Federal Funding Opportunities

Department of Agriculture
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces a pilot grant program for the provision of broadband transmission service in rural America. For FY 2002, $20 million in
grants will be made available to provide broadband transmission service on a "community-oriented connectivity" basis. The "community-oriented connectivity” approach
will target rural, economically-challenged communities and offer a means for the deployment of broadband transmission services to rural schools, libraries, education
centers, health care providers, law enforcement agencies, public safety organizations as well as residents and businesses. Eligible applicants include any public bodies;
an Indian tribe; a cooperative, nonprofit, limited dividend or mutual association; municipality; an incorporated or limited liability company; or other legally organized entity.
A 15 percent matching cost-share is required. The applicant may not be an individual or a partnership. Applications for grants from now through November 5, 2002. More
information is available at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-17018-filed

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) has approximately $2 million for partnership agreements that will fund risk management research and development
activities. Priority will be given to those activities addressing the need for risk management tools for producers of Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
crops, specialty crops, and underserved commodities. Awards may be made for a period of up to two years. Eligible are all colleges and universities; federal, state, and
local agencies; nonprofit and for-profit private organizations or corporations; and other entities. Applications are due August 15, 2002. More information is available at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-16502-filed

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The trans-NIH Bioengineering Consortium (BECON) invites applications for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects on nanotechnologies useful to
biomedicine. Because the duration and cost of research to develop nanotechnologies are likely to exceed that routinely awarded for SBIR grants, well justified Phase I
applications will be considered with a project period up to two years and a budget not to exceed a total cost of $400,000. Eligible small business concerns may submit
proposals. Proposals are due August 1, 2002. More information is available at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-125.html

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) invites applications to help stimulate the amount and elevate the quality of basic, mechanistic,
and preclinical research in all domains of CAM in order to provide a stronger foundation for ongoing and planned clinical studies. Eligible are for-profit or non-profit
organizations; public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories; units of state and local governments; eligible agencies of the federal
government; domestic or foreign organizations; and faith-based organizations. Applications are due October 1, 2002. More information is available at:
http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-124.html

The National Cancer Institute (NCI)/NASA Fundamental Technologies for the Development of Bimolecular Sensors Program is soliciting projects to develop the
fundamental elements of technology systems or system components that will measure, analyze, and manipulate molecular processes at appropriate scale in the living
body. Discoveries are intended to enable the development of complete systems for the in vivo sensing of signatures of pathologic cell types or closely associated
micro environmental factors that provide a seamless interface between sensing/detection and delivery of signature-specific intervention. NCI and NASA each anticipate
making 10-14 awards, with the average total annual cost estimated to be $500,000 per award. The maximum period for a research proposal is three years. All sources are
encouraged to apply. Responses are due November 1, 2002. More information is available at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-CA-02-020.html

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) invites applications for a program aimed at understanding the pathophysiology of contractures
in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions that lead to muscle paralysis or impaired function, such as stroke, spinal
cord injury and cerebral palsy. NICHD intends to commit approximately $900,000 in total costs in FY 2003 to fund up to six new grants for this program. An applicant
may request a project period of up to three years and a budget for direct costs of up to $100,000 per year. Eligible are for-profit or non-profit organizations; public or private
institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories; units of state and local governments; eligible agencies of the federal government; and domestic or
foreign organizations. Optional letters of intent are due September 27, 2002; applications are due October 28, 2002. More information is available at:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-02-022.html

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invites grant applications for neuroscience research centers (see below). Applicants for CCNRs and CCNMDs may
request support for a renewable period of up to five years; direct costs are limited to $1.5 million in any one year for these programs. Applicants for CDCNRs may request
support for only one period of up to four years, and direct costs requested may not exceed $500,000 in any one year. Eligible are for-profit or non-profit organizations;
public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories; units of state and local governments; eligible agencies of the federal government;
and domestic organizations. Optional letters of intent are due August 1, 2002; applications are due October 21, 2002. More information is available at:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-02-121.html

Silvio O. Conte Centers for Neuroscience Research (CCNR). The purpose of this program is to provide a unifying framework for the pursuit of basic neuroscience
research relevant to mental health and mental illness. A CCNR should conduct novel, integrative, and hypothesis driven research on a highly focused and well
defined neuroscience question. More information is available at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-02-121.html
Silvio O. Conte Centers for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders (CCNMD): Schizophrenia, Mood Disorders, and Other Severe Mental Illnesses. The primary goal
of this initiative is to support integration and translation of basic and clinical neuroscience research on severe mental illnesses. Research supported by these
centers should seek to clarify the neural substrates of mental disorders, including the etiology and pathogenesis of those disorders and the biological phenotypes
associated with them. More information is available at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-02-122.html
Silvio O. Conte Centers to Develop Collaborative Neuroscience Research (CDCNR). This initiative is intended to facilitate the development of collaborative research
teams of established investigators by providing support for interactive research projects and cores to serve them. More information is available at:
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-02-123.html

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National Science Foundation
The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education for students, faculty and
institutions by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in an environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional
disciplinary boundaries. Academic institutions that grant Ph.D. degrees in the sciences and engineering may submit proposals. Non-Ph.D. granting, nonacademic, and
international institutions may serve as collaborating institutions. An estimated 20 awards of up to $2.95 million each are available. Awards will be made in amounts up to
$550,000 per year for a duration of five years. Additional funds of up to $200,000 may be provided in the first year for purposes appropriate to the IGERT project, and funds
of up to $500,000 over five years may be provided for some awards to support international activities. Required preproposals are due October 2, 2002. More information is
available at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf02145

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
SBA invite applications from eligible nonprofit organizations for Women’s Business Center (WBC) projects. A WBC is a 5-year community-based project that is funded
through a matching grant. The project is a planned scope of activities that provide business skills services targeted to women. The WBC services must include long-term
training and counseling pertaining to financial, management and marketing assistance to benefit small business concerns owned and controlled by women. Successful
applicants will receive cooperative agreement to provide counseling, training and other technical assistance to women who want to start or expand businesses.
Anticipated total funding is not known presently, but an estimated three grants will be awarded. The non-federal match requirement is one non-federal dollar for each two
federal dollars in years 1 and 2; and one non-federal dollar for each federal dollar in years 3, 4, and 5. Applications are August 12, 2002. More information is available at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-16785-filed

Foundation Research Opportunities

Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has $6 million available for funding new research initiatives (see below) under The Role of Protein
Degradation in Parkinson’s Disease program. MJFF anticipates making multiple awards for projects lasting up to two years. Applications may be submitted by U.S.
and non-U.S. entities; non-profit organizations; public and private non-profit entities, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories and units of state and local
governments; and eligible agencies of the federal government and for-profit entities. More information is available at: http://www.michaeljfox.org/research/protein_list.html

The Fast Track 2002 grants program ($4 million) considers a broad range of research applications relevant to the cure, cause, prevention or improved treatment of
Parkinson’s disease. Applications are due October 11, 2002.
The Protein Degradation program ($2 million) will study the role of protein degradation or "handling" in the process of neurodegeneration, a key underlying
mechanism in Parkinson’s disease. Required letters of intent are due August 2; Applications are due September 6, 2002.

SSTI Weekly Digest

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