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Community Foundation of the Ozarks

Community Foundation of the Ozarks ($500M in assets) supports nonprofits in AR through grants focused on education, community development, health, arts. Awards range from $2,000 to $100,000.

Community Foundation of Tompkins County

Community Foundation of Tompkins County ($50M in assets) supports nonprofits in NY through grants focused on education, environment, arts, community development. Awards range from $1,000 to $25,000.

Community Foundation of Utah

Community Foundation of Utah ($250M in assets) supports nonprofits in UT through grants focused on education, community development, health, arts. Awards range from $1,000 to $75,000.

Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts

Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts ($200M in assets) supports nonprofits in MA through grants focused on education, community development, health, arts. Awards range from $2,000 to $75,000.

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Significant gaps in care exist in addressing the intersection of HIV and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Despite pharmacists providing evidence-based services for HIV prevention and harm reduction, their potential to reach those with co-occurring HIV and SUD has not been fully realized. Dr. Tarfa, a pharmacist and PhD-trained health services researcher at Yale School of Medicine, is uniquely positioned to adapt and implement an integrated training and service provision program in community pharmacies. Dr. Tarfa’s early work showed that people with HIV are receptive to HIV/SUD care in pharmacies, and community pharmacists are willing to provide this care. The strong mentorship team of this K99/R00 will shape her into an independent investigator by supporting her in all aspects of the project. The team includes Dr. Springer, MD (HIV and addiction medicine), Dr. Rabin, PhD, MPH, PharmD (implementation science), Dr. Carpenter, PhD, MSPH (pharmacy workflow and quantitative methods), and Dr. Opara, PhD, LMSW, MPH (co-design), to leverage all stages of the project. During the K99 phase of this project, with the support of her mentorship team, Dr. Tarfa will receive training in addiction medicine, survey methodology, pharmacy service delivery workflow, co-design participatory research, and implementation science. These trainings will directly support the K99 activities to conduct: (1) a community pharmacy assessment to identify implementation determinants, current HIV/SUD service provision, and readiness for integrated care through a state-wide survey as well as focus groups with pharmacists and people with lived experience of HIV and/or SUD; and (2) utilize Community Engagement Studios for intervention adaptation/co-design including people with lived experience, pharmacists, and clinicians, to refine implementation strategies. The R00 phase will pilot the intervention and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and early implementation outcomes using PRISM and RE-AIM frameworks. Service uptake (HIV testing, PrEP initiation, ART provision, SUD screening, naloxone dispensing) and post- implementation interviews with pharmacy staff and service users will assess implementation outcomes and inform further refinement. This K99/R00 aligns with three of NIDA’s five strategic priorities by advancing novel prevention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies; accelerating research at the HIV-SUD intersection; and enhancing real-world implementation of community pharmacies care. The successful completion of this K99/R00 will prepare Dr. Tarfa to become an independent investigator, pioneering and evaluating pharmacy- based interventions that integrate HIV and SUD care. This will lay a strong foundation for future R01-funded research that will drive lasting change in the field.

NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Project Summary Structural variants (SVs) are complex genetic rearrangements of medium to large size (>50 bp) that overall impact more base-pairs of the genome than any other type of genetic variants. These variants are implicated in many diseases, such as neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and cancers. However, our understanding of their contribution to complex diseases remains incomplete. The large-scale studies have mostly focused on non-repetitive regions of genome and coding segments, overlooking potentially relevant areas outside these regions. These limitations are the result of lack of ability to accurately predict and genotype SVs in complex and repetitive regions of the genome, and the complexity of interpreting the functional impact of non-coding SVs. One of the primary objectives of my research is to study the hidden contribution of SVs to complex disorders by addressing these and other shortcomings in our current analysis. Despite the recent advances in computational methods using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data, accurately predicting and genotyping SVs in repetitive regions of the genome, such as segmental duplications, remains challenging. Even with long-read WGS data, state-of-the-art SV callers are still unable to detect a significant fraction of the SVs in these hard-to-call regions, as demonstrated by the analysis of T2T-CHM13 data. Approximately 15% of the genome comprises regions that are difficult to accurately call variants, and our analysis of the T2T-CHM13 and HG002 assemblies suggests that these regions contain a significant high proportion of SVs. In addition, studying SVs in diseases also requires specialized novel methods, for accurate detection of de novo or somatic SVs. Development of these methods will open the door for comprehensive study of the contribution of SVs in hard-to-call genomic regions to complex disorders. Another major limitation of current studies of SVs in complex disorders is due to challenges in our ability to interpret non-coding SVs. It is hypothesized that non-coding SVs can contribute to complex disorders through a variety of mechanisms. One major such mechanism is the ability of non-coding SVs to disrupt transcriptional regulation. For example, this can occur through changes in the 3D genome architecture, which subsequently modify enhancer-gene interactions and result in ectopic gene expression. Thus, there is a need for development of accurate methods for predicting the impact of non-coding SVs on transcriptional regulation and cell-type specific gene-enhancer interactions. Finally, development of these tools will result in much needed comprehensive investigation of non-coding SVs observed in large-scale complex disorder studies for their impact on transcriptional regulation landscape, 3D genome structure and enhancer-gene interaction. The overall objectives of this proposal are as follows: 1. Dissecting contribution of SVs in hard-to-call genomic regions to complex disorders: Our first objective focuses on deciphering the role of SVs in previously inaccessible and hard-to-call regions of the genome. We will develop innovative methods to enhance the detection and genotyping of SVs, including both de novo and somatic variants, in these regions. We will also leverage these tools to construct a comprehensive catalog of SVs in these regions, utilizing an expanding collection of long-read WGS data from both normal and disease samples. Finally, we will quantify and explore the contribution of SVs in these regions to complex disorders, including autism and cancer. 2. Studying the role of non-coding SVs in complex disorders: Our second objective is to study impact of non-coding SVs to complex disorders. It is hypothesized that certain non-coding SVs can contribute to complex disorders by reshaping the gene regulation landscape. This can involve disrupting 3D genome architecture, altering gene-enhancer interactions, and driving ectopic gene expression. As part of this project we will develop methods to predict the impact of non-coding SVs on the gene-enhancer interactions landscape. We will utilize these methods to study the contribution of non-coding SVs through such a mechanism on complex disorders. In the next five years, my lab's overarching goal is to enhance our understanding of the role of SVs in human diseases and health. The results of this research will expand our understanding of the contribution of SVs to complex disorders, help discovery of novel disease biomarkers, reduce the missing heritability gap in complex disorders, and even discover potential novel drug targets that have been ignored till now.

