OPPORTUNITY FUNDING ALERT

Important Notice
The National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends Program
Cancer
NCI – Identifying Non-Coding RNA Target for Cancer Early Detection and Prevention
Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Promise Grant: Breast Cancer Prevention
Development of New Technolgies and Inventions
FAU Gap Program
NIH – Biomedical Research, Development, and Growth the Spur the Acceleration of New Technologies
Environmental Science
NSF- Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities
NSF – Earth Science, Petrology and Geochemistry
NSF – Ecosystem Science
Global Climate Change Education
NASA Office of Education – Global Climate Change Education
Humanities
NEH – Picturing America School Collaboration Projects Grants
Scholar Rescue Fund
Institute of International Education – Scholar Rescue Fund
Youth
William T. Grant Foundation – Early Career Scholars Program – All Disciplines
Of Interest
Community of Science “COS User Training”
NSF Division of Chemistry Realigns Program Structure
Webinair Course on Research Commercialization - Free

Important Notice

The National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends Program

Cancer

National Cancer Institute - "Identifying Non-coding RNA Targets for Cancer Early Detection and Prevention
This opportunity (PA-09-199) encourages research grant applications from institutions/ organizations on the discovery and characterization of non-coding (nc) RNAs in preneoplasias and early stage cancers to: 1) improve early cancer detection, intervention, and prevention; 2) predict risk of progression from preneoplasia to cancer, and 3) distinguish benign lesions from precancerous lesions using the NIH research project R01 grant mechanism and runs in parallel with an FOA of identical scientific scope, PA-09-200 that encourages applications under the NIH Exploratory/Developmental (R21) Grant mechanism. Deadlines: Multiple. Go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-199.html

Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Promise Grant: Breast Cancer Prevention
Promise Grant (PG) Special Focus on Prevention - Breast Cancer Prevention Promise Grants provide up to $5 million over five years to support integrated programs of collaborative and cross-disciplinary research projects. These projects should lead to the aggressive translation of scientific discoveries into interventions and strategies that have the greatest potential to significantly reduce breast cancer incidence, defined here in terms of the prevention of primary breast cancers in previously asymptomatic women or prevention of second primary breast cancers in women with a previous history of cancer. Applications seeking to prevent breast cancer recurrence would not be within the scope of this RFA. These grants seek to remove current roadblocks to development and clinical translation of effective prevention interventions. Pre-applications are due no later than July 15, 2009. Go to: http://www.komen.org/grants

Development of New Technolgies and Inventions

FAU Gap Fund Program
The FAU Gap Fund program, administered by the Division of Research's Technology Transfer office, is designed to support enhancements of inventions or other original works that have been previously disclosed to FAU. It funds projects that FAU researchers and other interested parties agree will quickly improve the odds that current research results will lead to public availability of a new product or service. Gap Fund projects should reach completion within a year or less. Funded tasks will be performed under the supervision of the proposing faculty member; but may include interested third parties within or outside the University. Strong preference will be given to projects with regular internal checkpoints, external (financial) participation, and FAU funding requirements below $15,000. Deadline: Oct. 12, 2009. Go to: http://www.fau.edu/research/ott/gap.php

NIH - Biomedical Research, Development, and Growth to Spur the Acceleration of New Technologies
The purpose of this pilot program (BRDG-SPAN) is to address the funding gap between promising research and development and transitioning to the market -- often called the “Valley of Death -- by contributing to the critical funding needed by applicants to pursue the next appropriate milestone toward ultimate commercialization; i.e., to carry out later stage research activities necessary to that end. This program aims to accelerate the transition of research innovations and technologies toward the development of products or services that will improve human health, help advance the mission of NIH, and create significant value and economic stimulus. This program also aims to foster partnerships among a variety of research and development collaborators working toward these aims. Applications are due Sep.1, 2009. Go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-09-008.html

