foster research on global and regional problems of current scientific importance, and to use Antarctica as a platform from which to support research. The U.S. Antarctic Program provides support for field work only when a compelling justification exists for doing the work in Antarctica (i.e., the work can only be done, or is best done, in Antarctica). The program (NSF 09-536) also supports Antarctic-related analytical research performed at home organizations. Deadline: Jun. 8, 2009. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09536/nsf09536.htm.

Breast Cancer Research

Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Breast Cancer Research
Susan G. Komen for the Cure's 2009-10 Research Programs and portfolio of Requests for Applications continues the organization's strategic focus on reducing breast cancer incidence and/or mortality. This year, Komen has completed its transition to a schedule in which recurring research RFAs will be announced each April and May, and training RFAs will be announced each September. Announcements about additional special topic RFAs may be made at other times during the year. Applications are now invited for the following research RFAs:

Investigator Initiated Research Grants will provide up to $600,000 over three years to support research exploring new ideas and novel approaches leading to reductions in breast cancer incidence and/or mortality within the decade.

Career Catalyst Research and Career Catalyst in Disparities Research Grants will provide up to $450,000 over three years to support combined programs of research and mentoring that will further research independence for scientists in the early stages of their career. Applicants must have a doctoral degree or equivalent, must currently hold a faculty appointment, and must not have held any faculty appointment (including non-tenure and tenure track appointments combined) for a total of more than six years.

Research this funding year must be in one of the following focus areas: breast cancer biology; genetics; molecular/genetic epidemiology; prevention; detection; risk assessment; biomarkers of risk, disease burden, and/or treatment response or resistance; novel therapeutics; lifestyle interventions with the potential to affect disease outcomes (e.g., incidence and/or mortality); and novel approaches that enhance understanding of the breast cancer disease process. Deadlines: Pre-application: June 1, 2009; Proposal: July 31, 2009. Go to: http://ww5.komen.org/researchgrants/grantprograms.html

September, 2009 – Announcement of Training RFAs:

Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDF) – up to $180,000 over 3 years to expand the skills and expertise of breast cancer researchers and position trainees for independent careers in breast cancer research.

Post Baccalaureate Training in Disparities Research (PBTDR) – up to $135,000 per student over 3 years to support training for students very early in their career to allow them to begin to define meaningful career paths focused on disparities in breast cancer.

Combating Terrorism

Department of Defense - Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office
Department of Defense (DoD) initiated a research and development (R&D) program to develop a science base and associated technologies for human, social, and cultural behavior modeling. The overarching goal of the Human, Social, Cultural, and Behavior Modeling (HSCB) Program is to provide DoD and the U.S. Government with the ability to understand and effectively operate in human/social/cultural terrains inherent to non-conventional warfare missions. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is soliciting concepts for innovative research and development projects in the following mission area: Human Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Modeling (HSC). The BAA process constitutes a solicitation of concepts from those offerors capable of satisfying the Government's needs. The Government encourages nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, government laboratories, and HBCU/MIs, foreign contractors, as well as large businesses, to submit research concepts for consideration. The BAA selection process will be conducted in two phases fully described in the BAA Package. The BAA Package describes the full process for the concept submission and evaluation as well as specific requirements. Direct any questions regarding this BAA to 09-Q-4590@tswg.gov. For any difficulties associated with downloading the BAA, contact the CTTSO office at bidshelp@tswg.gov. Attachment: BAA# 09-Q-4590_BAA_Pkg.pdf (332 Kbytes) Deadline: June 11, 2009. Go to: https://www.bids.tswg.gov/tswg/bids.nsf/DownloadBAAs?OpenView

Education

Motorola Foundation - Innovation Generation Grant
Innovation Generation Grants of up to $75,000 are available for Pre-K through 12 education programs that focus on innovative approaches to develop students' interest in sciences, technology, engineering or mathematics. If you are a non-profit organization and want to explore a partnership with the Motorola Foundation, please first take the Motorola Foundation Grant Eligibility Quiz. If successful, you will receive a password that is assigned only to your organization and will allow you access to our online application. Go to: http://www.motorola.com/content.jsp?globalObjectId=8152. The next deadline will be in February 2010. Go to: http://www.motorola.com/content.jsp?globalObjectId=8153.

Engineering - Highway Transportation

Federal Highway Administration - Advanced Research Program
The FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program is soliciting proposals through a Broad Agency Announcement on 12 topics in four focus areas: nanoscale research, concepts for integrated highway safety and systems operations, new technologies and advanced policies for energy and resource conservation systems, and macro, mega and national scale modeling systems. This program is intended to spur innovation and focus on high risk and high pay-off research and development projects. Exploratory Advanced Research falls between basic and applied research. In contrast to applied research, a specific application or product is not the goal of the work. The EAR Program plans to award around $11.6 million to proposals responding to the solicitation (DTFH61-09-R-00017). Deadlines: June 24 and Sep. 23, 2009. Go to: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/index.cfm.

