Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants Programs

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces that the following programs are soliciting applications for financial assistance for FY 2011: (1) the Material Measurement Laboratory Grants Program; (2) the Physical Measurement Laboratory Grants Program; (3) the Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (4) the Fire Research Grants Program; (5) the Information Technology Laboratory Grants Program; (6) the NIST Center for Neutron Research Grants Program; (7) the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program; (8) the Standards Services Group Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program; and (9) the Law Enforcement Standards Office (OLES) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program. Details of these programs can be found in the Full Announcement.

Link to Full Announcement

Link to Full Announcement

Still Time to Vote

The Career Video Challenge has collected dozens of career videos highlighting work in fifteen occupation categories. Now you can vote for your favorite video in each category. The winning videos receive $1,000 each and the entire collection will be used to inform workers, students and others about what it takes to succeed in growing industries.

Take a look through the videos by clicking on one of the occupation categories. Then vote for your favorites by clicking on the thumbs-up “I agree” button. Note that you'll need to Register or Sign In at the top of this page before you can vote.

Your opinion matters to the U.S. Department of Labor. We hope you’ll check out the videos, vote, and make comments. If you’re in the job market, take an opportunity to learn what the day-to-day work in different careers really looks like. There are some great videos in the running and we need your help to guarantee that only the best take home the prize.

Vote any time between now and December 31, 2010. The winners will be announced by January 14, 2011.

Project Sail

[From ErieBlogs]

Project SAIL (Successful Apprenticeships and Investments in Learning) is BCMS’ new after-school program. It offers an engaging learning experience to teens, ages 15-18, with an interest in maritime activities. Project SAIL includes elements designed to improve educational achievement and provides apprentices with a basic understanding of post-secondary opportunities. Using a career-centered approach, Project SAIL apprentices will be motivated to explore career pathways and understand more clearly the connection between high school achievement and life. Apprentices will develop the transferable skills necessary in the classroom and on the job, and gain a greater sense of self and future.
- Project SAIL includes assistance succeeding in and finishing high school, a healthy and supportive after school environment, and training in fundamental job skills.

WHY PROJECT SAIL?

- BCMS knows that the 21st Century requires a skilled workforce. A high school diploma alone will often no longer suffice. This is why BCMS is currently working to develop programming that will give Erie residents the skills to capitalize on a 20 percentage shortage of workers in the maritime industry. With many baby boomers retiring from the industry in the next ten years, this shortage is projected by the United States Coast Guard to rise to 35 percent, due to a lack of younger, skilled people to fill these jobs. With such a need, these family-sustaining jobs offer stable employment, good income, and great career prospects. In addition to the national need for maritime workers, there are opportunities here in Erie as well. The Port of Erie includes the largest dry-dock and crane on the Great Lakes, a full service shipyard, 300,000 square feet of warehouse space, a Foreign Trade Zone, a Keystone Opportunity Zone, and 6,000 feet of deep draft dock face.

WHAT ARE THE PREREQUISITES FOR APPLYING TO PROJECT SAIL?

- The only requirement is the initiative and motivation to be successful, as demonstrated in aspects of the applicant’s program application.

- You can apply by printing out the application form, which can be found here. You can complete the form and either email it to info@bayfrontcenter.org, fax it to us at 814-459-1678, or mail it to:

Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies
40 Holland Street
Erie, PA 16507

Applications should be submitted no later than Friday, January 7th, 2011. We anticipate a start date of Monday, January 17th.

Click here for a downloadable one-page document to share with parents, students, teachers, etc.

Click here for the Project SAIL Alumni group on Facebook

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The Noyce Scholarship Track provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and academic programs for undergraduate STEM majors and post-baccalaureate students holding STEM degrees who earn a teaching credential and commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. The NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship Track supports STEM professionals who enroll as NSF Teaching Fellows in master's degree programs leading to teacher certification by providing academic courses, professional development, and salary supplements while they are fulfilling a four-year teaching commitment in a high need school district. This track also supports the development of NSF Master Teaching Fellows by providing professional development and salary supplements for exemplary mathematics and science teachers to become Master Teachers in high need school districts. Each track supports Capacity Building Projects to develop the capacity for institutions to provide innovative teacher preparation programs to enable increasing numbers of STEM majors and STEM professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers and to develop the capacity to prepare Master science and mathematics teachers.

