Awards will be made as cooperative agreements to accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) partnered with non-profit organizations in the United States that are eligible to apply for this NASA Research Announcement (NRA). The period of performance for an award is up to 2 years. Prospective proposers are requested to submit any questions in writing to NASAMUSIC@nasaprs.com no later than 10 business days before the proposal due date so that NASA will have sufficient time to respond. Proposers to this NRA are required to have the following, no later than the due date: 1) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, 2) a valid registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) [formerly known as the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)], 3) a valid Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code, 4) a valid registration with NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) (this also applies to any entities proposed for sub-awards or subcontracts.) Consult Appendix H Section H.3.1 for more eligibility information. Consult Appendix H Section 2.2 regarding teaming requirements and partnership guidelines. The goal of NASA MUSIC is: to provide strategic effort that will leverage research and contract relationships of MSIs and NASA through relationships developed by non-profit organizations that may include collaboration of subject matter experts and access to NASA research facilities; An effort to improve STEM education and research at MSIs; A funded activity that seeks to build institutional capacity of MSIs; An activity to support long-term sustainability of STEM research at MSIs. MUSIC seeks to address the agency goals and objectives through: Increasing the institutional awareness of NASA competitive resources that can build the capacity of MSIs to offer and conduct STEM undergraduate and graduate research with a focus on NASA opportunities. Assembling MSIs and their stakeholders with common interests, and challenges then provide common tools for MSIs to increase efficiency and optimize resources including opportunities to develop formal and informal partnerships. Connecting MSI administrators and university STEM leaders to cutting-edge initiatives at NASA that can increase interest in securing research and contracting opportunities while supporting NASA’s policy to achieve an Agency-wide goal of providing one percent of total contract value of prime and subcontracting awards to MSIs. https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/1826.htm To achieve these goals, MUSIC seeks to increase university program capacity about practical uses of research to drive institution sustainability through the following targets: Advance the understanding of MSIs on how to effectively develop institutional administrative support by competing at the university level for funding opportunities, which will result in successful application to, and management of these funding opportunities (including those at NASA). Extend MSI’s capabilities by: A. Leveraging the MSIs research capabilities with NASA research to develop Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects that develop and demonstrate innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs and have significant potential for successful commercialization. B. Increasing the preparation of undergraduate and graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty with opportunities to participate with NASA researchers and missions through grants and contracts. To achieve these goals and objectives, NASA solicits proposals from MSIs to implement the NASA MUSIC; to engage MSIs in authentic STEM experiences related to NASA missions; and to inspire and captivate learners utilizing NASA’s unique assets to develop a keen interest in STEM. Every institution that intends to submit a proposal to this NRA, including the proposed prime award or any partner whether an education institution, other non-profit institutions, and other organizations that will serve as sub-awardees or contractors, must be registered in NSPIRES. Electronic submission of proposals is required by the due date and must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. All principal investigators and other participants (e.g. co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of submission system. Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) of interest to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Electronic proposals may be submitted via the NASA proposal data system NSPIRES or via Grants.gov. Organizations that intend to submit proposals via Grants.gov must be registered 1) with Grants.gov and 2) with NSPIRES. Additional programmatic information for this NRA may develop before the proposal due date. If so, such information will be added as a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or formal amendment to this NRA and posted on http://nspires.nasaprs.com. It is the proposer’s responsibility to regularly check NSPIRES for updates to this NRA.