NCI - National Cancer Institute

PROJECT SUMMARY Drugs can be modified by human gut bacteria, leading to variability in efficacy and side-effects across people. Yet most of the ~19,000 FDA-approved drugs have not been tested for bacterial metabolism, and for those that have been screened, the responsible microbial enzymes are rarely known. Anti-cancer drugs epitomize this knowledge gap, with huge patient-to-patient variability and multiple documented links to specific bacterial strains and genes that alter drugs post-administration. This hinders our ability to design, prescribe, and dose cancer chemotherapies accurately and safely. A major roadblock is the immense diversity of microorganisms within a person’s gastrointestinal tract (the gut microbiota), including dynamic variability in enzyme presence/absence across strains of the same species, making it necessary to track causal genes not just taxa. Furthermore, state- of-the-art experimental screening approaches have insufficient scale to accommodate the rapidly growing list of drugs subject to gut bacterial metabolism. To remove these obstacles, we propose to develop a computational technology platform based on chemical and protein similarity that matches microbial enzymes with the drugs they are likely to modify. Supporting feasibility, our multi-PI team developed a prototype of this platform, called Similarity algorithms that Identify MicrobioMe Enzymatic Reactions (SIMMER). In the proposed project, we now aim to overcome three key limitations preventing the SIMMER prototype from being broadly applicable: the paucity of validated reactions for training and evaluation (Aim 1), variable performance across enzyme classes (Aim 2), and inability to query starting from a protein sequence rather than a chemical reaction (Aim 3). We will tackle these challenges by using large language models to incorporate protein structural similarity alongside sequence homology, linking traditionally siloed reaction-centric and sequence-based databases, and generating large-scale functional data to iteratively evaluate and improve SIMMER’s algorithms. The resulting tool will enable users to predict drugs that a given protein could modify and to prioritize gut microbial enzymes capable of performing known drug transformations. We have opted to focus on anti-cancer drugs as an initial proof-of-concept, given the rigorous prior literature implicating the microbiome in cancer therapy and the broad potential for translational impact. SIMMER 2.0 will speed up the discovery of chemotherapy-metabolizing enzymes, enabling focused work on specific drug classes and types of cancer. In addition, SIMMER predictions themselves will be useful for drug design and as inputs to personalized dosing algorithms. This cancer-focused project will be a key milestone towards a comprehensive map of all FDA-approved drugs and their microbial interactions. More broadly, the proposed methods will be easily extendable to other chemicals besides drugs, including diet- and host-derived small molecules.