Federal Highway Administration, National Institute of Technology & Standards - Technology Innovation Program: Civil Infrastructure, Manufacturing
The National Institute of Technology and Standards' (NIST) Technology Innovation Program (TIP) announced the 2009 Competition. In this competition, two critical national need areas were selected: 1. Manufacturing (nanomaterials, super alloy and smart materials, and composites), and 2. Civil Infrastructure - Round 2 (inspection, monitoring and repair/renovation technologies) of which $15 million is for Manufacturing and $10 million is for Civil Infrastructure. Please note that these total funds of $25 million are for the first-year funding only. All the TIP-funded proposals are multiyear funding projects. NIST expects to fund appropriately 25 new research and development projects this year. Go to: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/index.cfm

Global Health Solutions

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - Grand Challenges Explorations
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting grant proposals for Round 3 of Grand Challenges Explorations, a $100 million initiative to encourage unconventional global health solutions. Anyone can apply, regardless of education or experience level. Grant proposals should be on the the following topics: 1. Create low-cost diagnostics for priority global health conditions; 2. Create new ways to induce mucosal immunity; 3. Create new vaccines for diarrhea, HIV, malaria, pneumonia and tuberculosis; 4. Create new tools to accelerate the eradication of malaria. Initial grants will be $100,000 each, and projects showing promise will have the opportunity to receive an additional $1 million or more. Deadline: May 28, 2009. Go to: www.grandchallenges.org/explorations.

Humanities

National Endowment for the Humanities - Summer Stipends, 2010
The National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends Program supports individuals pursuing advanced research that is of value to scholars and general audiences in the humanities. Recipients usually produce articles, monographs, books, digital materials, archaeological site reports, translations, educational, and other scholarly tools. The Stipend supports full-time work on a humanities project for a period of two months and successful applicants receive an outright award of $6,000. The Summer Stipends Program accepts applications from researchers, teachers, and writers regardless of their institutional affiliation. Only individual applicants are eligible to apply for Summer Stipends. Applicants with college or university affiliations, however, must be nominated by their institutions. (Only non-faculty members, adjunct and part-time faculty and independent scholars may apply online without a nomination).

HOW TO APPLY THROUGH FAU

Each college and university in the United States may nominate two faculty members per campus. Each can be either a junior or a senior faculty member. NEH defines junior nominees as academic applicants at the rank of assistant professor or instructor or who are at comparably early stages of their careers. Those holding the rank of associate professor or professor will be considered senior nominees. If there are several individuals who would like to be considered as a campus nominee, the University must appoint an internal ad hoc committee to review the applications for each rank, to determine the nominee.

To be considered for nomination, submit a brief 1 page summary of your project to Camille E. Coley, JD, Executive Assistant Vice President and Director of Sponsored Programs (at ccoley@fau.edu) no later than Monday, August 24, 2009. If there are more than two applications in each ranking in any campus, Dr. Diane E. Alperin, Associate Provost, will convene a committee to select the nominees. You will be notified at the end August/beginning of September. The NEH deadline is Oct. 1, 2009. To get full details about the NEH application, go to http://www.neh.gov/guidelines/stipends.html.

Register with Grants.gov. All applicants must register with Grants.gov and create a username and password. Please note, though, that the Grants.gov registration process has recently changed.

For new applicants only: Applicants who have never registered as individual applicants at Grants.gov must go to:  and enter this Funding Opportunity Number: 20091001-FT Tip: NEH strongly recommends that you complete your registration at least one week before the application deadline. Grants.gov has provided easy step-by-step instructions (in pdf format) here: . For returning applicants only: Applicants who have registered as individuals for past competitions need not re-register with Grants.gov to submit their Summer Stipends proposals. Applicants who lose their username and password can request a reminder at https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/secured/ApplicantLogin.jsp.

Infrastructure Support for Universities

NSF Increases Major Infrastructure Support for Major Equipment and Renovation of University Science Facilities
The stimulus law has provided NSF with and additional $400 million so NSF has decided to allocate the funding equally between the two following one-time programs:

The Major Research Instrumentation Program or “MRI-R²” (NSF 09-561) as it is called is expected to use $200 million for 400 awards. The deadline for this program is August 10, 2009 and proposals can range from $100,000 to $6 million for PhD degree granting institutions. The parameters of this Major Research Instrumentation-Recovery and Reinvestment (MRI-R2) competition differ from those for the regular MRI competition. For this MRI-R2 competition only:

Eligible organizations1 may submit a maximum of three (3) proposals, independent of the number of proposals that may have been submitted under the NSF 09-502 MRI competition. However, proposals that wholly or substantially duplicate those that were accepted for review under NSF 09-502 will not be accepted for this competition. A maximum of two submissions can be for instrument acquisition. If three proposals are submitted, at least one submission must be for instrument development.