This Cooperative Agreement Notice is a multi-year award thataims to contribute to NASA’s mission, Office of STEM Education priorities,Co-STEM goals, Mission Directorate collaborations, and state based needs. The multi-year award will be available to allSpace Grant Consortia who will work with the Office of STEM Engagement tofulfill these objectives. Through thecombined efforts of the Space Grant Consortia, this program will 1) enablecontributions to NASA’s work, 2) build a diverse, skilled future workforce, and3) strengthen understanding of STEM through powerful connections to NASA. The program will focus on providingopportunities for students to engage with NASA’s aeronautics, space, andscience people, content, and facilities in support of a diverse future NASA andaerospace industry workforce, as well as, providingopportunities for students to contribute to NASA’s aeronautics, space, andscience missions and work in exploration and discovery through MissionDirectorate collaborations. Everyinstitution that intends to submit a proposal to this NRA, including theproposed prime award or any partner whether an education institution, and otherorganizations that will serve as sub-awardees or contractors, must be registered in NSPIRES. Electronicsubmission of proposals is required by the due date and must be submitted byan authorized official of the proposing organization. Such registrationmust identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submitthe electronic proposal. All principal investigators and other participants(e.g. co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of submissionsystem. Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to accessthe system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) of interest tofamiliarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information.Electronic proposals may be submitted via the NASA proposal data systemNSPIRES. Additional programmatic information for this NRAmay develop before the proposal due date. If so, such information will be addedas a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or formal amendment to this NRA and postedon http://nspires.nasaprs.com. It is the proposer’s responsibility to regularly check NSPIRESfor updates to this NRA. P oint of Contact Name: Erica J. Alston Title: Deputy Space GrantProgram Manager Phone: 757-864-7247 E-mail: SGCFP@nasaprs.com

A. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVESThis Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to award multiple cooperative agreements to accredited United States (U.S.) two- and four-year colleges and universities (Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)) to receive and administer scholarship and fellowship funding—provided through the Integrated University Program (IUP) and as administered by the Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE)—on behalf of selected students attending these U.S. IHEs. The selection of students to receive scholarships and fellowships through the program will occur via a separate DOE-NE process.A.1 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESIUP works to attract qualified nuclear science and engineering students (NS&E) to nuclear energy professions by providing undergraduate level scholarships and graduate level fellowships. The scholarships and fellowships are focused on two-, four-year, and graduate programs in science and engineering disciplines related to nuclear energy such as Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Health Physics, Nuclear Materials Science, Radiochemistry, Applied Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Policy, Radiation Protection Technology, Nuclear Power Technology, Nuclear Maintenance Technology, and Nuclear Engineering Technology at U.S. IHEs.DOE-NE’s mission is to encourage development and exploration of advanced nuclear science and technology. DOE-NE promotes nuclear energy as a resource capable of meeting the nation’s energy, environmental, and national security needs by resolving scientific, technical, and regulatory challenges through research, development, and demonstration.IUP supports DOE-NE’s Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), which enables outstanding, cutting-edge, and innovative research at U.S. IHEs through the following:• Integrating research and development (R&D) at U.S. IHEs, national laboratories, and industry to revitalize nuclear education and support NE’sPrograms• Attracting the brightest students to the nuclear professions and supporting the nation’s intellectual capital in science and engineering disciplines• Improving U.S. IHE’s infrastructure for conducting R&D and educating students• Facilitating knowledge transfer to the next generation ofworkersEducating undergraduate and graduate students in NS&E will:• Support the ongoing need for personnel who can develop and maintain the nation’s nuclear power technology• Enhance the R&D capabilities of U.S. IHEs• Fulfill national demand for highly trained scientists and engineers to work in NS&E areas

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the University Nuclear Leadership Program (formerly the Integrated University Program), Scholarship and Fellowship Education Grant, Faculty Development Grant, and Trade School and Community College Scholarship Grant, Fiscal Year (FY) 2021

The Library of Congress will expand the connections between the Library and diverse communities and strengthen the use of Library of Congress digital collections and digital tools. The Library of Congress seeks to award a grant to support the creative and wide-ranging use of Library collections and the connective powers of technology to serve Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander or other racial and ethnic minority populations within the United States in sharing stories about America’s past, present, and future. Projects funded through this program will use items from across the Library’s digital collections, and may describe, display, and re-mix them, in keeping with copyright and other laws, in whatever ways are most valuable to their own context. For this grant, technology can be used in simple or in complex ways, and successful applicants may develop new technologies or make use of existing platforms, tools, or approaches, such as social media platforms, or multimedia productions. The important factor in a successful project is the connections it enables in communities, and the impact of the project on its creators, users, and audience. See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for further information

MUREP Precollege Summer Institute (PSI) will increase participation and retention of historically underserved and underrepresented high school students in STEM areas and equip them for success in college STEM degree programs and eventually in STEM careers. Proposers shall be innovative in the design of their experiences and shall use evidence-based effective strategies for developing high school students’ STEM identities, skills, and knowledge. Successful proposals shall identify and form partnerships or collaborations with NASA Centers and facilities, local STEM industries, agencies, or other organizations to provide opportunities for high school students to engage with STEM professionals.

The Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (the Act), Section 23 (42 U.S.C. 1793), as amended by Section 105 of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-296), authorizes funds to provide grants on a competitive basis to State agencies. Eight million dollars has been appropriated for State agencies to expand the School Breakfast Program (SBP). The purpose of the SBP expansion grants is to provide sub-grants, to local educational agencies (LEAs), not to exceed $10,000 per year for each school or group of qualifying schools, to establish, maintain, or expand the SBP. As defined in Section 4(d)(1) of the Act, the term “qualifying school” means a school in severe need. These include only schools (having an SBP or desiring to initiate a SBP) in which 40 percent or more of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) lunches served to students at the school were served free or at a reduced price.

The Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (the Act), Section 23 (42 U.S.C. 1793), as amended by Section 105 of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-296), authorizes funds to provide grants on a competitive basis to State agencies and U.S. Territories. Three million dollars has been appropriated for the U.S. Territories (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) to expand the School Breakfast Program (SBP) or any other school breakfast provided to students by the school or U.S. Territory. The purpose of the SBP expansion grants is to provide grants, not to exceed $10,000 per school year, to qualifying schools to establish, maintain, or expand the SBP or other school breakfast program provided by the school or U.S. Territory. As defined in Section 4(d)(1) of the Act, the term “qualifying school” means a school in severe need. These include only schools (having a breakfast program or desiring to initiate a breakfast program) in which 40 percent or more of the lunches served to students at the school were served free or at a reduced-price during school year 2019-2020.

The Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants (TCEG) program is designed to help build Tribal education capacity in the food and agricultural sciences for Native Alaskan/American Indian students. This request for applications (RFA) will begin a new four-year continuation funding cycle. The six legislatively mandated priorities are: · Culturally relevant curricula design and materials development · Culturally responsive faculty development and teacher preparation · Student experiential learning · Equipment and instrumentation for teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math · Student recruitment and retention · Instruction delivery systems and strategic partnerships The TCEG program focuses on development of culturally responsive students and faculty who use students’ backgrounds and identities to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment. Preparing students for roles in Tribal leadership, traditional knowledge, and other qualities of one’s culture that are necessary to prepare students for agricultural and related careers in the private sector, for work with Tribal and non-Tribal government, and in academia. TCEG teaching applications must demonstrably incorporate a Tribal leadership development component to equip students with technical and leadership abilities upon graduation.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA announces the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) funding program to improve the quality and quantity of comprehensive community-based programs for at-risk children, youth, and families supported by the Cooperative Extension System. The CYFAR program mission is to marshal resources of the Land-Grant and Cooperative Extension Systems to develop and deliver educational programs that equip limited resource families and youth who are at-risk for not meeting basic human needs with the skills they need to lead positive, productive, contributing lives.

The National Sea Grant College Program was enacted by U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020, Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual capacity of the nation’s universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate opportunities in coastal communities. Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates approximately $5,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will significantly advance marine finfish juvenile production technologies for aquaculture. The overall goal is to develop and refine reproduction/broodstock, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies enabling the reliable production of sufficient quantities of juvenile marine finfish to supply on-growing operations. Successful proposals will address topical needs (described below) and integrate research and extension. Proposals are sought that will support broad, non-proprietary research to address critical gaps with respect to marine finfish juvenile production technologies; make that information available to U.S. aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and preferably industry stakeholders. These investments are consistent with Sea Grant’s focus area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and the Sea Grant Network’s 10-year Aquaculture Vision, both which support NOAA and Department of Commerce aquaculture goals. Proposals must include funding (Federal or match) for Sea Grant extension personnel as collaborators. Industry stakeholder participation/involvement in projects is strongly encouraged. This opportunity is open only to: Sea Grant programs (Sea Grant Colleges, Institutions, or Coherent Area Programs). A Sea Grant program may submit or participate in more than one proposal. Please note that it is not a requirement that investigators, including the PI, are part of a Sea Grant program, however proposals must be submitted with and through a Sea Grant program. Contact information for each program can be found at https://seagrant.noaa.gov/About. All 34 Sea Grant programs are eligible to serve as partners and to submit applications. If you need further assistance in identifying a program to partner with please contact the National Sea Grant Office via email at oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov. This document sets out requirements for submitting to NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007054. Additional guidance and tips on how best to prepare an application are provided in the Sea Grant General Application Guide available at (https://seagrant.noaa.gov/Portals/1/Guidance/SeaGrantGeneralApplication…)

