September 2023 Federal Grant Opportunities via Mazie Hirono

September 2023 Federal Grant Opportunities

Aloha,

As our communities continue to deal with the devastation caused by fires on Maui and Hawaii Island, we see every day how a coordinated federal state local effort is critical to meet the needs we are facing. I am working with all of our partners to get support to all who have been affected.  It is clear that additional federal support will be required in the months and years ahead.

The September 2023 Grants Newsletter contains updated disaster assistance information in addition to my office’s regular notifications for governments, schools, non-profit organizations, and businesses interested in pursuing opportunities for federal grant and cooperative agreement funding. This newsletter includes information on grant opportunities published in www.grants.gov, the Federal government’s central website for grant funding, and a review of the recent Federal Government response to the fires last month. To access my grants e-newsletter click on the September 2023 Federal Grant Opportunities title above.

Section 1 of the newsletter contains details about the Federal Response to President Biden’s Disaster Declaration which brings with it a coordinated response effort to work in tandem with volunteer organizations on Maui. In Part 1 of this month’s newsletter you will find information on:

• The Biden-Harris Administration’s Latest Actions to Respond to the Maui Fire
• How to Apply for Disaster Assistance
• Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Relief
• Coordinated Federal Agency Disaster Response
• Verifying Home Ownership 
• Updated  Small Business Disaster Assistance

Section 2 of this month’s newsletter contains the regular current discretionary program listings and research opportunities.  Part 3 is a compilation of websites and links to general grant information provided by the Federal Agencies that most often have discretionary grant solicitations.

Links and information which highlight funding opportunities under The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that communities can currently apply for, along with an updated link to report on The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Distribution of funding in Hawaii are also included in Part 2. To date, over $1.4 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced and is headed to Hawai’i with over 71 specific projects identified for funding. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, approximately $1 billion has been announced for transportation – to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports – and roughly $164 million has been announced for clean water. And, as of August , more than 49,000 households across the state are receiving affordable high-speed internet due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To date, Hawai’i has also received approximately $149 million through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) to help provide access to high-speed internet across the state.  Many more projects will be added in the coming months, as funding opportunities become grant awards and as formula funds become specific projects. The entire fact sheet is included here as well: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Hawai_i-Fact-Sheet-August.pdf 

This month, these two programs are of special interest in Hawaii:

Department of Interior – National Park Service – Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Development Grant Program – Fiscal Year 2023/2024 funds projects that  will enhance culture and art programs, including traditional and contemporary expressions of language, history, visual and performing arts, and crafts. (October 27 deadline)

Institute of Museum and Library Services – Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (2024) CFDA number 45.308 is designed to support Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining indigenous heritage, culture, and knowledge. The program supports projects such as exhibitions, educational services and programming, workforce professional development, organizational capacity building, and collections stewardship. (November 15 deadline)

This program previously announced and specific to Hawaii is  listed  below as a reminder:

Department of Health and Human Services – Health Resources and Services Administration – FY 2024 Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act CFDA number 93.932 funding will be distributed to (1) raise the health status of Native Hawaiians to the highest possible health level; and (2) provide existing Native Hawaiian health care programs with all resources necessary to fulfill the special responsibilities and legal obligations to the indigenous people of Hawaii. (Further details are expected in December for an estimated March 15, 2024 deadline) 

New and modified national competitions of special interest this month include:

Department of Agriculture – Rural Utilities Service Assistance to High Energy Cost Communities CFDA number 10.859 announces that up to $10 million in competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities where the average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275% of the national average. Eligible projects also include on-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and the implementation of energy efficiency and energy conservation projects for eligible communities. (October 31 deadline)

Department of Commerce – FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law CFDA number 11.999 funding  supports impactful, large marine debris removal projects that will improve the resilience of the coastal and marine environment and implement strategies to prevent the re-accumulation of marine debris. “Impactful” projects are considered to be those that will have long-lasting, transformational benefits to marine and coastal NOAA trust resources, coastal communities, and/or local economies. (February 23. 2024 deadline)

Department of Education – Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE): Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Program CFDA number 84.051F funds projects to identify, support, and rigorously evaluate evidence-based and innovative strategies and activities to improve and modernize career and technical education (CTE) and ensure workforce skills taught in CTE programs. (September 13 letter of intent required for October 13 deadline)

Environmental Protection Agency- Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program CFDA number 66.448 is soliciting applications from eligible entities for projects in underserved communities that are disadvantaged or serve a population of less than 10,000 individuals to increase drinking water system resilience to natural hazards. When considering these natural disaster threats, a public water system may take into account risks associated with climate change to ensure that resilience-building activities address future conditions such as increasing or decreasing temperatures, changes in precipitation, and, where applicable, sea-level rise. The goal of the first National Priority Area is to increase drinking water system resilience by implementing smaller-scale resilience projects informed by drinking water system plans. The goal of the second National Priority Area is to improve drinking water system resilience through large-scale infrastructure improvements and/or optimization of mitigation measures at a drinking water system. (November 6 deadline)

