Environmental Grants for Municipalities

Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy

This is Modification 01 to the NOFO: Inserted certain deadlines and updated dates, including the deadlines for submitting questions and Full Applications (Basic Information, Section IV.C). NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003623 High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG) Agency Overview: The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (Public Law 110 69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111 358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116 260). ARPA-E issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. 16538. The NOFO and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this NOFO are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910. ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery into early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/. ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established learning curves where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is important to its increased commercial deployment and is appropriately the focus of the private sector or the applied technology offices within DOE. In contrast, ARPA-E supports transformative research that has the potential to create fundamentally new learning curves. ARPA-E technology projects typically start with cost/performance estimates well above the level of an incumbent technology. Given the high risk inherent in these projects, many will fail to progress, but some may succeed in generating a new learning curve with a projected cost/performance metric that is significantly better than that of the incumbent technology. ARPA-E will provide support at the highest funding level only for submissions with significant technology risk, aggressive timetables, and careful management of associated risk. ARPA-E funds technology with the potential to be disruptive in the marketplace. The mere creation of a new learning curve does not ensure market penetration. Rather, the ultimate value of a technology is determined by the marketplace, and impactful technologies ultimately become disruptive that is, they are widely adopted and displace existing technologies from the marketplace or create entirely new markets. ARPA-E understands that definitive proof of market disruption takes time, particularly for energy technologies. Therefore, ARPA-E funds the development of technologies that, if technically successful, have clear disruptive potential, e.g., by demonstrating capability for manufacturing at competitive cost and deployment at scale. ARPA-E funds applied research and development (R&D). The Office of Management and Budget defines applied research as an original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge directed primarily toward a specific practical aim or objective and defines experimental development as creative and systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new products or processes or improving existing products or processes. Applicants interested in receiving financial assistance for basic research (defined by the Office of Management and Budget as experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts ) should contact the DOE s Office of Science. Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R&D for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices including: the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), the Office of Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Office of Electricity. ARPA-E encourages submissions stemming from ideas that still require proof-of-concept R&D efforts as well as those for which some proof-of-concept demonstration already exists. Submissions can propose a project with the end deliverable being an extremely creative, but partial solution. Program Overview: Transuranic (TRU) elements such as plutonium (Pu), neptunium (Np), and americium (Am) are a significant source of fissile materials that are available across existing nuclear inventories and strategic reserves and have the potential to drive advanced reactor deployment. , The technical feasibility of recycling TRU elements into new fuels has been proven at the experimental scale. Advances in fabrication, safeguards, equipment design, and modeling will create the opportunity to transition from experimental success to commercial-scale deployment, enabling higher-throughput and lower-cost fuel production with real-time materials accountancy. The High-performance Optimized Recycled Nuclear Isotopes for Gen IV reactors (HORNIG) program will support research and development projects that deliver commercially deployable TRU fuel technologies, thereby strengthening U.S. energy security, reducing nuclear waste, and enabling long-term energy deployment for public benefit. The HORNIG program seeks to overcome key technical and economic barriers that have historically prevented using TRU fuels in commercial reactors and to create a clear path to domestic nuclear fuel security by supporting the design, fabrication, and qualification of TRU fuels. The program will fund coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts to deliver transformative advances in fuel performance, manufacturability, cost, and regulatory readiness. Technologies developed under this program must have the potential to enable the following program metrics: A domestic TRU fuel supply chain A levelized cost of fuel (LCOF) = 1 /kWh TRU fuel qualification and regulatory acceptance within seven years By enabling production of advanced reactor fuels from domestically sourced fissile materials, the program will reduce dependence on imported uranium and enrichment services, expand U.S. fuel supply options, and support establishment of a closed fuel cycle. These objectives support ARPA-E s statutory goals of improving energy security and resilience, improving the management of radiological waste, and maintaining U.S. technological leadership in energy technologies. If successful, HORNIG will strengthen U.S. energy security and infrastructure resilience and deliver lasting public benefit through reliable nuclear power. To view the NOFO in its entirety, please visit https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov

National Park Service

The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) provides financial assistance to National Park Service (NPS) units, as well as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and local and state agencies to improve resource stewardship, achieve international cooperation, provide meaningful interpretation and conduct scientific research, which will lead to increased appreciation and understanding of our shared natural and cultural heritage along our international border with Mexico. Several National Parks located along the U.S. border with Mexico have recently experienced serious resource damage due to illegal cross border activities including drug traffickers and undocumented persons traversing the parks. Other national park units within the desert southwest have also experienced impacts to their natural and cultural resources. Thousands of miles of unauthorized roads and trails have been created, major ecological processes and the migration patterns of wildlife have been disrupted, important historic sites have been vandalized, and archaeological sites have been looted. Program funding is available for conducting scientific research and monitoring of species, as well as conservation, interpretation and preservation projects designed to help protect and preserve natural and cultural resources located near or along our international border. Applicants must work with and benefit an NPS unit in the Intermountain Region along the U.S. Mexico border as well as a protected area in Mexico by addressing cultural or natural resource issues shared by both countries. These parks include Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Big Bend National Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Palo Alto National Historic Site, Padre Island National Seashore, Saguaro National Park, Tumacacori National Historical Park, Chamizal National Memorial, Coronado National Memorial, and Chiricahua National Monument. Please note that applicants can work with other Intermountain Region parks near the U.S. Mexico Border, or not otherwise listed to support cultural or natural resource issues shared by both countries. The projects and activities will be individually authorized by separate awards, with each project or activity having a separate work plan and budget developed cooperatively between the NPS and the cooperator. Project categories include: Research & MonitoringCultural Resource examples:Identification, research, and evaluation of archeological and historic sitesNational Register of Historic Places nominationsNational Historic Landmark nominationsNatural Resource examples:Wildlife habitat managementInventory and monitoring of invasive plants and animalsImpacts from climate change to endangered speciesAssessments of the effects of border activities on threatened and endangered speciesConservation & PreservationCultural Resource examples:Stabilization, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic structures, archeological sites, trails and landsc

Bureau of Land Management

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Joint Fire Science Program is soliciting proposals in two topic areas: (1) drivers of changing wildfire regimes and consequences for wildfire risk factors and (2) smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire. 1. Drivers of changing wildfire regimes and consequences for wildfire risk factors The objective of this task statement is to increase understanding of the drivers and consequences of changing wildfire regimes to inform future management and monitoring plans that accelerate adaptation to these altered regimes that reduce wildland fire risk factors. JFSP is asking potential investigators to address the following research needs in this task statement. Potential investigators must address all three research needs to be considered responsive to the task statement. Research that leads to improved models, datasets, or other tools to more accurately forecast future fire regimes and consequences for ecosystems and valued resources (e.g., communities, infrastructure, municipal watersheds). In collaboration with fire and land managers, use of improved models, datasets, or other tools to explore scenarios of future fire regimes and consequences for ecosystems and valued resources, identify potential tipping points, and feedback mechanisms for accelerated change. In collaboration with fire and land managers, devise potential monitoring protocols to detect potential tipping points or other indicators of change. 2. Smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire The objectives of this task statement are 1) to better understand the impacts of prescribed fire and wildfire on smoke emissions - to inform appropriate timing, frequency, and extent of prescribed fire programs that maximize ecological benefits while minimizing air quality impacts on communities, and 2) to inform a standardized methodology for tracking prescribed fire emissions. To contribute to understanding of smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire, JFSP is asking potential investigators to address the following research needs. Proposals must address all three research needs to be responsive to the task statement. Empirical, observational, and/or simulation studies that document the spatial and temporal scales at which prescribed fire programs influence one or more characteristics of subsequent wildfire regime (e.g., patterns of frequency, extent, intensity, or severity) and how relationships between prescribed fire and wildfire regimes differ by various factors (e.g., region, fuel type, disturbance history, interactions with mechanical treatments). Studies that evaluate and/or validate methodologies for tracking and/or predicting emissions from prescribed fire. Studies that extend the findings on relationships between prescribed fire and wildfire regimes (from research need 1) and evaluation of methods (from research need 2) to implications for air quality and related public health and/or the effectiveness of mitigation strategies on acute health impacts related to air quality. Please consult the JFSP database for the specific requirements on each individual task statement, https://www.firescience.gov/ All proposals must be submitted by September 17, 2026, 5:00 pm MT, using the electronic submission process provided by the JFSP website (https://www.firescience.gov). Proposals cannot be submitted through Grants.gov. No exceptions are allowed to this closing date or time.