The CCDC ARL invites applications/proposals from covered educational institutions for research and education programs that will meet the following objectives:a. Enhance research and engineering capabilities in areas important to national defense;b. Increase the number of graduates in STEM disciplines; andc. Encourage research and education collaborations with other institutions of higher education and with defense organizations.Support for research, development, testing, evaluation, or educational enhancements will be through the competitive awarding of grants or cooperative agreements.

Request for Information Request for Information: R&ENDEPSTEMFY22RFI Agency/Office: Washington Headquarters Services/Acquisition Directorate (WHS/AD) on behalf of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Research & Engineering) Title: National Defense Education Program (NDEP) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Consortia Request for Information (RFI) for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Research & Engineering) Disclaimer: The Department of Defense (DoD) may use responses to this request for information (RFI) to inform future solicitation / funding opportunity announcement. The purpose of this RFI is to survey industry (to include non-profits, academia, large, and small businesses (e.g., 8(a), service-disabled Veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, Veteran-owned small business, and woman-owned small business)) for relevant information. Hence, submitted responses should not be worded as proposals. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submissions of the RFI being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses. Background/Overview: This RFI consists of two focuses, which are outlined below: (1) Transitioning students from 2-year Community College science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs to a STEM degree at a 4-year institution through a consortium based approach (2) Preparing an agile and diverse workforce through technical training and certificate programs and supporting these programs through collaborative partnerships and consortia The Department of Defense (DoD) STEM mission is to inspire, cultivate, and develop exceptional STEM talent through a continuum of opportunities to enrich the current and future DoD workforce poised to tackle evolving defense technological challenges. Towards this end, DoD invests in the future and current STEM talent pools by fostering pathways that connect to a continuum of enriching DoD programs to meet the unique mission needs of the Department. In accordance with 10 USC §2192, Improvement of education in technical fields: general authority regarding education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, NDEP through WHS/AD, is conducting market research to investigate effective approaches at creating STEM education focused consortia or communities of practice at Community Colleges and 2-year colleges. The Federal STEM Strategy states, “The future, more diverse, pool of work-ready, STEM-literate Americans will come through many pathways[1]. About half of students who pursue higher education are likely to start at a community college”[2]. DoD is the largest employer of scientists and engineers in the United States. Therefore, the Department must maintain a robust pipeline of STEM talent by investing in postsecondary STEM activities, specifically in 2-year colleges, to ensure the DoD has enduring access to the best and brightest talent in the near-, mid-, and long-term. This RFI explicitly encourages input from or regarding projects that involve consortia or communities of practices between 2-year institutions, Community Colleges, and relevant partners; improve the capacity of community colleges to create impactful STEM educational experiences for students and teachers; promote the transition from 2 to 4-year degrees; and prepare an agile and diverse 21st century technical workforce. Response(s) to the question(s) below should focus on effective models with specific efforts in at least one of the following: · Reaching and attracting Veterans, their dependents, and military connected students to STEM opportunities[3],[4] · Providing meaningful STEM experiences for students and faculty especially those from underserved populations[5] · Fostering/leveraging partnerships and ecosystems to amplify reach and impact of STEM activity through multi-institution consortia[6] · Promoting transition from 2-year colleges to 4-year degrees in STEM fields · Technical training and certifications through 2-year degree programs, especially in AI, cyber, and advanced manufacturing Questions to address: Respondents can answer any of the questions #1 - #8, but are not required to respond to all questions #1 - #8. 1. What are the biggest needs and challenges that Community Colleges face in regards to STEM education? How could those needs and challenges best be addressed? 2. What educational programs can be developed and implemented at Community Colleges to support DoD science and technology priority areas (https://www.cto.mil/modernization-priorities/)? 3. What are effective ways in preparing 2-year STEM students to transition into 4-year STEM degrees or the STEM workforce? 4. What are effective ways to promote technical training and STEM certificate programs? 5. What partners do Community Colleges and 2-year institutions need to successfully promote certificate programs and/or transitioning students to 4-year institutions? What benefits would come from each type of partner? 6. Whether you are currently part of a consortium-based model or would be interested in participating in one, describe the benefits and drawbacks of such a partnership. What type of consortium structure maximized the creation of effective and lasting relationships between institutions in regards to promoting STEM education? What would the role of the management entity look like, and what partners would be involved? 