An organization may be included as a funded subawardee/subcontractor in another organization's development proposal, at a level of 20% or less of that proposal's budget, without affecting the subawardee's/subcontractor's submission limit. Inclusion as a funded subawardee/subcontractor in a development proposal at a budgetary level in excess of 20%, or in any acquisition proposal, must be counted against proposal submission limits. Proposal budgets may include requests from NSF in the range $100,000-$6 million from Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education and non-degree granting organizations; up to $6 million (there is no minimum request) from non-Ph.D. granting institutions of higher education or the disciplines of mathematical sciences or social, behavioral, and economic sciences at any eligible organization.

Cost-sharing is required in the MRI/MRI-R2 program, with non-Ph.D.-granting academic institutions of higher education exempt from the cost-share requirement. As authorized in section 7036(c)(2)(A) of the America COMPETES Act, for this MRI-R2 competition only, cost-sharing will be further waived for those institutions of higher education that are not ranked among the top 100 of those receiving Federal research and development funding (as documented by the statistical data published by the Foundation). The list of the top 100 institutions can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf09313/. [Note: FAU is not in the top 100, and thus Cost-Sharing is not required]

Each proposal for which this waiver is applicable must also include a certification from the institution's President or Provost stating that the project will 1) make a substantial improvement in the institution's capabilities to conduct leading-edge research; 2) provide research experiences for undergraduate students using leading-edge facilities; and 3) broaden the participation in science and engineering research by women, underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities. Deadline: Aug. 10, 2009. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09561/nsf09561.htm?govDel=USNSF_25

The Academic Research Infrastructure Program: Recovery and Reinvestment (ARI-R²) (NSF-09-562) will also receive $200 million in one-time funding. The purpose of this program (NSF 09-562) is to enhance the Nation's existing research facilities where sponsored and/or unsponsored research activities and research training take place to enable next-generation research infrastructure that integrates shared resources across user communities.

Consistent with NSF's mission to strengthen the U.S. science and engineering enterprise, the ARI-R² program will: Update existing research facilities at institutions of higher education (including graduate and undergraduate institutions, including community colleges) and other non-profit research organizations (e.g., independent research museums, independent research laboratories, and research consortia) in order to support research that can address the challenges of the 21st century. The funding will enable academic departments, disciplinary and cross-disciplinary units, or multi-organization consortia to renovate research facilities through the addition or augmentation of cyberinfrastructure, other than general-purpose computing systems or data storage systems, to create environments that enhance research and integrate research with education. The funds aim to improve access to and increase use of next-generation research facilities for researchers, educators and students, and, in addition, assist research organizations, including those that have historically received limited Federal research and development funds, to improve their science and engineering research environments. Deadlines: Letter of Intent: Jul. 1, 2009; Proposal: Aug. 24, 2009. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09562/nsf09562.htm?govDel=USNSF_25.

FAU’s application selection process will be coordinated by the Division of Research. Further information will be provided in an e-mail from your College. Please discuss your application with your college’s Research Council Representative and/or Dean’s Office.

Religion

Univ. of Southern California - Research on Pentecostal Christianity
The Center for Religion and Civic Culture at USC has launched the Pentecostal and Charismatic Research Initiative (PCRI) with support from the John Templeton Foundation. The initiative will provide up to a total of $3.5 million in grants to support social science research on Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the former Soviet Union. PCRI will provide up to seven grants to establish or support research networks and centers. Applicants may request up to $500,000 a year for two years. Proposals may include scholars from North America and Europe, but the core component of research staff must be located in the region of focus. PCRI will provide grant support for up to fifteen projects ($100,000 each) over two years to support scholarly research in the region of focus. Joint proposals, for example between a graduate student and his/her adviser, or between two scholars are eligible. Letter of Intent Deadline: Aug. 1, 2009. Go to: http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/pcri/

Small Business

NSF Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I Solicitation FY-2010 (SBIR)
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (NSF 09-541) stimulates technological innovation in the private sector by strengthening the role of small business concerns in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results, and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses. Project can be up to $150,000. Deadline: June 9, 2009. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09541/nsf09541.htm.

Various Research Opportunities - Education, Medical, Community, Culture and Arts, Women and Minorities

Milken Family Foundation
The Milken Family Foundation's (MFF's) purpose is to discover inventive ways of helping people help themselves and those around them to lead productive and satisfying lives. Developing human potential through education and protecting human well-being through the channels of medicine are the chief means by which the foundation pursues this aim.