Link to Full Announcement

NSF Publication 11-517

Rural Innovation Fund Program

Estimated Total Program Funding: $25,000,000
Deadline: Feb. 22, 2011

The purpose of the Rural Fund is to provide support for highly targeted and innovative grants dedicated to addressing the problems of concentrated rural housing distress and community poverty for projects that demonstrate a great likelihood of substantial impact in addressing the housing needs and community poverty in the project area.

Technology and Transportation Futures Program

Former Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Rodney E. Slater, unveiled the Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program (GAMTTFP) in May 1997 in Cleveland, Ohio, the birthplace of Garrett A. Morgan, an African-American inventor and entrepreneur. This national educational initiative was established to reach and challenge one million students of all ages to focus on math, science and technology skills in order to prepare themselves for the transportation workforce of the 21st century. Based on partnerships among all sectors of the transportation enterprise, GAMTTFP serves as a catalyst to enhance transportation education among youth through internships, mentoring, career and curriculum development, and other transportation-related activities. By the year 2000 GAMTTFP attained its initial goal to reach one million students.

Since its inception, partnerships have been a key component of the GAMTTEP and partnerships will continue to play a crucial role in the program. To ensure that transportation is an integral part of the program, the eligible parties (SEAs and LEAs) are strongly encouraged to enter into a partnership agreement with the State Department of Transportation (DOT). LEAs should also consider partnering with their respective SEAs in order to enhance efficiency and effectiveness within the State and maximize program impact. SEAs may also seek out opportunities to partner with other SEAs. In addition, SEAs and LEAs are strongly encouraged to partner with institutions of higher education, businesses, or other entities to enhance the program’s impact in terms of geographic span, target audiences, skill sets, and other key elements. Partners should include a diverse group of professional, technical, community, and minority-based organizations, disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs), and others, and should be strategically selected based on their knowledge, expertise, or experience in advancing program goals. Both monetary and in-kind contributions should be encouraged to better leverage funding and maximize the programs’ reach and impact.

Currently, total federal funding in the amount of $1,100,000 is available for up to 11 awards. Local educational agencies (LEAs) and State educational agencies (SEAs) are eligible to apply for these grants. Deadline for applications will be February 21, 2011. For a listing of other Department of Transportation Partnerships, see this link.

EPA Announces RFP for FY 2011 Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Funding

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a Request for Proposals for funding under the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program. (EPA notes this program was formerly referred to as the "Brownfields Job Training program.") Proposals are due by March 18, 2011.

Please see http://www.epa.gov/oswer/docs/grants/epa-oswer-oblr-11-01.pdf

Dept. of Labor 2011 Scholars Program

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor (the Department), Mathematica Policy Research is pleased to announce a competition to fund one or two highly qualified researchers to carry out research projects that are relevant to the Department’s policymaking. Proposed projects should contribute to the Department’s mission of fostering, promoting, and developing the well-being of wage earners, retirees, and job seekers. Subject areas of interest include (but are not limited to):

--> Employment and training
-Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
-Public workforce system services to targeted populations (for example, veterans, persons with disabilities, migrant and seasonal farm workers, or Native Americans)
-Advantages and drawbacks of on-the-job training as both a workforce
development strategy and a pathway to stable employment
-Links between One-Stop Career Centers and community colleges
-Adult learning and addressing the unique needs of employed learners
-New and emerging occupations and skill and credential requirements
-Sector strategies for workforce development
-Educational and career pathways, ladders, and lattices
-Performance measurement in the public workforce system and its incentive
effects

-->Unemployment and its effects on individuals, families, and communities
-->Factors that affect employment transitions and attachment to the labor force
-->Working conditions and worker safety
-->Effects of enforcement on employers’ compliance with laws and regulations
-->Child labor and workers’ rights around the world
-->The changing roles of women in the workforce
-->Strategies to facilitate veterans’ entry into the civilian workforce
-->Strategies to remove employment barriers for people with disabilities
-->Retirement decisions

Telework initiative

Telework: The Triple Bottom Line - People, Profits, Planet

More than 75 people from the public and private sectors participated in "Telework: The Triple Bottom Line - People, Profits, Planet," last week at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. The conference, sponsored by the department's Women's Bureau, was a collaborative effort with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Clean Air Counts and Life Meets Work to promote telework as a solution to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and improve the quality of life for workers. Speakers included Illinois elected officials and corporate representatives from Microsoft, McDonald's, Cisco and Ryan Inc. who shared their telework best practices. The event was timely since President Obama signed the 2010 Telework Expansion Act a few days later. The Act will allow federal agencies to enhance their telework policies, while making government more efficient in all areas. "This bill is a common-sense measure that will save money down the road by reducing agencies' overhead costs, cutting energy consumption and improving productivity," said Secretary Solis. "Private sector companies such as IBM have saved as much as $56 million annually in reduced office space by allowing employees to telework."