7. If you are currently part of a local or regional ecosystem[7], either formally or informally, describe the structure and support that the ecosystem provides. Please describe the benefits and drawbacks that you encounter. What efforts support STEM participation by creating accessible, inclusive STEM learning opportunities and promoting STEM careers? 8. What are effective ways in assessing program impact relative to topics mentioned above? Requirement: All qualified, experienced, and capable sources are welcome to respond to this RFI. Large-scale and small-scale examples of programs are of equal interest. Your capabilities should cover any and all areas of focus delineated above. There is no target of years in relevant experience if a program has evidence-based effectiveness and proven results. In addition, please provide the following Point of Contact information for all responses: Company: Address: Point of Contact: Phone Number: Email Address: Business Size and Classification: [example, Large Business, Small Business, 8(a), Woman-Owned/Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), Veteran-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned)] Security Clearance: No security clearance is required for this requirement NAICS recommendations: • 541713 Research and Development in Nanotechnology • 541714 Research and Development in Biotechnology • 541715 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences; • 541720 Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities; • 611310 Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools; • 611430 Professional and Management Development Training; • 611519 Other Technical and Trade Schools; • 611691 Exam Preparation and Tutoring; • 611710 Educational Support Services; • 712110 Museums; • 813211 Grantmaking Foundations • 923110 Administration of Education Programs; Submission Requirements: All responses to the RFI should be submitted via e-mail to osd.dodstem@mail.mil following the Schedule of Events below. The government is contemplating holding an informational workshop/webinar after the close of the RFI. If you would like to participate, RSVP to the email address provided and state I, II, and/or III from the areas of interest on page 1. Please no phone calls. Schedule of Events Event: Questions Regarding RFI Date: 23 August, 2021 Time: 17:00 EST Event: FAQ Posting Date: 27 August, 2021 Event: RFI Responses Due Date: 10 September, 2021 Time: 17:00 EST There is a maximum page limitation of six (6) pages: four (4) pages for the responses to questions two (2) pages for the capability statement All responses must be typed, single spaced using 12 point, Times New Roman, font, within an 8.5 by 11-inch page size, in Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf) or Microsoft Word files. No hard copy or facsimile submissions will be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered. All submissions shall be at the UNCLASSIFIED level and shall clearly mark proprietary information. All submissions shall include contact information for the individual and/or organization (as appropriate) making the submission. At the discretion of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Research & Engineering), responders may be contacted for further clarification or additional information; if you do not wish to be contacted please indicate so in your response. [1] Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4-Year STEM Degrees: Systematic Change to Support Students’ Diverse Pathways (2016). https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year… [2] Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education (2018). https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/STEM-Ed… [3] FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 211, 10 USC §2192b Program on enhancement of preparation of dependents of members of armed forces for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [4] S. 153 – Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act [5] DoD STEM defines Underserved populations as students that are dependents of members of the military, national guard and reserves or military connected; students who are eligible to receive Free and Reduced-price Meals—FARMS; Students belonging to racial and ethnic minorities that are historically underrepresented in STEM (i.e., Alaska Natives, Native Americans, Blacks or African Americans, Latinx/Hispanics, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders); Students with disabilities; Students who are English language learners (ELLs); First‐generation college bound students:; Students in rural, frontier, or other Federal targeted outreach schools; and Females in certain STEM fields where they remain underrepresented (Gender) (e.g., physical science, computer science, mathematics, or engineering) [6] FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 217, 10 USC §2358 Mechanisms for Expedited Access to Technical Talent and Expertise at Academic Institutions to Support Department of Defense Missions [7] STEM Ecosystem: STEM education ecosystems consist of multi-sector partners united by a collective vision of supporting participation in STEM through the creation of accessible, inclusive STEM learning opportunities that promote STEM literacy and expose learners to a variety of career paths and facilitate critical transitions from Pre-K through career. A STEM education ecosystem continuously evaluates its activities and adapts as needed to improve outcomes for learners, plans for the long-term, and invests in communicating its work to build broad support and advance best-practices.