Environmental Science

National Science Foundation, Earth Sciences, Instrumentation and Facilities
The Instrumentation and Facilities Program in the Division of Earth Sciences supports meritorious requests for infrastructure that promotes research and education in areas supported by the Division. This solicitation (NSF 09-517) will consider proposals for: 1) Acquisition up to $750,000) or Upgrade (up to $75,000) of Research Equipment that will advance laboratory and field investigations, and student research training opportunities in the Earth sciences. 2) Development of New Instrumentation, Analytical Techniques or Software that will extend current research and research training capabilities in the Earth sciences. Maximum request: $750,000; 3) Support of National or Regional Multi-User Facilities that will make complex and expensive instruments or systems of instruments broadly available to the Earth sciences research and student communities; 4) Development of Cyberinfrastructure for the Earth Sciences (Geoinformatics) that will enable transformative advances in Earth science research and education through novel application, development or adaptation of information technologies. 5) Support for Early Career Investigators to facilitate expedient operation of new research infrastructure proposed by the next generation of leaders in the Earth Sciences. This opportunity allows for submission of a proposal for Acquisition or Upgrade of Research Equipment that includes budget line items associated with support of a new full-time technician who will be dedicated to manage the instrument(s) being requested. Any request for technical support under this opportunity is limited to three years duration and a declining schedule of maximum annual funding as follows: Year 1 = $80,000, Year 2 = $60,000 and Year 3 = $40,000. Deadlines: July 8, 2009; Feb. 10, 2010. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6186&govDel=USNSF_39

National Science Foundation, Earth Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry
The Petrology and Geochemistry Program supports basic research that address the formation and evolution of our planet using petrological and geochemical characteristics of Earth materials in the crust, mantle, and core. Proposals in this program (NSF 09-543) generally address the petrology and high-temperature geochemistry of igneous and metamorphic rocks (including mantle samples), mineral physics, economic geology, and volcanology. Proposals that bridge disciplinary boundaries or that include development of analytical tools for potential use by the broad community are also encouraged. Deadline: Jul. 6, 2009. More at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13683&govDel=USNSF_39

National Science Foundation - Ecosystem Science
The Ecosystem Science Program (PD 04-7381) supports research on natural, managed and disturbed ecosystems, including terrestrial, freshwater, wetland, coastal (including salt marsh and mangrove), and human-dominated environments. Proposals may focus on areas such as: biogeochemical cycling and element budgets from local to global scales; roles of microbes in ecosystem functioning; primary productivity; stoichiometric relationships; climate-ecosystem feedbacks; energy and radioactively-active gas fluxes; relationships between diversity and ecosystem function; ecosystem services; and landscape dynamics. Deadline: Jul. 9, 2009. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12822&govDel=USNSF_39

Global Climate Change Education

NASA Office of Education - Global Climate Change Education The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Education, in cooperation with NASA's Science Mission Directorate, is accepting proposals in response to the NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN): "Global Climate Change Education: Research Experiences, Teaching & Learning". The Global Climate Change Education (GCCE) project is designed to improve the quality of global climate change and earth system science education at the elementary, secondary and undergraduate levels, and through lifelong learning. Each funded proposal is expected to take advantage of NASA's unique contributions in climate science to enhance learners' academic experiences and/or to improve educators' abilities to engage and stimulate their students. Notices of Intent are required and due by Jul. 2, 2009. Full proposals are due Aug. 3, 2009. Interested parties may also connect to a pre-proposal teleconference on Jun. 18, 1-3 pm EDT, for further information. To dial into the teleconference, call 888-673-9782. The participant passcode is GCCECAN (4223226). (See the full CAN for further details.) Go to http://nspires.nasaprs.com and click on Solicitations and then on Open Solicitations.

Humanities

National Endowment for the Humanities - Picturing America School Collaboration Projects Grants
The National Endowment for the Humanities invites proposals for local and regional projects that foster collaboration between K-12 educators and humanities scholars to encourage engagement with the rich resources of American art to tell America’s story. The Picturing America School Collaboration Projects grant opportunity is designed to help teachers and librarians whose schools display the Picturing America images form connections with courses in the core curriculum. Picturing America School Collaboration Projects can receive up to $75,000 in outright funds for projects involving one or more conferences. The grant period will be twelve months. Cost sharing is not required. Deadlines: Draft Proposals: Aug. 26, 2009; Full Proposals: Oct. 7, 2009. Go to: http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/PASCP.html