Environmental Workforce Job Training grants

Deadline: March 18, 2011
Est. number of awards: 13
Funding available: $13 million

While Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants focus on hazardous and solid waste remediation and health and safety, including required core training in HAZWOPER, applicants may design their own curriculums by choosing what types of supplemental environmental training they want to provide.

This supplemental training must include the following three additional training courses: 1) innovative and alternative treatment technologies (e.g., the training in the preparation of sites for renewable energy installation, phytoremediation, etc.); 2) leaking underground storage tank prevention; and 3) training related to solid waste management, assessment, and/or cleanup (e.g., construction and demolition debris recycling, landfill closure, electronics recycling, etc.). As EPA encourages applicants to develop their curriculums based on hiring needs in the community and employer surveys, applicants may choose to deliver the three additional required training courses at varying degrees of “awareness.”

Cyberinfrastructure Training, Education, Advancement, and Mentoring for Our 21st Century Workforce (CI-TEAM) Expected Number of Awards:12
Estimated Total Program Funding:$5 M

New information, communication, and computational technologies have had profound impacts on the practice of science (in this solicitation, the term science includes the natural, mathematical, computing, and social sciences), engineering, and education. This includes the means by which citizens of all ages use science and engineering to enhance professional and private lives. The systems, tools, and services emerging from these new technologies are linked to create a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure that is enabling individuals, groups, and organizations to advance research and education in ways that revolutionize who can participate, what they can do, and how they do it.

Sustaining this revolution across all areas of science, engineering, and education requires the formation of a citizenry and workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to design and deploy as well as adopt and apply these cyber-based systems, tools and services over the long-term. The opportunity for such preparation should be available at all stages of formal and informal education (K-16 and lifelong), training and professional development, and must be extended to all individuals and communities.The CI-TEAM program supports projects that integrate science and engineering research and education activities that range from local activities to global-scale efforts, as appropriate, to promote, leverage and utilize cyberinfrastructure systems, tools and services. Collectively, the CI-TEAM awards will:Increase the numbers of scientists, engineers, educators, and/or students prepared to design, develop, adopt and deploy cyber-based tools and environments for computational science and engineering research and learning, both formal and informal. This is to include individuals who are otherwise well prepared in the STEM disciplines. Produce curricular and pedagogical materials, learning technologies, and institutional models for preparing the cyberinfrastructure workforce that are broadly adaptable and/or adoptable, and publish related outcomes that inform others of promising educational approaches. Increase and broaden the participation of diverse groups of people and organizations as both creators and users of cyberinfrastructure for research and education.

ETA seeks grant panelists

The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) used a peer review process for the review and selection of Recovery Act grants. Building on the positive feedback, ETA has decided to continue this process for our appropriated competitive funds into the future.

To ensure an ongoing talent pool, ETA will recruit experts to serve as grant review panelists on a continuous basis. ETA is seeking a diverse pool of expertise from the workforce system, institutions of higher education, community and faith-based organizations, labor, business and industry partners, and other related organizations to review and score these applications along with federal staff. The resumes will be kept on file for future ETA competitions unless otherwise directed by applicants. We anticipate the wide ranging expertise of selected panelists in assisting us in continuing to award grants of the highest quality.

If you are interested in serving as a panelist, please submit your contact information and a resume highlighting your primary and secondary areas of expertise as indicated above to: DOLPanelists@pep8a.com. Thank you for considering becoming a part of our efforts. If you have additional questions, please contact ETA's identified Contractor for this task:

Linda Metchikoff-Hooker
Performance Excellence Partners, Inc.
Phone: (714) 434-3553 (PDT)
Fax: (714) 374-1120
E-Mail: lindamh@pep8a.com

Grantseeking and Grantwriting Workshop

Thursday, February 24, 9 am - 3 pm. Presented by The Nonprofit Partnership.
Manufacturer's and Business Association, 2171 West 38th St., Erie.