NEI - National Eye Institute

This proposal seeks support for students and junior investigators (travel awardees) to attend the 2025 International Society for Eye Research (ISER)/BrightFocus Foundation (BFF) glaucoma meeting titled "Concepts and Breakthroughs in Glaucoma" to be held October 8th-11th, 2025 at the Emory Conference Center and Hotel in in Atlanta, Georgia. As in past meetings, our goal is to bring together basic scientists, clinician-scientists, students and fellows for presentations and in-depth discussions on recent exciting research advances and developments in the molecular mechanisms underlying glaucomatous pathology, both in the conventional outflow tract and the optic nerve head. We have already recruited three thought leaders in glaucoma to deliver keynote lectures. As in past meetings, platform sessions will be selected exclusively from submitted abstracts, with one session reserved for travel awardees. We are also organizing again a one-day "crash course" in glaucoma for people newcomers to the field and students/junior investigators, consistent with our goal of increasing young scientist participation. The Specific Aims of the conference are to: 1. Enhance the emerging careers of at least 30 young investigators working in glaucoma research by providing travel awards. 2. Provide a forum for the dissemination of the most recent advances in glaucoma research. 3. Create an environment that facilitates the exchange of novel ideas among basic and clinician-scientists, fostering opportunities for collaboration among vision scientists with multiple scientific expertise. 4. Bring together scientists working in disparate areas of glaucoma research. We anticipate that this meeting will provide state-of-the-art information on recent advances in glaucoma and serve as an important resource for those involved in the translation of these findings into novel therapeutics. The conference will also provide new opportunities, avenues for new discovery, and a forum to develop potential collaborations among the attendees. The requested funds will support the travel, accommodation and registration of at least 30 trainees to attend this focused meeting.

OD - NIH Office of the Director

Summary: The Lundquist Institute (TLI) is requesting funds to purchase a Leica STELLARIS confocal microscope to be housed in its established, centrally managed core facility. This new system is intended to replace an aging 12- year-old Leica SP8 microscope that no longer meets the evolving needs of our research community. A broad user group of 12 investigators (10 of whom are NIH-funded), who are all making significant and pioneering contributions to cross- disciplinary research at the interface between developmental biology, cell biology, molecular biology, cancer, endocrinology, neurobiology, immunology, and host-pathogen interactions, will immediately benefit from the transformative imaging capabilities of the instrument. The STELLARIS system offers major advancements in confocal imaging technology, including a tunable white light pulsed laser for fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), integrated with the high-speed FALCON FLIM platform and capable of multiplexing up to 11 spectral channels. These features provide users with quantitative imaging modalities to monitor complex dynamic processes in live and fixed samples. The instrument also includes LIGHTNING super-resolution capabilities based on adaptive deconvolution, expanded spatial coverage, and Leica's proprietary HyD detectors with tunable spectral sensitivity (1-nm precision, 400–850 nm), enabling high- resolution, low-phototoxicity imaging across a wide range of fluorophores. Acquisition of this system will ensure continued access to state-of-the-art imaging technology, enabling investigators to generate high-quality, multidimensional datasets and address increasingly complex biological questions. This instrument will directly enhance the rigor, reproducibility, and competitiveness of NIH-supported research at TLI by facilitating transformative insights into molecular and cellular mechanisms of health and disease.

NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Project Summary/Abstract Germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage (GM-IVH) is a significant neurological complication associated with high mortality rates and substantial neurodevelopmental disabilities. While the majority of GM-IVH cases are clinically asymptomatic, it is the most common cause of hydrocephalus in premature infants. Progressive cerebral ventricular dilation is an important diagnostic component of hydrocephalus and is typically identified through trans-fontanelle, cranial Ultrasound (CUS) in neonates. It is safe, cost-effective and can be conducted at the bedside with minimal disruption to the infant. However, current CUS clinical application is limited by numerous constraints, including: i) results are contingent upon the skills and experience of the ultrasonographer and radiologist Iii) limited access to the appropriate equipment and trained personnel in certain institutions due to prohibitive costs iii) due to the medical complexity of this vulnerable patient population, there is often a need to minimize stress, which can delay acquisition of important imaging when a patient is too unstable to undergo standard, often time consuming diagnostic US assessment. Within the last six years, conformable ultrasound electronics have been intensively investigated for imaging of many internal organs, however, to our knowledge, there are currently no studies on the feasibility of trans- fontanelle continuous ventricular ultrasound. Our goal is to investigate the monitoring of ventricular volume in neonates with GM-IVH using a wearable, adhesive ultrasound patch, and test the feasibility of simultaneous measurement of ventricular and sub-arachnoid size as well as cerebral blood flow. We hope this research will standardize interpretation, increase availability and reduce costs. Our work will introduce a novel patch design along with advanced piezoelectric transducers design, and a new image reconstruction method along with machine learning analysis of standard measurements such as ventricular index (VI), and anterior horn width (AHW), but also introduce AI based volumetric analysis. This work will be based on (1) novel patch design and advanced microfabrication of electronics (electronic science and engineering), (2) signal decoding for beamforming and image reconstruction (biomedical engineering and signal processing) and (3) clinical study on neonates and machine learning analysis (biomedical engineering and artificial intelligence). This study will provide the first in vivo validation of a conformable cranial ultrasound patch for neonatal brain monitoring with a significant advancement in neonatal monitoring, combining state-of-the-art piezoelectric sensor technology with advanced deep learning algorithms. We aim to demonstrate generalizability, robustness, and the potential to standardize CUS in this at-risk patient populations. This could ultimately reduce the incidence of severe neurodevelopmental impairment by providing uniform neurodiagnostic accuracy in a condition that is a major cause of mortality and neurodevelopmental impairment in this fragile population.

Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec

CALQ supports artistic and literary creation in Quebec through grants to artists and organizations in all disciplines including theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature, and film.

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

PROJECT ABSTRACT After a few weeks of antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-1 RNA often decays to undetectable levels in blood. The initial decay is typically rapid due to the loss of short-lived, HIV-infected CD4+ T cells, but despite being adherent to ART, some people experience a subsequent period of slower decay and may require months to years to reach virologic suppression. The clinical significance of ‘slow decay’ of HIV-1 RNA after starting ART is currently unknown. Assessing the clinical significance of ‘slow decay virus’ requires identify the mechanisms generating it and exploring whether there is ongoing inflammation and neuronal damage in these people. There are three potential mechanisms that may generate ‘slow decay virus’ and they may have very different clinical implications. (1) Continued HIV-1 replication due to ineffective ART, poor ART adherence or drug- resistance. (2) Alternatively, ART could stop HIV-1 replication, but HIV-1 virions may continue to be produced by HIV-infected CD4+ T cells or (3) macrophage. Virus production without replication that emerges at the time of ART initiation is called primary nonsuppresible viremia (NSV) and is mechanistically distinct from secondary NSV observed in people who were previously suppressed. We recently examined four people who required approximately a year to become suppressed and found that ART stopped HIV-1 replication, but HIV-infected macrophage continued to produce substantial amounts of virus. These preliminary results are consistent with the long-held belief that after starting ART there is a period of rapid viral decay due to loss of HIV-infected CD4+ T cells, but some people have a subsequent period of slower decay due to continued virus production from long- lived, HIV-infected macrophage. The proposed work will expand on these observations and examine the mechanisms generating ‘slow decay virus’ in a much larger cohort of people on ART and explore the clinical implications of having ‘slow decay virus’ after starting ART (i.e. primary NSV). We will use existing, archived, longitudinal blood samples from 99 people in the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) who did not suppress HIV-1 RNA to undetectable levels by 6 months on ART (i.e. people with ‘slow decay virus’) and samples from 30 people who suppressed virus with typical, rapid kinetics. The proposed experiments will identify the mechanisms generating ‘slow decay virus’ during ART and the clinical implications of ‘slow decay virus’ (Aim 1). In our previous study, we also observed that ‘slow decay virus’ produced by macrophage often had nonsense/frameshift mutations in the HIV-1 vpr gene that may have promoted continued HIV-1 production from macrophage during ART. Specifically, we will explore whether ‘slow decay virus’ populations produced by macrophage have mutations in vpr or other genes that impact macrophage survival and/or HIV-1 production from infected macrophage (Aim 2). We will accomplish these aims using cutting-edge, but highly rigorous approaches. Accomplishing these aims will address clinical concerns about ‘slow decay virus’, the source of ‘slow decay virus’ as well as the role that Vpr plays in HIV-1 persistence and expression in macrophage during ART.

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Project Summary/Abstract African Americans living with HIV experience accelerated neurocognitive aging despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). This project, "Contribution of Neuronal Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Microglial HIV Reservoirs to Neurocognitive Aging in African Americans with Nicotine Addiction and Viral Suppression," investigates how persistent microglial HIV reservoirs, exacerbated by nicotine exposure, disrupt neuronal mitochondria and accelerate cognitive decline. Smoking increases oxidative stress and inflammation, compounding mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation, leading to greater neuronal injury. Microglia sustain these pathological processes despite systemic viral suppression, contributing to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Our long-term goal is to mitigate HAND by targeting the core drivers of neurocognitive decline—neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction and persistent microglial HIV reservoirs—particularly in African Americans with nicotine addiction. We hypothesize that chronic microglial HIV reservoir activity accelerates neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction and that nicotine amplifies these effects, leading to earlier and more severe neurocognitive deficits. To test this hypothesis, we propose the following specific aims: Aim 1: Quantify mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NEVs) from blood plasma to assess neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction and its link to neurocognitive impairment in African Americans with nicotine addiction and viral suppression. Aim 2: Measure HIV RNA in microglia-derived extracellular vesicles (MEVs) from blood plasma to assess microglial reservoir activity and its contribution to neurocognitive aging in African Americans with nicotine addiction and viral suppression. We will recruit African American participants stratified by HIV status, smoking behavior, age, and sex. NEVs and MEVs will be isolated from blood plasma using neuron- and microglia-specific antibodies. Biomarkers— mtDNA (neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction) and HIV RNA (microglial reservoirs)—will be quantified using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for mtDNA and reverse transcription-ddPCR (RT-ddPCR) for HIV RNA. Neurocognitive function will be assessed with standardized tests, and statistical analyses will correlate biomarker levels with demographic variables and cognitive outcomes. Our preliminary findings indicate increased mtDNA in NEVs and detectable HIV RNA in MEVs among African American men with HIV who smoke, supporting the study’s hypothesis. By integrating biomarker assays with neurocognitive testing, this project will elucidate how microglial HIV reservoirs and nicotine disrupt neuronal mitochondrial integrity and contribute to cognitive decline. Findings will inform precision-medicine strategies to reduce HAND-related health disparities in African Americans living with HIV and nicotine addiction.