Scholar Rescue Fund

Institute of International Education - Scholar Rescue Fund
Scholar Rescue Fund fellowships support temporary academic positions at universities, colleges and other academic centers in safe locations anywhere in the world, for up to one calendar year. These visiting positions are intended to allow the scholars to continue their important work in a safe location, pending improvement in conditions to allow their safe return home. Benefits to both the scholar and the visiting institution are immeasurable. In short, by providing an open space for scholars to pursue their work, universities and other institutions of higher learning will have the opportunity to strengthen existing faculty or to expand into new areas, however each institution might wish. SRF works with each host institution to arrange a fellowship term that works best for the scholar-grantee and the institution. Scholars are invited to a department or school to conduct research, perhaps teach or co-teach a course, or participate in a guest lecture series. Fellowships can last anywhere from 3 to 12 months. Grantees are eligible to apply for a renewal award, of up to one additional year of fellowship support. The host institution plays an essential role and provides the following: Financial support equal to or greater than the fellowship award. This support generally takes the form of a stipend or other direct funding for the visiting scholar such as housing, airfare and meal programs. In-kind contributions – office space, computers, language or other training fees, etc. – are encouraged for a complete scholar support package; University visa sponsorship (generally J-1, visiting scholar visa); and Faculty mentoring and staff assistance in adjusting to the university; Assistance to find suitable housing when possible; Access to university facilities and libraries. Fellowships are awarded in the form of grants of up to US $25,000. Most awards require additional financial support from the host institutions or a third-party source. Support is generally equal or greater to the SRF award. The final amount of each award takes into consideration the funds available, needs of the scholar, costs of living, duration of the visit and the availability of matched support. Go to: http://www.scholarrescuefund.org/pages/intro.php

Youth

William T. Grant Foundation - Early Career Scholars Program - All Disciplines
The Foundation supports research by early career scholars to understand and improve the settings of youth ages 8 to 25 in the United States. The Scholars Program is designed to foster the professional development of promising early-career researchers in the social, behavioral, or health sciences, who want to improve youth settings by tackling questions important to theory and either policy or practice. Scholar awards support the pursuit of five-year research plans that will significantly expand grantees’ knowledge in different disciplines, methods, and/or content areas. Scholars also propose mentoring plans to aid in the expansion of their expertise. The Foundation organizes annual capacity-building activities to further strengthen Scholars’ professional development. Each year, four to six scholars are selected and each receives $350,000, distributed over five years. Awards are made to the applicant's institution. Deadline: Jul. 8, 2009. Go to: http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/

Of Interest

Community of Science "COS User Training"
RefWorks-COS recently launched COS User Training. These sessions are open to faculty, liaisons and other users of COS services. COS User Training is conducted via WebEx, an online meeting service that combines video, audio, and other features to deliver a very effective training experience. Here are some useful tips: Register early, and block out that time slot; Save registration and/or confirmation emails so you have the log-on and teleconference information; If possible, gather with colleagues for a group COS User Training session; Log on 15 minutes in advance of training time so that you can be set-up before the session begins; Audio streaming will begin automatically when you log into the WebEx session; In the US and Canada, you can also use the dial-in teleconference service (numbers provided in your confirmation and reminder emails). The first of the eight sessions is on Jun. 17. Go to: http://www.cos.com/usertraining/

National Science Foundation - Division of Chemistry Realigns Program Structure
The NSF Division of Chemistry (CHE) announce a realignment of its programmatic structure to better reflect the way in which modern chemical research is organized, and to reduce the propensity of proposals to "fall in the cracks" between traditional subdisciplines (organic, physical, inorganic, analytical). The new structure reflects how chemistry research (not teaching) is currently done, and uses program names that are both clear to the community of Principal Investigators and mean something to the public. The realignment has established eight new programs, which will accept proposals starting in July 2009. Four of these address broad-based fundamental chemistry plus four new, interdisciplinary programs. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/mps/che/realign/brochure.pdf.

Webinair Course on Researcher Commercialization - Free
This eleven-part course will be co-hosted by the National Institutes of Health,The National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer from June through mid-September. the course will deal with successfully commercializing any type of research activity, whether focused on engineering, physical sciences or life-sciences. The course will discuss the practical business and legal issues that researchers need to understand to commercialize their research, ranging from the traditional (i.e. emplyment and licensing) to the more entrepreneurial (consulting, joint venturing/strategic alliance and startup company). The course will show how these commercialization methods overlap and how they differ. It will deal with fundamental topics like intellectual property, licensing agreements, employment agreements and consulting agreements; then, creating and funding companies and the complexities of understanding the relationships and expectations of employees, founders, executives, board members, shareholders, investors or partners. Each lecture is a 90-min. webinar. This 11-lecture course is free, but registration is required. To register, go to http://researchercourse.ncet2backoffice.org/

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

Prior Opportunity Alerts

June 2009