Department of Health and Human Services – Health Resources and Services Administration Service Area Competition CFDA number 93.224supports domestic public or private, nonprofit community-based and patient-directed organizations that provide primary health care services to the Nation’s medically underserved populations. The purpose of the SAC notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to ensure continued access to comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary health care services for communities and populations currently served by the Health Center Program. (October 30 deadline)

Institute of Museum and Library Services – Inspire! Grants for Small Museums (2024) CFDA number 45.301 is a special initiative of the Museums for America program. It is designed to support small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, policy development and institutional planning, technology enhancements, professional development, community outreach, audience development, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. (November 15 deadline)

Institute of Museum and Library Services – Museums for America (2024) CFDA number 45.301 supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibitions, educational/interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. Museums for America has three project categories: • Lifelong Learning • Community Engagement • Collections Stewardship and Access. (November 15 deadline)

Department of Veterans Affairs – National Veterans Sports Programs 
Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces (Equine Assisted Therapy) CFDA number 64.034 provides grants to eligible adaptive sports entities to plan, develop, manage, and implement programs to provide adaptive sports activities for Veterans and members of the Armed Forces with disabilities. (January 15, 2024 deadline)

Department of Veterans Affairs – Veterans Legacy Grant Program CFDA number 64.204 provides funding to educational institutions and other eligible entities to conduct cemetery research and produce educational tools for the public to utilize and learn about the histories of Veterans interred in VA national cemeteries and VA grant-funded State and Tribal Veterans’ cemeteries.(May 1, 2024 deadline)

These additional competitions from previous newsletters are included as a reminder:

Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture 
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase I CFDA number 10.212 support small businesses in the creation of innovative, disruptive technologies and enable the application of research advancements from conception into the market. The STTR program aims to foster technology transfer through formal cooperative R&D between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions. ( September 19 deadline)

Department of Agriculture – Rural Business-Cooperative Service 
Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) CFDA number 10.754 support projects to significantly increase the sales and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel by expanding the infrastructure for renewable fuels derived from U.S. agricultural products. The program is also intended to encourage a more comprehensive approach to market higher blends by sharing the costs related to building out biofuel-related infrastructure. (September 30 deadline)

Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture 
Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program CFDA number 10.225 intends to solicit applications and fund two types of grants. The grant types are (1) Planning Projects (PP) and (2) Community Food Projects (CFP). Very specific eligibility requirements for this program are described in the posting.  (October 30 deadline)

Department of Commerce – NOAA’s Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants Under the BIL and IRA CFDA number 11.463 provide federal financial and technical assistance to fish passage through the removal of dams and other in-stream barriers for native migratory or sea-run fish. Funding will be used for fish passage that rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries, contributes to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, enhances watershed health, promotes resilient ecosystems and communities, especially in underserved communities, and improves economic vitality, including local employment.  (October 16 deadline)

Department of Defense – Dept of the Army — Materiel Command 
DEVCOM Analysis Center Broad Agency Announcement For Applied Research CFDA number 12.431 is soliciting research proposals for submission to the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Analysis Center (DAC) for funding consideration. 1000 awards are expected. (January 2028 deadline)

Department of Energy – Office of Science 
FY2023 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program CFDA number 81.049 invites states, irrigation districts, water districts, cities and towns, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located within the LCB to leverage their money and resources by cost-sharing water conservation planning activities with Reclamation to make more efficient use of existing water supplies. 1000 awards will be made. (September 30 deadline)

Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Consumer Electronics Battery Recycling, Reprocessing, and Battery Collection CFDA number 81.086 will provide funding to 90 projects to support the recycling of consumer electronics batteries and battery-containing devices to help build a robust domestic critical material supply chain for EV batteries in the United States. (November 29 deadline)

Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory 
BIL – Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Section 40302 CFDA number 81.089 is making awards to support DOE’s current vision of the Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants Program which will illustrate that several incumbent products can be replaced or supplemented with alternatives that are derived from the conversion of anthropogenic carbon oxides, demonstrating that significant net reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are possible. These grants will illustrate that more sustainable alternatives are viable and will promote the deployment of these products even after the grant ends. (April 30, 2024 deadline)

Environmental Protection Agency – Solar for All CFDA number 66.959 is a $7 billion Solar for All competition — designed to spur the deployment of residential distributed solar energy to lower energy bills for millions of Americans and catalyze transformation in markets serving low-income and disadvantaged communities. 60 projects will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment—enabling millions of low-income households to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. Grantees will use funds to expand existing low-income solar programs or design and deploy new Solar for All programs nationwide. (September 26 deadline)