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

ABSTRACT The latent HIV-1 reservoir that persists despite the effect antiretroviral therapy (ART) comprises infected cells with intact integrated proviruses that are transcriptionally near silent. The existence and maintenance of this reservoir in essentially all ART-treated individuals is a major barrier to curative interventions in HIV-1 infection, and necessitates the lifelong administration of ART. In the preliminary studies that underpin this proposal we developed a xenograft based model system in NSG mice that reliably generates populations of human primary memory CD4+ T-cells that contain latent proviruses carrying reporter genes. Our methods overcome some of the key limitations of existing approaches to study HIV-1 latency. We determined hundreds of HIV-1 integration sites in active and latent cell populations and uncover relationships between provirus genomic location, infected cell clonal expansion, and the establishment of HIV-1 latency after engraftment. Uniquely, we have recovered and cultivated in large numbers primary memory CD4+ T cell single-cell clones each harbouring a unique HIV-1 integration site in which latency was (or was not) established in vivo. Comparison of these clones with the small number of CD4+ T cell clones that harbor intact HIV-1 proviruses that have been cultivated from ART-treated individuals reveals features in common that suggest that the model system we have developed more accurately recapitulates features of HIV- 1 latency than those deployed heretofore. In Aim 1, we will build on our preliminary studies by deriving a diverse collection of primary CD4+ T-cell single cell clones that harbor latent or active HIV-1 proviruses. Therein, we will investigate the stability, dynamics an mechanisms of transitions between active and latent states at defined integration sites and, whether the new DNA synthesis that accompanies cell proliferation enables these transitions. We will determine relationships between the epigenetic profile of loci containing proviruses and whether proviruses are transcriptionally active or latent. We will further assess how the physiologic status of T-cell clones conspires with epigenetic profile of loci containing proviruses to impact the establishment of latency and transitions between active and latent states. In Aim 2 we will manipulate epigenetic modifications at or surrounding the site of provirus integration in the genome of primary memory CD4+ T-cell clones and determine their effects on HIV-1 latency. We will build a custom, targeted sgRNA library, focused on epigenetic modifiers and gene expression regulators and identify genes that affect HIV-1 latency in various genomic contexts. We will further conduct genome wide CRISPR screens in primary memory CD4+ T-cell clones to identify genes that regulate latency therein. Ultimately, we will aim to provide mechanistic insights into HIV-1 latency and evidence about how manipulation of latency might be accomplished, such that HIV-1 infection might be cured.

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Controlled Delivery of Adjuvanted Multivalent Fusion Peptide Focused HIV Vaccines Project Summary The development of a safe and effective vaccine against HIV-1 continues to be a global health priority and has posed a formidable scientific challenge. Recent advances in vaccinology and immunology highlight great promise in enhancing potency of vaccine-induced immunity using prolonged delivery of vaccine immunogens and adjuvants. Striking increases in the induction and persistence of germinal centers produced by such regimens in rodents and non-human primates highlight the enormous benefit in affinity maturation of vaccine-specific B cells, which is critical for HIV-1 targeted vaccines. Notably, we have recently found that the SOSIP+3M-052 combination induced antigen-specific long-lived plasma cells that successfully trafficked to the bone marrow in non-human primates (NHPs) and were found to be stable for 2-3.5 years in independent studies. We seek to capitalize on these insights with five mutually reinforcing components: (i) safe and injectable hydrogels, based on unique chemistry of tunable bond formation and disconnection, that provide uniquely tunable extended release properties; (ii) safe and highly immunogenic virus-like particle platforms for multivalent antigen display; (iii) platform-switching heterologous immunization to focus the immune response on the HIV-1 fusion peptide; (iv) state-of-the-art SOSIP-based envelope glycoprotein (Env) immunogens; and (v) a nanoparticle-based form of the TLR7/8 targeted adjuvant 3M-052. These tools will be used to generate vaccine-induced durable and protective HIV-1 specific immunity, and to study responses at the cellular, molecular, and antibody-epitope levels in NHPs to maximize the changes of clinical success. Our three specific aims blend innovative chemistry, immunogen display, and delivery (Finn lab) with optimization of vaccination strategies coupled with deep immunological and vaccinological analyses in rodents and NHPs (Kasturi Lab). Upon successful completion of the program, we will have validated a modular class of vaccine formulations and identified key determinants of vaccine-induced durable and protective humoral immunity. This work will enable rapid future optimization of candidate vaccines against HIV-1, and potentially other pathogens, to elicit broad and long-lasting protection.