In EDUCATION, the Foundation is committed to: Strengthening the profession by recognizing and rewarding outstanding educators, and by expanding their professional leadership and policy influence; Attracting, developing, motivating and retaining the best talent to the teaching profession by means of comprehensive, whole school reform; Stimulating creativity and productivity among young people and adults through programs that encourage learning as a lifelong process; Building vibrant communities by involving people of all ages in programs that contribute to the revitalization of their community and to the well-being of its residents.

In MEDICAL RESEARCH, the Foundation is committed to: Advancing and supporting basic and applied medical research–especially in the areas of prostate cancer and epilepsy–and recognizing and rewarding outstanding scientists in these areas; Supporting basic health care programs to assure the well-being of community members of all ages; Preventive programs with long-range goals receive the closest consideration. Deadlines: Requests are accepted throughout the year. Go to:

Schering-Plough Foundation
The Schering-Plough Foundation is dedicated to working with the citizens of its communities to help them realize their full potential and enhance their quality of life. The foundation targets its grants in three major areas: health, education, and community initiatives (social/civic welfare, public policy, culture and the arts, and women and minorities). Deadlines: Continuous. Go to: http://www.sch-http://www.schering-plough.com/company/foundation.aspx

Of Interest

Florida Gets a Waiver on Education Stimulus Funds
Washington, May 11, 2009 — To qualify for a portion of the nearly $54-billion in federal stimulus money meant to shore up public-school and higher-education budgets, states must provide at least as much money as they did for those areas in 2006. Florida, however, applied to the U.S. Education Department for a waiver from that requirement, called a “maintenance of effort” provision, because it had fallen short, thanks to its dismal economy and enormous budget gaps. The state had to close a $2.3-billion revenue shortfall in the previous fiscal year, and is facing a $5.8-billion hole for the next budget year.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan today approved that waiver, giving the Sunshine State access to more than $1.8-billion from the “state fiscal-stabilization fund” this year and making it eligible to apply for an additional $890-million next year, for a total of nearly $2.7-billion. In order to qualify for the exception, states have to show that they are making education cuts that are proportional to the overall budget gap. In other words, if a state has a revenue shortfall of 10 percent, it can’t cut its education budget by more than that percentage and receive a waiver. Mr. Duncan approved the waiver for Florida after determining that the state met the qualifying conditions. —Eric Kelderman

Rip Current Symposium 2010
NSF's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 - Terms and Conditions This document outlines the requirements of the ARRA award received by the National Science Foundation. To ensure transparency and accountability, the federal agencies are required to meet more than unusually stringent reporting requirements for these funds. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/arra/arratc_509.pdf?govDel=USNSF_109.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Jobs Opportunities for Post Docs
EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) is seeking applicants for its federal Post-doctoral Research Program. NHEERL has opportunities for conducting high priority research that contributes to protecting human health and the environment. There are 11 positions for the current open application period, which runs until June 30, 2009. Go to: http://cfpub.epa.gov/nheerl/index.cfm?fuseaction=postdocs.main

This Symposium, which is sponsored by FIU in partnership with Florida Sea Grant, will be held on Feb. 17-18, 2010 in Miami, FL. Rip currents exact an enormous emotional and economic toll on society. It is estimated that 100 to 150 people drown in rip currents each year in U.S. waters and it’s likely that rip currents account for more than a thousand deaths worldwide. A serious disconnect exists between rip current research and public understanding. Rip currents are often confused with rip tides and undertows, and more importantly, most people do not know how to even identify, much less escape, from a rip current. The goal of the Rip Current Symposium is to identify advancements in rip current research that will lead to a better understanding about the dynamics, mechanisms, and predictability of rip currents. In addition, the Symposium will help identify psychological, anthropological, and behavioral factors that relate to rip current drownings on surf beaches. These two objectives will be combined to develop more effective methods of reducing the number of rip current drowning deaths. In addition, the legal responsibility of avoiding rip currents involves not only beach visitors, but lifeguards and beach managers. The obligations of beach managers and visitors create a grey area in terms of legal issues and liability that require further examination. The organizers are inviting papers for the Symposium. Deadline for abstract submissions: Aug. 17, 2009. Submit abstract (please limit to 250 words) and contact information (name, affiliation, address, phone, and email) via email to Dr. Ivonne Schmid at ischmid@ishof.org.

NSF's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 - Terms and Conditions
This document outlines the requirements of the ARRA award received by the National Science Foundation. To ensure transparency and accountability, the federal agencies are required to meet more than unusually stringent reporting requirements for these funds. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/arra/arratc_509.pdf?govDel=USNSF_109.

Send comments to Camille Coley, Executive Assistant Vice President or Penny Ashwanden, Content Editor.

Prior Opportunity Alerts

May 2009