The Department of Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program aims to increase the quantity and quality of minority professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the defense community. Research conducted at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) for the DoN HBCU/MI Program:• Enhances the research and educational capabilities of HBCU/MIs in scientific and engineering disciplines critical to the defense mission of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps• Encourages cross-institutional, collaborative efforts that explore innovative solutions to naval science and technology (S&T) challenges, and• Increases the engagement of students, including underrepresented minorities, in STEM fields important to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.This FOA is executed under policy and guidance of the DoN HBCU/MI Program and is administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Competitive white papers and full invited proposals submitted to this FOA must clearly and succinctly describe efforts that advance basic naval-relevant S&T, engage faculty and students in STEM discovery, and expand the research capacity of participant institutions.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District (NWP) intends to enter into a cooperative agreement with a non-Federal public entity or non-profit entity to accomplish the following: 1) provide training and educational opportunities for college students who are studying archaeology and cultural resources management, and 2) continue cultural resources stewardship through identifying, evaluating, and studying cultural resources managed by the Willamette Valley Project or issues relevant to the cultural resources program, which is part of the Environmental Stewardship Program. The recipient’s participants will benefit from gaining experience and expertise in academic and applied aspects of archaeology and cultural resources management, which will increase their ability to be academically and professionally competitive. The fields of archaeology and cultural resources management will benefit from the production of new professionals who have targeted and useful training. The cooperative agreement will be awarded pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 2339. The preferred partner for this cooperative agreement must be a non-Federal public entity or non-profit entity that has access to college student populations who live within commuting distance of the Willamette Valley Project. The entity must be able to provide educational and training opportunities in classroom, laboratory, museum, job-shadowing, and/or field settings that are tailored to the level of education of each of the student participants. These opportunities will be within commuting distance of the Willamette Valley Project. The recipient must have knowledge of and experience with academic and applied aspects of archaeology and cultural resources management and be able to undertake and complete projects of varying scope and complexity related to these fields. The recipient must have experience working with college student populations and supporting students through education and training efforts in the fields of archaeology and cultural resources management.