Bureau of Land Management

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) is seeking to solicit proposals to lead and execute regional fire science exchanges in specific regions for a period of two years. Proposals are requested for the following nine regions of the FSEN: Alaska, Appalachians, Great Basin, North Atlantic, Northern Rockies, Northwest, Oak Woodlands, Pacific Islands and Southwest. Individual proposals (i.e., each proposal must be specific to one region) are requested to lead and execute a regional fire science exchange in the requested specific regions for a period of two years. Please consult the JFSP database for the specific requirements on each individual task statement, https://www.firescience.gov/ All proposals must be submitted by September 17, 2026, 5:00 pm MT, using the electronic submission process provided by the JFSP website (https://www.firescience.gov). Proposals cannot be submitted through Grants.gov. No exceptions are allowed to this closing date or time.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production

This BAA is for the National Marine Fisheries Service, also known as NOAA Fisheries. The purpose of this notice is to request applications for special projects and programs associated with the NOAA Fisheries strategic plan and mission goals, as well as to provide the general public with information and guidelines on how NOAA will select applications and administer discretionary Federal assistance under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). This notice is not a mechanism to fund existing NOAA awards. Each NOAA Line Office that supports financial assistance (National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, Office of Atmospheric Research, Office of Education, and National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service) has a separate BAA found in Grants.gov, so applicants should submit their application to the BAA for the Line Office that best fits their application. A description of NOAA Line Offices is found at https://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/public/lineoffices.html and https://www.noaa.gov/office-education. Applicants may also contact the Agency Contact below for more information. If you submit the same application to more than Line Office, mention this in your application and notify the relevant contacts so that NOAA may coordinate internally.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production

This notice is not a mechanism to fund existing NWS awards. The purpose of this notice is to request applications for special projects and programs associated with NWS's strategic plan and mission goals, as well as to provide the general public with information and guidelines on how NWS will select applications and administer discretionary Federal assistance under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Each NOAA Line Office that supports financial assistance (National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, Office of Atmospheric Research, Office of Education, and National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service) has a separate BAA found in Grants.gov, so applicants should submit their proposal to the BAA for the Line Office that best fits their proposal. A description of NOAA Line Offices is found at https://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/public/lineoffices.html and https://www.noaa.gov/office-education and applicants may contact the Agency Contacts in Section VII. below for more information. If you submit the same proposal to more than Line Office, mention this in your proposal and notify the relevant contacts in Section VII. so that NOAA may coordinate internally.

Fish and Wildlife Service

This Notice of Funding Opportunity requests pre-proposals, and then later full applications, for the implementation of State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plans (SIANSMP) that have been approved by the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANSTF) as per Section 4724 (b)(3)(a) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 as amended (16 U.S.C. 4701-4741). These plans identify activities needed to prevent introductions and spread, and eliminate or reduce the risks associated with, aquatic nuisance species, as part of the broader objective of moving towards a nationally coordinated aquatic invasive species program.The grant process includes a pre-proposal review that occurs outside GrantSolutions. After receiving approval of pre-proposals, eligible applicants can complete the full application process within GrantSolutions. The grant program includes a 25% cost-share (of total project costs) and a 5% limit on administrative costs.

National Institutes of Health

This Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) invites grant applications for Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC). As intellectual hubs for environmental health science research, the EHSCC's are expected to be the thought leaders for the field and advance the goals of the 2025-2029 NIEHS Strategic Plan (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/strategicplan/). The Core Centers provide critical research infrastructure, shared facilities, services and/or resources, to groups of investigators conducting environmental health sciences research. An EHSCC enables researchers to conduct their independently-funded individual and/or collaborative research projects more efficiently and/or more effectively. The overall goal of an EHSCC is to identify and capitalize on emerging issues that advance improving the understanding of the relationships among environmental exposures, human biology, and disease. The EHSCC supports community engagement and translational research as key approaches to improving public health.