Fish and Wildlife Service

Task 1. Redesigning Website for Easier Search and Navigation Functions Starting in the late 1990s, American Trails (AT) began a collection of online trail resources documents, web pages, and links for the trails community to utilize. This collection has grown to over 6,000 pages, all stored in static, HTML code that requires manual updating. While this method worked for us for many years, the mass amount of resources has led to a website that is loaded with information, but that can be difficult to navigate. A user may have to click through multiple pages to find a given resource. Our current search method, using Google indexing, can be helpful, but as a keyword-only search method, it often returns dozens of pages of articles for the user to sort through. AT proposes building a single, powerful Content Management System (CMS) to organize and store these resources a system that will be powerful, fast, clear, and simple to use and that will provide an unparalleled resource library for the trails community including FWS users who have requested better access to information on the American Trails website. The Trail Resource CMS we propose will provide detailed search options title, State, Agency, category, keywords, and full article text search of thousands of American Trails resources. Updating the website will make it easier for the American people as well as FWS employees to better help navigate the most current up to date information on wildlife trails, refuges, and considering habitat in trail planning, construction and maintenance. By updating to the CMS American Trails will be able to better organize data, make it more accessible and easier for FWS to look up information and find trail resources. Task 2. National Recreation Trails National Recreation Trails may be designated by the Secretary of Interior to recognize exemplary trails of local and regional significance in response to an application from the trail's managing agency, such as a management unit of FWS. Through designation, these trails are 5 recognized as part of America's national system of trails as authorized by the National Trail System Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-543). The FWS vision document Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation recommends creative thinking about enabling visitors to learn about FWS resources: "We must actively encourage and provide new opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with nature by visiting their national wildlife refuges, personally or virtually." Trails in particular can provide the low-impact managed use that can help meet FWS goals for the future. Designation of trails on FWS lands as NRTs has been identified by FWS staff as a way to encourage visitation of trails that would benefit from increased attention. Trails are a critical way that visitors discover the beauty, history, and natural heritage of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and NRT designation is a cost-effective way to provide visibility to Refuge resources. The NRT website and database are essential tools for reaching the public with up to date information on FWS trails and other recreation opportunities. In 2015, analysis of website visitation documented that 40,446 trails were searched and located using the database on average, per month, by the public. In addition, visitors printed out 5,636 trail records from the database. The cost for updating these online resources is minimal compared to traditional public information techniques such as staffing visitors' centers, printing brochures, and attending public events. Most of the FWS NRTs designated in 2008-2015 have included good information in their applications that can be used for website creation and to populate the NRT designation. However, older designations are typically sketchy with details. Information that is of most use to visitors includes trail description, directions to trailheads, points of interest, and related activities. Helping visitors know the trail location relative to cities and highways is also important, and this can be done both descriptively and via downloadable maps (provided by the Refuges). The database records also should link to Refuge websites where news, events, and current conditions are available. Finally, a photo gives a good identity to the trail and makes it more appealing as visitors search the database. Most Refuge websites do not provide much information on trails. The Featured NRT website pages are an opportunity to provide useful visitor information in an attractive article format that includes trail features, seasonal interest, route descriptions, photos, and digital maps. FWS identifies "special attention to opportunities offered for youth and people with disabilities" as a priority for visitor information. Finally, these pages are also a great way to recognize volunteers and Friends groups who help with construction, maintenance, and interpretation. All FWS-managed National Recreation Trails are good candidates for new Featured NRT pages. We will continue to identify which of the NRTs do not have an existing Internet presence. All of these pages will link to agency and nonprofit websites supporting the trails. Task 3. National Trails Training Partnership (NTTP) Refuge Managers need to build sustainable, cost-effective trails that provide the public with memorable experiences of wildlife and natural areas. Expertise in trail development and management, especially in important habitat areas, needs to reach staff as well as volunteers and cooperating organizations. The US Fish & Wildlife Service is a party to the 2011 memorandum of understanding for the National Trails Training Partnership (NTTP), which is an extension of the 2003-04 agreements that began this initiative to promote trail-related training. The current MOU among seven Federal agencies and 24 national organizations states: "The purpose of this MOU is to develop and expand a framework of cooperation among the Parties at the national, regional, State, and local levels for planning and implementing mutually beneficial projects, activities, and programs for workforce development, training, and education associated with trails and related outdoor recreation and transportation activities." With efforts to promote public health and engage youth in natural resources by building and promoting trails and greenways, the environmental issues are increasingly important to planners 7 and managers. An important way to reduce visitor impacts is to improve planning of trails in habitat areas and use best practices for building and managing trails. Quality trails also facilitate environmental education as well as resource protection. The NTTP website, developed and maintained by American Trails, is a key element in making available resources to help in developing and managing trail systems. This website is available to trail building and management agencies and organizations, as well as to members of the general public who are interested in trails training. Another task is providing resources to help improve accessibility to public lands. Our goal is to provide effective technical information on building better, more sustainable trails, which also increases the level of accessibility. NTTP has also been effective in promoting best practices as well as identifying training providers. Federal agencies, organizations, and States have worked together through NTTP to improve coordination on training nationwide. Specific training available from a variety of providers includes skills for conservation and youth corps organizations, curricula for college-level students, and training to address local needs of agencies and organizations. Task 4. Technical Assistance Technical assistance and information sharing for FWS staff and cooperating organizations is essential to providing attractive as well as cost-effective recreation facilities. The key issues are effective delivery of technical information, improving accessibility, and managing visitor facilities in habitat areas. The FWS vision document Conserving the Future encourages new technology for sharing information and connecting with the public. Recommendation 15 states: "Develop integrated mechanisms for using web-based and other emerging technologies to store and share data, communicate within the System, and inspire and educate visitors and the public." Technical assistance also involves documenting the experience of staff who are retiring. Conserving the Future states: "As we transition from an older to a younger workforce, we must look for ways to transfer knowledge from senior staff." The key challenge for Refuge Managers is how trails can best be built while recognizing the needs and sensitivities of wildlife and the environment. We need to look at good examples on the Refuges, identify best practices