The Department of Defense seeks innovative applications to cooperatively partner with eligible entities in the implementation and execution of its Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Program. The Department intends to award ONE (1) cooperative agreement award, with a maximum award of up to $450M over a five-year period of performance.SMART is a highly competitive STEM-focused scholarship-for-service program, empowered to make full-tuition awards during any phase of a scholar’s education in a regionally accredited U.S. university or college. The program sponsors undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral study in 21 academic disciplines that the Department has identified as critical to national security and DoD’s future. Established by Congress in 2006, the program has awarded more than 3,700 scholarships, and aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at Department of Defense (DoD) laboratories and facilities.“We are very proud of all the 416 recipients of this prestigious scholarship,” said Mr. Louie Lopez, DoD STEM Director. “I look to forward to seeing these next generation of STEM leaders’ contributions to the Department and the Nation.”The DOD develops STEM talent through its K-20 STEM education and talent development efforts called DoD STEM. DoD STEM aims to inspire, cultivate, and develop talent to address the Nation’s technological challenges, now and into the future.The largest program under DoD STEM is the National Defense Education Program (NDEP). It fosters and enhances the DoD’s ability to develop and access high-quality STEM talent vital to national defense.NDEP activities support the DoD STEM effort in providing authentic learning experiences through a variety of education and outreach initiatives in the form of scholarships, internships, enrichment activities, competitions, and mentorships by leveraging partners from industry, academia, and other government organizations with a shared STEM mission. One of the main NDEP efforts in addressing talent development and recruitment is through the SMART Program.SMART is empowered to make full-tuition awards during any phase of a scholar’s education in a regionally accredited U.S. university or college. The program sponsors undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral study in 21 academic disciplines critical to national security and DoD’s future. Upon graduation, students move directly into employment at DoD facilities. Awards can be made during any phase of a scholar’s education and vary in length from a minimum of one to a maximum of five years. The service commitment is one year of DoD employment for each academic year of SMART funding.The funding announcement will be available in early January 2022 on Grants.gov (www.grants.gov), SAM.GOV (https://sam.gov/) and the U.S. Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory website.The SMART Program will also hold a virtual Opportunity Day on 09 February 2022 from 1300 to 1600 Eastern Standard Time (EST). To register, email osd.smart@mail.mil. More details will be provided prior to the event. To learn more about the SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program and the participating DoD sponsoring facilities, visit www.smartscholarship.org.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District (NWP) intends to enter into a cooperative agreement with a non-Federal public agency, nonprofit entity, qualified youth service, or conservation corps organization for land stewardship and restoration services on USACE land in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. This cooperative agreement will assist NWP in fulfilling environmental stewardship responsibilities consisting of restoration and management of native prairie landscapes and wildlife habitat primarily at Fern Ridge Lake while providing education and training to at-risk youth from the nearby community. The recipient’s participating students (participants) will gain experience with project planning, development, and implementation. Projects will mainly focus on land stewardship, prairie and habitat restoration, and nursery and greenhouse maintenance. The cooperative agreement will be awarded pursuant to 33 U.S.C. § 2339 Conservation and Recreation Management. The recipient for this cooperative agreement must be a non-Federal public agency, nonprofit entity, or qualified youth service or conservation corps organization that serves at-risk youth in local communities near Fern Ridge and has experience in land stewardship and restoration using small crews supervised by experienced crew leaders so ecological concepts can be accurately conveyed to crew and leaders.

The Race to the Top is a $4.35 billion competitive grant program designed to encourage and reward States that are creating the conditions for education innovation and reform and implementing ambitious plans in four core education reform areas:• Adopting internationally-benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace; • Recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and principals; • Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices; and • Turning around lowest-performing schoolsThe overarching goals are to:• Drive substantial gains in student achievement• Improve high school graduation rates and prepare students for success in college and careers• Close achievement gapsThe Department plans to make Race to the Top grants in two phases. States that are ready to apply may do so in Phase 1, which will open in late 2009. States that need more time may apply in Phase 2, which will open in spring 2010. States that apply in Phase 1 but are not awarded grants may reapply for funding in Phase 2, together with States that are applying for the first time in Phase 2. Phase 1 grantees may not apply for additional funding in Phase 2. We will announce specific deadlines for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 in subsequent notice(s) inviting applications for funds under this program.

Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information. For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768),or at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. On March 11, 2021, the President signed into law the ARP (Pub. L. 117-2). This new law makes available approximately $39.6 billion for institutions of higher education under the HEERF grant program, with funding appropriated through existing programs previously authorized under the CRRSAA (Pub. L. 116-260). With this notice, the Secretary is announcing that proprietary institutions of higher education, as defined in section 102(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1002(b) (HEA), that did not previously receive funding under section 314(a)(4) of CRRSAA may apply for HEERF III grant funds under the ARP (a)(4) program, Proprietary Institution Grant Funds for Students ALN 84.425Q. The estimated available funds for this program is approximately $396 million. Allocations for eligible proprietary institutions of higher education will be calculated on the basis of the formula specified under section 314(a)(1)(A)-(F) of CRRSAA, with the total amount of funding allocated to the (a)(4) funding stream determined under ARP section 2003(4). Under CRRSAA section 314(d)(7), which continues to apply to ARP (a)(4) funds, awards from the Proprietary Institution Grant Funds for Students program may only be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to students (including students exclusively enrolled in distance education), which may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care), or childcare. In making such emergency financial aid grants to students, grantees must prioritize grants to students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants. Please note that drawing down any amount of these supplemental funds constitutes an institution’s acceptance of the terms and conditions under the ARP and Supplemental Agreement, which are included as appendices to this notice for reference. Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.425Q.

Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information. For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768),or at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. Purpose of Program: In awarding these grants, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) intends to provide national leadership in expanding knowledge and understanding of (1) developmental and school readiness outcomes for infants and toddlers with or at risk for a disability, (2) education outcomes for all learners from early childhood education through postsecondary and adult education, and (3) employment and wage outcomes when relevant (such as for those engaged in career and technical, postsecondary, or adult education). The IES research grant programs are designed to provide interested individuals and the general public with reliable and valid information about education practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to education opportunities for all learners. These interested individuals include parents, educators, learners, researchers, and policymakers. In carrying out its grant programs, IES provides support for programs of research in areas of demonstrated national need. Competitions in This Notice: IES is announcing seven research competitions through two of its centers: The IES National Center for Education Research (NCER) is announcing five competitions--one competition in each of the following areas: education research; education research training; systematic replication in education; statistical and research methodology in education; and using longitudinal data to support State education recovery policymaking. The IES National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) is announcing two competitions for research to accelerate pandemic recovery in special education. NCER Competitions The Education Research Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics: • Career and Technical Education. • Civics Education and Social Studies. • Cognition and Student Learning. • Early Learning Programs and Policies. • Effective Instruction. • English Learners. • Improving Education Systems. • Postsecondary and Adult Education. • Literacy. • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. • Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning. • Note: While NCER is not now establishing a separate, stand-alone topic area within the Education Research Grants competition inviting research related to COVID-19 as authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), we invite applications to the standing topics listed above designed to accomplish this purpose. If you intend to submit a project in one of the topic areas identified above that is specifically intended to address COVID-19 learning loss, we ask that you express or state this intention clearly in your proposal and on item 4(b) of the SF424 Federal Application Assistance Form. The Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics: • Early Career Mentoring Program for Faculty at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).[1] • Postdoctoral Research Training Program in the Education Sciences. • Methods Training for Education Researchers. Research Grants Focused on Systematic Replication. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address identifying what works for whom and under what conditions in education through systematic replication. Statistical and Research Methodology in Education. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics: • Regular Grants to support the development of new and improved methods, toolkits, guidelines, and syntheses. • Early Career Grants to support the development of new and improved methods by early career researchers with the support of a mentor or advisory panel. Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Recovery Policymaking. Under this competition, NCER will only consider applications that address State agencies’ use of their State’s education longitudinal data systems as they and local education agencies reengage their students after the disruptions caused by COVID-19. NCSER Competitions Research to Accelerate Pandemic Recovery in Special Education. Under these competitions, NCSER will consider only applications that directly address a pandemic-related problem, issue, program, policy, or practice that is important to a State or local education agency, has the potential to improve outcomes significantly and rapidly for students with or at risk for disabilities, and will provide actionable and timely results to districts and schools. NCSER will hold two competitions. NCSER will not hold any additional competitions in FY22. If funding is available in FY 2022, the Director intends to use the grant slate developed in FY 2021 for the Special Education Research Grants program to make new awards to high-quality applications that remain on this slate. Exemption from Proposed Rulemaking: Under section 191 of the Education Sciences Reform Act, 20 U.S.C. 9581, IES is not subject to section 437(d) of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d), and is therefore not required to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on priorities, selection criteria, definitions, and requirements. Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.305A. [1] To qualify as an MSI for the purpose of the Early Career Mentoring Program, the institution must already have been certified as an MSI and must be on one or more of the following lists: · Institutions on the Office of Postsecondary Education’s FY21 or FY20 lists of Title III and Title V eligible institutions will be considered MSIs. · HBCUs listed on the Department’s FY21 or FY20 lists of Title III and Title V eligible institutions as meeting the criteria of 34 CFR 608.2 will be considered MSIs.