This one-day workshop may be your best local opportunity to gain an understanding of where to find grant opportunities that are right for your organization and to craft compelling, responsive proposals that make a strong case for funding. This session uses actual current RFPs and real, funded grant proposals as the foundation for the critical work of completing high quality, competitive grant applications. This has never been more important than it is today. Even if you've been to this workshop before - every time there are different RFPs and proposals as texts - always something new to learn!

The Erie Community Foundation Cultural Vitality Grants

Deadline is Jan. 14, 2011

This category encompasses requests from agencies seeking to promote the region’s cultural heritage. Erie’s array of cultural amenities is surprising for a community our size. In aggregate, they are a significant economic force. Individually, even our strongest organizations remain quite fragile. And while our summers are filled with festivals, our schools are often devoid of arts and cultural experiences.

To develop new audiences, innovative programming at the intersection of areas such as arts and healthcare, arts and the environment, arts and community development, etc. is needed. Projects that position the arts, culture, and heritage as the drivers of new economic activity are important. There is also a pressing need to integrate more art into the K-12 school setting.

Community Engagement

Days of sitting on the front porch talking with neighbors seem long gone. Voter participation rates continue to decline. Elections seem increasingly bitter while more candidates are running unopposed. Two working parents make meaningful participation in many school events a challenge. Neighbors do not know each other and we are more segregated than we care to admit.

Starting or supporting a best-practice volunteer center; strengthening the critical role of parents in our schools; supporting the development and growth of community-wide engagement tools and helping organizations that build bridges and strengthen community are needed.

Grants are announced by April 4, 2011.

If you have questions, e-mail David González, program officer or call (814) 454-0843.

McDaniel Family establishes "Pay It Forward Fund" with Erie Community Foundation

"Retaining local talent in northwest PA is crucial to the vitality of our region," said Mike Batchelor, president of The Erie Community Foundation. "With that goal in mind, the Charles McDaniel family of North East recently established a Pay It Forward (PIF) Fund at The Erie Community Foundation to help curb “brain drain” in northwest Pennsylvania and encourage acts of kindness along the way."

Awards will be administered through the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (ERCGP) and will benefit individuals who live and work in Erie, Crawford and/or Warren counties.

Through the Pay It Forward Fund, grants to pay down student loan principal will be made on behalf of award winners to their lending institutions. To be eligible for a Pay It Forward award, individuals must be recent college graduates who have earned a Bachelor’s degree, are committed to living and working in northwest Pennsylvania and have plans to “pay it forward” through future philanthropy, acts of kindness or community service.

The first award is expected to be announced in November 2011, with applications due in September of that year.

To be eligible for the award, applicants must:
• Have a student loan of $500 or greater.
• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Live and work in northwest PA (Erie, Crawford and/or Warren counties).
• Have completed his/her Bachelor’s degree within the past five years.

Interested applicants and donors click here to send an email to learn more.

Kessler Foundation Signature Employment Grants

2011 Grant Application Deadline
February 18, 2011 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
https://www.grantrequest.com/SID_972?SA=SNA&FID=35004

What We Fund
Signature Employment Grants seeks to fund cutting-edge, non-traditional solutions and/or social ventures that increase employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. These may include new pilot initiatives or demonstration projects or other social ventures that are innovative and lead to the generation of new ideas to solve unemployment. It is necessary that at least 65% of the grant target population be individuals with mobility disabilities or cognitive impairments primarily from neurological disorders

Projects must be collaborative, serve a large geographic area and include multiple funding partners and stakeholders. In addition, initiatives or projects must have the potential for growth, scalability or replication. Preference will be given for interventions (but are not limited to) that overcome specific employment barriers related to long-term dependence on public assistance, advance competitive employment in a cost effective manner, launch a micro-enterprise, social or individual entrepreneurship project.

Gift for Opportunity Fund

Bank of America has announced the launch of the Gift for Opportunity fund, a nationwide program of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation that will provide a corporate match for customers' charitable giving.