in place in other jurisdictions, and document how new or improved trails contribute to both conservation and environmental education. As trails become even more popular, and are the subject of efforts to promote public health and outdoor activity, environmental issues are increasingly important. The desired result is to enable Refuge managers to build the best, most cost-effective trails. While trails may seem like simple projects, managers may not be experienced with state-of-the-art practices. Managers need the technical knowledge to make decisions on surfacing, maintenance, and facilities, as well as management issues of habitat impacts, seasonal closures, and wildlife watching. Providing the best information, as well as contacts with other trail managers on similar projects will lead to the most effective problem solving for trail development. It is also important to manage trails and visitors in ways that reduce impacts while increasing positive experiences and learning opportunities. Refuge managers and others in the field of parks and outdoor recreation need effective technical information on building better, more sustainable trails, which are also increasing the level of accessibility. With years of confusion and uncertainty over actual requirements for accessibility, many agencies have either ignored the need for more accessible trails, or have avoided tackling new trail projects. With the recent publication of final regulations for trails and facilities on federal land there is a critical need to interpret, publicize, and share information on accessible trails. To provide better assistance with trails in habitat areas, we need to continue development of the website area for "Planning Trails with Wildlife in Mind: A Handbook for Trail Planners. Material from the original print publication by Colorado State Parks has been adapted by American Trails to an online presentation at: www.americantrails.org/wild/default.htm. The goal of the Handbook and the new website area is to help planners and managers create trails that make a positive contribution to stewardship of open space and habitat. It is still the only 9 comprehensive resource that details both the impacts and benefits of trails as visitor management tools. Planning Trails with Wildlife in Mind was intended to encourage new contributions and add to the body of knowledge to improve our planning efforts. When it was compiled in 1998, the subject was just beginning to be studied. We need to involve FWS staff in expanding this information source with examples from the Refuges. We also need to make this information available to the public, volunteers, and environmental education providers. Task 5. International Trails Symposium The American Trails International Trails Symposium is the best opportunity for a comprehensive learning experience on all aspects of trail planning, development, and management. The 2017 Symposium will be held in Dayton, Ohio May 7-10, 2017. Over many years of attending the Symposium, FWS representatives have been able to share success stories with trail and greenway advocates, managers, planners, and users, as well as tourism and business interests. American Trails sponsors the International Trails Symposium every two years, The Symposium offers ways to publicize the FWS mission and resources, as suggested in Conserving the Future: "We must also look for ways to build relationships with people who have not had traditional links to wild lands and wildlife, and encourage them to visit refuges." The Symposium is also an important opportunity for FWS representatives to learn from, share success stories, and network with staff of other agencies, communities, and trail organizations. The goal is to create a culture of stewardship for our public lands as well as connections from our communities to nature. This Symposium will continue to build on previous conferences that have offered a variety of presentations on the topic of trails and wildlife. With an increasing need for solving problems and creating more cost-effective and sustainable trails, the theme for the 2017 Symposium is Trails Take Flight: Connecting People, Places, and Possibilities. Symposium programs will explore the many pathways to success for all types of trails, from cities to the backcountry, including trail design, sustainability, safety, advocacy, and health, as well as possibilities for the future. This Symposium will address the need for more technical training through a new partnership with the Professional TrailBuilders Association. We will offer a series of Sustainable Trails Workshops and programs during the Concurrent Educational Sessions, featuring solutions-based topics. In addition, Mobile Workshops will bring attendees to featured Dayton, Ohio area sites to share lessons learned from trail planning, partnerships, maintenance, and visitor management. Task 6. International Trails Symposium Hulet Hornbeck Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program Given the spectrum of challenges surrounding human health, underserved communities, and disengaged youth, there is an important need to enable more young people to have the valuable educational experiences such as attending the International Trails Symposium. The Hulet Hornbeck Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program was launched in 2013 as part of the American Trails International Trails Symposium. The program was named in memory of lifelong trail activist Hulet Hornbeck. At the 2013 International Trails Symposium, American Trails provided scholarships to 18 talented young leaders and recently brought 16 talented young adults to the 2015 International Trails Symposium on scholarship. Recipients were immersed in learning best practices and trends in the field to help pave the path to careers in trails, conservation, and outdoor recreation. Many attendees met and mentored these aspiring young trail professionals at the Symposium to encourage them on their way to becoming tomorrow s trail leaders. Diversity and inclusivity are important aspects of the Hulet Hornbeck Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program. This initiative was developed to provide unique training and mentoring opportunities to inspire young adults to choose a career path so they can leave a lasting legacy in the field of natural resources. Scholarship candidates are young adults who have an interest in trails, conservation, and outdoor recreation, and are interested in learning about these as potential career paths. See more on the accomplishments of this program in Youth Scholars Assessment of 2013 International Trails Symposium. Involvement in the Symposium also exposes young professionals to multi-generational dialogue about conservation and recreation. Diversity and inclusivity are important to us so that we can meet everyone s deepest needs, values, and long-term interests. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds to apply regardless of past trails experience. We are more interested in potential. During past Emerging Leaders programs, established resource professionals benefitted just as much from the exchange as the field looks to foster new leadership. onserving the Future clearly states the concern facing Federal land management agencies as well as organizations such as American Trails: "We are an overwhelmingly white and aging organization that struggles with being relevant in this rapidly changing society." The FWS vision document expands on the agency's commitment to student and youth programs in Recommendation 22: "Recruit and retain a workforce that reflects the ethnic, age, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds, and language diversity of contemporary America." A mentor pairing for every scholarship recipient (whom share a common interest/career goal) ensures that he or she will reap lasting benefits from the experience. These future leaders will learn best practices and trends in outdoor recreation and resource conservation to help pave the path to careers in these fields. An unexpected outcome of the successful 2015 program was that established resource professionals benefitted as well from sharing their expertise and in looking to foster new leadership in their own agencies. Authorizing statues for this program include Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1934 (16 U.S.C. 2901-2911); Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742(a)-754); Refuge Recreation Act of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k(4)); National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd); Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1701-1706); Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa-47011); The National Wildlife Refuge System Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-57); National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and