Department of Health and Human Services – Health Resources and Services Administration is announcing multiple programs to expand access to health center services and support health centers to meet identified patient needs by increasing the number of health center operating hours and access points. (Early 2024 deadlines)

Department of Health and Human Services – Health Resources and Services Administration Healthy Start Initiative: Eliminating Disparities in Perinatal Health CFDA number 93.926 funds projects with the purpose of improving health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy and to reduce racial/ethnic differences in rates of infant death and adverse perinatal outcomes. (Estimated November 16 deadline)

Department of Housing and Urban Development – Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Continuum of Care Competition and Renewal or Replacement of Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Grants CFDA number 14.267 is designed to fund 8000 efforts to promote efforts to quickly re-house homeless individuals, families, persons fleeing domestic violence, and youth while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless; and to optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness. (September 28 deadline)

Department of Housing and Urban Developmentis announcing the agency’s first program to simultaneously invest in energy efficiency, energy generation, and climate resilience strategies specifically in HUD-assisted multifamily housing. All of the investments under the GRRP will be made in affordable housing communities serving low-income families.  HUD is offering GRRP funding through three separate cohorts designed to meet the different needs of HUD’s assisted multifamily portfolio. 

– Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRPC) Comprehensive CFDA number 14.021 (May 30,2024 deadline) 

– Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRPE) Elements CFDA number 14.021(March 28, 2024 deadline)

– Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRPE) Leading Edge CFDA number 14.021 (April 30, 2024 deadline)

Institute of Museum and Library Services – Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program CFDA number 45.313 supports the training and professional development of library and archives professionals; developing faculty and information leaders; and recruiting, educating, and retaining the next generation of library and archives professionals in order to develop a diverse workforce of library and archives professionals and meet the information needs of their communities. (September 20 deadline)

Institute of Museum and Library Services – National Leadership Grants for Libraries (2024) CFDA number 45.312 supports projects that address critical needs of the library and archives fields and have the potential to advance practice and strengthen library and archival services for the American public.  (March 20, 2024 deadline)

Institute of Museum and Library Services – National Leadership Grants for Museums (2024) CFDA number 45.312 supports projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public. (November 15 deadline)

Department of Interior – Fish and Wildlife Service F23AS00249 National Fish Passage Program Base Funding Fiscal Year 2023 CFDA number 15.685 provides direct technical and financial assistance to partners to remove instream barriers and restore aquatic organism passage and aquatic connectivity for the benefit of Federal trust resources. In doing so, NFPP aims to maintain or increase fish populations to improve ecosystem resiliency and provide quality fishing experiences for the American people. (December 31 deadline)

Department of Labor – Veterans Employment and Training Service 
Announcement of Stand Down Grants CFDA number 17.805 supports local Stand Down events that assist veterans experiencing homelessness by providing a wide range of employment, social, and health services. (September 30, 2025 deadline)

Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration 
National Dislocated Worker Grants Program Guidance CFDA number 17.277 are discretionary grants awarded by the Secretary of Labor under Section 170 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to provide employment-related services for dislocated workers. The Department funds two types of DWGs: Disaster Recovery and Employment Recovery. (Rolling deadline)

National Endowment for the Humanities – Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions CFDA number 45.149 helps small and mid-sized institutions improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. Awards will be made to 65 projects for this purpose.  (January 11, 2024 deadline)

National Endowment for the Humanities has several program announcements this month.  Each program has a different focus.  The most universal of the programs is the Public Impact Projects at Smaller Organizations Program which supports small and mid-sized museums and cultural organizations in the creation of public humanities programming and strengthens their capacity to develop such programming. (Program details are expected in March 2024 for an expected June 24, 2024 deadline)

National Science Foundation – Research Experiences for Undergraduates is making 1350 awards for active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. (September 27 deadline)

Important note:

Federal grants are very competitive. To ensure your application is processed, please verify that your organization’s registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) is valid and current. Go to SAM: Systems for Award Management and follow the FAQs and User Guides to update and verify your SAM data. Current SAM registration is mandatory for most agencies, and grants will not be awarded to applicants without valid and current registration in SAM. Remember: Registration on SAM.gov is free of charge.

If you are applying for a federal grant and would like to request a letter of support, or have questions about the application process, please contact Hawaiioffice@hirono.senate.gov, and include this form and an abstract of your project. Letters of support are submitted directly to the granting agency from my office once the complete application has been submitted. Please do not hesitate to contact my staff if you have any questions before submitting your application.

I encourage you to pass along these resources to anyone you believe would benefit from this information. If you do submit a grant proposal, please stay in touch by contacting my state office.

Mahalo,

Mazie K. Hirono 
United States Senator

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