Throughout 2011, BoA will use the fund to support a variety of critical community needs important to both the bank and its customers. Inaugural grants from the fund include a total of $1 million to Feeding America and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. In addition, BACF will match donations made through January 15, up to a total of $1 million, to help address the growing demand for food assistance in both large and small communities.

"As an increasing number of families across the country are affected by the slow economic recovery, it is essential to support efforts to ensure these vulnerable populations have access to basic services," said Bank of America Charitable Foundation president Kerry Sullivan.

“Bank of America Launches Program to Match the Charitable Giving of Customers to Meet Critical Community Needs.” Bank of America Press Release 12/07/10.

Campaign for Erie youth work-readiness programs

[From GoErie.com] Junior Achievement of Erie County (JA) will hold their annual Campaign Kick-Off event at the Ambassador Center, Garden Atrium today. Mr. William Hilbert Sr., Chairman/CEO, PHB and Reddog Industries, will address local business leaders to encourage continued support in the effort to educate and inspire young people to succeed in the global economy. Working closely with the business and education communities, Junior Achievement delivers programs that teach K-12 students age-appropriate, hands-on lessons about Work Readiness, Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy. Encouraging students to see their own potential and to strive for success is the embodiment of the Junior Achievement program. This year’s campaign goal is to secure resources to deliver programs to over 4,500 K-12 students in Erie County. The 2010-2011 campaign goal is $158,000. Won’t you “Step Up and Inspire the next generation to succeed”. Financial support of these educational lifelines will help young people in Erie County prepare to positively impact the future of the Erie regional community and the connected global economy.

Anonymous Erie businessman seeks stories

[From ErieBlogs.com]

Someone who’s being described only as “a local businessman who wishes to remain anonymous” is looking to give away some of his money. To find worthy recipients, he’s asking that people in need send him their stories. From the letters he receives, he’ll decide who will get his monetary gifts. He states that he will be sending money to those stories that “touch his heart.” He also states that all requests for gifts will remain anonymous.

If you’d like to send him your story, address your request to: Ti Ternal, P.O. Box 9846, Erie Pa., 16505.

Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program

Grant funds may be used to:

--Plan, create, or expand programs that promote public safety and public health by providing appropriate services for multisystem-involved individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.

--Plan, create, or expand specialized training programs for criminal justice and mental health and substance abuse treatment personnel.

--Plan, create, or expand law enforcement strategies to provide response options that are tailored to the needs of people with mental illnesses.

--Plan, create, or expand mental health courts, other court-based programs, pre-trial services, use of court-appointed mental health advocates and case managers, and mandatory treatment as part of probation/parole, and diversion and alternative prosecution and sentencing programs.

--Plan, create, or expand specialized community corrections initiatives.

--Promote and provide mental health and co-occurring disorders treatment and transitional services for those incarcerated or transitional reentry programs for those released from a correctional institution.

CATEGORY 1: PLANNING. Grant amount: Up to $50,000. Project period: 12 months.
Category 1 applicants will design a strategic, collaborative plan to initiate systemic change for the identification and treatment of system-involved individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. Key to the planning category is the development of an effective collaboration representing support from all levels of government, justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment services, transportation, housing, advocates, consumers, victims, and family members.

CATEGORY 2: PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION. Grant amount: Up to $250,000. Project period: 24 months. Category 2 applicants will complete an already-initiated collaboration plan for their criminal justice and mental health or co-occurring collaboration, and then begin implementation of the plan during the project period. Planning and Implementation grants can support law enforcement response programs; mental health courts, pretrial services, and diversion/alternative prosecution and sentencing programs; treatment accountability services; specialized training for justice and treatment professionals; corrections/community corrections, transitional, and reentry services to create or expand mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders support services; and non-treatment recovery support services coordination and delivery including case management, housing placement, job training, education, primary and mental health care, and family supportive services. Up to six months of the total project period can be used to complete plan details, with the remaining months used for implementation of the program.

Additional allowable uses for programs focused on law enforcement responses to people with mental illnesses can include: Plan for and implement training programs that offer law enforcement personnel specialized and comprehensive training in procedures; Plan for and implement programs that offer campus security personnel training in procedures.

CATEGORY 3: EXPANSION. Grant amount: Up to $200,000. Project period: 24 months.
Category 3 applicants will expand upon or improve their well-established collaboration plan.

Link to full announcement.