National Institutes of Health

<p style="margin-left:0in;">The Cooperative Centers of Excellence in Hematology (CCEHs) are a national network of cores that provide state-of-the-art resources and services, expertise, enrichment activities, and small pilot and feasibility (P&amp;F) funding to support and enhance the nonmalignant hematology research community and the quality of its science. The renewal of the CCEH program with enhanced strategies will improve the transparency, accountability, shareability, and overall excellence of the program.&nbsp;</p>

National Institutes of Health

The Cooperative Centers of Excellence in Hematology (CCEHs) are a national network of cores that provide state-of-the-art resources and services, expertise, enrichment activities, and small pilot and feasibility (P&amp;F) funding to support and enhance the nonmalignant hematology research community and the quality of its science. The renewal of the CCEH program with enhanced strategies will improve the transparency, accountability, shareability, and overall excellence of the program.

National Park Service

Complete the work of historians who began documenting the history of Tuskegee Institute,train Tuskegee University students and members of the community on the art and science of collecting oral history.

European Commission - HORIZON

Creative alliances: Fostering global partnerships in cultural policies and CCI innovation. Call: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2026. Programme: HORIZON. Keywords: Digitalisation/ICT and cultural heritage, International relations, Policy development, Policy making and economics, Social innovation, Social sciences, interdisciplinary, Visual arts, performing arts, design. Open call from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Creative Saskatchewan

Creative Saskatchewan supports the province's creative industries including film, music, publishing, and visual arts through grants and market development funding.

Creative Sonoma

Project and operating grants for arts organizations and individual artists from Creative Sonoma. Supports visual, performing, literary, and media arts.

Creative Time

Grants for public art projects that challenge social conventions and push the boundaries of art in public spaces.

CreatiVets

Grants for creative arts therapy programs (music, visual arts, songwriting) for veterans recovering from PTSD and TBI.